Position at Halahan Associates

Collection Manager
Halahan Associates

Middleport Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent, Collection Preservation and
    Development Collection Care and Management project
Stoke-on-Trent, based in the collection store with visits to the
    nearby factory site

Part time, time allocation to be confirmed

Halahan Associates
38 Kitson road
London SE5 7LF
+44 7767497656

The Middleport Pottery site was constructed in 1888 for a local
ceramics company, Burgess Leigh Limited in the heart of Burslem,
Stoke-on-Trent. The Grade II listed site was at serious risk of
closure and the historic fabric was in a state of disrepair. In June
2011 the Prince's Regeneration Trust acquired the site having put
together a private and public funding package. It is now embarking
on an ambitious restoration and regeneration programme where
Burleigh will remain on site and the unused buildings will be
developed to provide attractive accommodation for workshops,
enterprise space, craft and community areas, a cafe, a gallery and a
heritage visitor centre.

The collections associated with the site are made up of plaster
blocks and moulds used in the manufacturing process; ceramic objects
made in the factory; paper and photographic archives including
ledgers; metal printing plates and cylinders used to print the
transfers; an assortment of furniture from the offices and
workshops; some equipment and tools.

The majority of the collections have been moved to an off-site store
in the former Spode works in central Stoke-on-Trent. Halahan
Associates are working with the Prince's Regeneration Trust to
manage and care for the collections. The project includes:
unpacking, recording, storing, researching, assessing the
collections to develop plans for care, conservation and use and to
plan the infrastructure, policies and procedures needed to run the
collection. The project will involve volunteers and interns as part
of the regeneration programme.

A post for an initial period of 18 months is available for a part
time Collection Manager to work in the store to help develop, manage
and implement the various processes of collection care and
collection management of the collections. The project may continue
for an additional year so there may be a possibility of extending
the contract. Initially you will work alongside Frances Halahan and
Jennifer Dinsmore and will be expected to participate in the first
stage of documentation, auditing and basic conservation cleaning and
become involved with overseeing the work of volunteers and interns.
Once the collections have initially been organised we will need to
plan and organise necessary conservation work and help provide
information on the objects and the content of the archives for the
interpretation of the collection. You will contribute to the
development of policies for the future management of the
collections. You will be required to communicate with the PRT staff
involved with the building project.

You will need to be motivated and well organised, able to work
independently and to help manage the work of others.  You should be
familiar with conservation management processes such as compiling
inventory and location documentation, and with collection care
procedures such as safe handling and storage for a range of objects.
You will work with Halahan Associates to achieve the work delivery
deadlines.

This is an exciting opportunity to be involved with the initial
development of management procedures and policies for a collection.

Skills:

    A qualification in conservation, collection care or collection
    management to at least first degree level

    Experience of working with a variety of object types and
    materials

    Experience of working with volunteers

    Experience of assessing conservation needs of collections is
    desirable but not essential

    You will be able to organise your own time and help manage the
    work of others

    Good communication skills

    Experience of working with collection documentation systems
    would be an advantage

    You may be required to work on your own at times in the store
    where the collection is held.

Remuneration: The successful candidate will work as a freelance
contractor and be paid by the day at a daily rate of UKP100.00. This
is equivalent to approximately UKP24,000 per year pro rata, the
candidate will be responsible for their own tax.

The Collection Manager will be included in Halahan Associates'
Insurance for Public Liability, Professional Indemnity, Products
Liability.

Application: Please send a CV and brief statement on what interests
you about this project and what you can bring to the project.
Applications should be sent to frances.halahan<-at->halahan<.>co<.>uk and
copied to jennifer.dinsmore<-at->halahan<.>co<.>uk or posted to:

    Halahan Associates
    38 Kitson Road
    London SE5 7LF

Application should arrive by January 25, 2013

Interviews are planned for January 31, 2013 and will take place in
Stoke-on-Trent to give interviewees the opportunity to visit the
store.

Please contact either Frances Halahan or Jennifer Dinsmore on the
above emails for further information. The following web sites may
also be of interest

    <URL:http://www.middleportpottery.co.uk/>
    <URL:http://www.princes-regeneration.org/>
    <URL:http://www.burleigh.co.uk/>

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 26:33
                 Distributed: Sunday, January 13, 2013
                       Message Id: cdl-26-33-032
                                  ***