Director, Collections Care (Maternity Cover)

Director, Collections Care (Maternity Cover)

Location: IWM London (with UK-wide travel)

Salary: £75,000 to £80,000 per annum

Vacancy Type: Fixed Term, 14 Months Maternity Cover

Working Pattern: 36 hours per week, hybrid (typically 3 days on site)

Closing date: 12th of July 2026

At Imperial War Museums (IWM), we connect people with the realities of conflict, past and present, through powerful collections, stories and experiences. Our work is grounded in care, integrity and public value.

As part of our senior leadership team, you’ll join a purpose-driven organisation where your expertise directly enables access to extraordinary collections used by millions of visitors, researchers and partners worldwide. This is a rare opportunity to lead at scale in a complex, multi-site national institution.

Why this role stands out

This is one of the most senior collections care roles in the UK museum sector.

You’ll take ownership of how a globally significant collection is protected, developed and made accessible, balancing conservation excellence with public impact. From stewarding high-risk and sensitive material to advancing digitisation and sustainability, your work will shape both current access and long-term legacy.

You’ll influence at executive level while leading a large, multidisciplinary function, ensuring collections are not only preserved to the highest standards, but actively enable exhibitions, research, partnerships and new digital opportunities.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll operate as a strategic leader, with end-to-end accountability for collections care across IWM:

• Set and deliver a clear, future-focused strategy for collections care across multiple sites


• Lead major programmes across conservation, preventive care, storage, movement and digitisation


• Ensure collections are protected, compliant and accessible, including oversight of complex and hazardous materials


• Drive forward IWM’s Digital Futures ambitions for collections access and preservation


• Lead financial planning, resource allocation and supplier/contract oversight at scale


• Act as the organisation’s expert voice on collections care, advising senior leadership and shaping decisions


• Build and lead a high-performing, multidisciplinary team, developing capability and succession


• Enable collaboration across curatorial, exhibitions, digital and public engagement teams to maximise impact

This role is suited to an established senior leader from a major museum, heritage or collections-based organisation.

We’re particularly interested in candidates who bring:

• Proven senior leadership experience in a complex, collections-led environment


• A track record of delivering strategy, transformation or large-scale programmes


• Deep technical understanding of collections care (conservation, preservation, storage and/or digitisation)


• Strong commercial and operational judgement, including budget ownership and resource planning


• Experience working with governance, risk and regulatory frameworks (including complex or hazardous collections)


• The ability to influence at executive level and build credibility with diverse stakeholders


• A collaborative, people-focused leadership style with experience leading specialist teams


• A relevant professional background (e.g. museum studies, conservation, archives or similar)

You’ll work at the centre of IWM’s Collections & Curatorial directorate, partnering closely with leaders across digital, exhibitions and public engagement. This is a highly visible role, requiring both strategic influence and hands-on leadership across teams, sites and professional networks.

Externally, you’ll represent IWM within the wider museum and heritage sector, contributing to national and international best practice in collections care.

What success looks like

In your first 6–12 months, you will:

• Establish credibility and strong working relationships across IWM’s leadership and specialist teams


• Gain full oversight of collections care operations, risks and priorities


• Set and begin delivering a clear, aligned strategy for collections care


• Strengthen governance, compliance and risk management across all areas


• Drive measurable improvements in programme delivery and operational consistency


• Lead and motivate your team to deliver high-quality, sustainable services at scale

• Work with one of the world’s most significant modern conflict collections


• Influence strategy and delivery at executive level


• Lead a highly skilled, mission-driven team


• Shape how collections are preserved and shared for future generations

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Imperial War Museums, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

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