Head of Cultural Collections

Are you a visionary leader with expertise in cultural collections and a passion for turning collections into knowledge and impact? If so, come and join us as Head of Cultural Collections and help shape the future of our nationally significant collections.

About the role

You will lead the development and impact of the collections in the North West Film Archive, Manchester Poetry Library and our Special Collections. Balancing management and care of the collections with creativity and ambition, you will ensure they inspire discovery, generate knowledge and transform lives.

You will:

• Provide inspirational leadership, taking a holistic approach across teams, collections and disciplines.
• Drive innovation in teaching, research and civic engagement.
• Deliver digital transformation in digitisation, preservation, access and discovery.
• Build trusted partnerships with academics, communities, cultural organisations and funders, locally, nationally and internationally.
• Inspire and develop teams, fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence.
• Be an active member of our Senior Leadership Group, driving change and delivering impact.

About you

You will be a confident, creative leader who sees new possibilities for cultural collections. You will have:

• Senior experience of managing cultural collections and driving innovation (ideally in higher education, but it's not essential).
• A proven ability to unlock the potential of collections for education, research and civic engagement.
• A commitment to inclusivity and successful partnership-building.
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to inspire teams and influence at a senior level.

Why join us?

Library and Cultural Services is ambitious, agile and bold. We are resourceful and passionate about providing an evolving service that is valued and celebrated by the University's 43,000 students and 5,000 staff. Excellence, innovation and an outstanding user experience drive everything we do. Joining us, you will be welcomed into an ambitious, collaborative and inclusive team.

With our Library Transformation Programme underway, including a new library building, you will have the opportunity to shape the future of our service and the role of cultural collections within it.

Get in touch

If you are a strategic, creative leader with a passion for turning collections into knowledge and impact we would love to hear from you.

To explore the post or to ask any questions, please contact Rachel Beckett, Director of Library and Cultural Services, at rachel.beckett@mmu.ac.uk 

Further information and how to apply

Hybrid working is offered for this role, where you will be able to work a proportion of time on campus and a proportion remotely. We recognise the benefits and importance of a culture that supports flexible working and are open to conversations throughout the application process. 

Please submit your application by clicking "apply" and upload your CV along with a Cover Letter that outlines your suitability to the role. 

Equality and diversity commitment

Manchester Metropolitan University fosters an inclusive culture of belonging that promotes equity and celebrates diversity. We value a diverse workforce for the innovation and diversity of thought it brings and welcome applications from local and international communities, particularly those from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, and LGBTQ+ individuals.

We support a range of flexible working arrangements, including hybrid and tailored schedules, which can be discussed with your line manager. If you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or in your role, please let us know so we can provide appropriate support.

Our commitment to inclusivity includes mentoring programmes, accessibility resources, and professional development opportunities to empower and support underrepresented groups.

Manchester Met is a Disability Confident Leader and, under this scheme, aims to offer an interview to disabled people who apply for the role and meet the essential criteria as listed in the attached Job Description for that vacancy.