Future Observatory Project Manager

Overview

Future Observatory is a national programme for design research supporting the UK’s response to the climate crisis. Launched November 2021, the programme is coordinated by the Design Museum in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The programme funds, commissions and curates cutting-edge design research for broad audiences, making design research for the green transition accessible and engaging and enabling it to have a greater impact.

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Job scope

The Future Observatory Project Manager role will best suit an individual who has knowledge of sustainable production, excels in commissioning and is familiar with general project management principles and technical display delivery. They will assist with the planning, production, execution, and closing of the Future Observatory display and the Design Researchers in Residence exhibition, two free annual displays which are installed on the Design Museum’s second floor.

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Job description

*The full job description/person specification is available to download from our careers portal vacancy posting. 

Production and administration

• Reporting to the Head of Curatorial Programme, you will be responsible for developing the timelines and schedules for each project.
• You will work closely with the Future Observatory Curator, forecasting, managing and reporting budgets throughout the course of a project.
• You will also work closely with the Design Museum Exhibitions team, sharing information around ongoing project development and ensuring that timelines are coordinated across the Museum.

Install and de-rig

• Plan and manage installation and de-rig periods, leading an in-house and freelance technical team and overseeing all activities on site, including condition reporting.
• Create detailed planning schedule for installation and de-rig to relevant parties, including Curators and external contractors, ensuring the museum staff are informed of plans well ahead of time.

Budgets

• Maintain meticulous budget records to ensure budget administration is carefully managed.
• Regularly report budget activity to the Curator.
• Support Curatorial team in reconciling the project budget, once install of the display is complete.

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Person specification

Essential - Knowledge, Experience and Skills

• An interest in contemporary design and knowledge of design history.
• Understanding of RIBA design stages
• Demonstrable experience in the gallery or museum sector working on exhibition projects from concept to completion.
• Experience working on the commissioning process with external contractors and service providers.
• Understanding of the technical aspects of exhibition project management, such as the conversion of design concepts to construction drawings, object handling and display specifications, visitor flow in public areas, production techniques and contract/ design management.
• An adept communicator, with experience of managing relationships with multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines and retain good attention to detail.

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Salary: up to £31,520 per annum, dependent on experience

Holidays: 25 days per annum + Christmas eve (museum closed)

Hours: full-time, 35 hours per week, fixed-term until March 2028

Location: Design Museum Kensington is the place of work, with a hybrid arrangement of 60% of an employee’s role to be performed at the museum and 40% remote.

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Closing date: Sunday 24 August, midnight

Interviews: w/c 01 September

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Application process

For all the latest job vacancies at the Design Museum, please visit our Careers page to apply via our online portal: https://careers.designmuseum.org/vacancies

If you encounter any issues while completing your application, please email peopleteam@designmuseum.org before the vacancy closing date. We will be in touch as soon as possible; (please note the inbox is monitored Monday-Friday).