Acquisitions Coordinator (RSA Collections)
Closing date 16 January 2023
Job Title: Acquisitions Coordinator (RSA Collections)
Salary: £26,000
Hours: Full time (9.30am-5pm), Monday to Friday.
Reporting to: Collections Curator
Location: Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture, Granton Art Centre.
About the Royal Scottish Academy
The Royal Scottish Academy supports art and architecture in Scotland. Founded in 1826, we are an
independent, non-governmental institution governed by our Members. Known as Royal Scottish
Academicians, our Members are eminent artists and architects.
We aim to support artists and architects in their creative process.
To achieve this, we:
– Uphold best practice in contemporary Scottish art and architecture.
– Maintain a collection, archive and library relating to the history of Scottish art and the activities of
the Academy. Recognised as a Collection of National Significance by the Scottish Government, we
make our collections publicly accessible.
– Encourage and support emerging artists and architects.
– Inform national debates about visual, cultural and educational issues.
– Promote Scotland’s creativity internationally.
– Facilitate understanding and appreciation of the visual arts.
The Role:
The Acquisitions Coordinator post will play a key role in preserving, developing, and making accessible
the RSA’s significant holdings of material received mainly through gifts and bequests. The role is
primarily based with the RSA Collections Department at Granton Art Centre, but will also involve working
closely with colleagues at the RSA main office at the Mound, and off-site with artists’ estates and
elsewhere. The role has a wide remit involving management, cataloguing and documentation,
accessioning and archiving, digitisation and online access strategies, research and interpretation,
exhibition coordination, working with artists and estates and art handling, preservation, and storage
coordination.
Key Responsibilities:
– Coordinating the cataloguing, documentation, archiving and accessioning of gift and bequest
collections
– Directing collections management approaches and the operations of Axiell and CMS
– Coordinating the rationalisation of gifts and bequests for collections transfer and working with
the RSA Mound team in the management of stock for sale and exhibition
– Directing preservation and programmes of conservation
– Coordinating storage across RSA storage sites and directing art handling procedures
– Devising and delivering research, access, interpretation and publishing strategies
– Overseeing website and social media strategies
– Coordinating exhibitions and other RSA engagement activities
– Developing and directing the loan and touring potential of collections
– Overseeing information management, digitisation, image processing and preservation
– Liaising across the RSA team and with artists, collaborators and partners
– Budget management and operation
Person Specification:
We are looking for a museum/gallery professional with a strong knowledge of practice and a track
record in diverse working methods.
Essential Experience and Knowledge:
– A good first degree or equivalent experience, ideally in the fields of Fine Art or Art History
– A postgraduate qualification or equivalent experience, in museum/gallery/curatorial studies
– Demonstrable track record in curatorial, exhibition or collections work in an arts or cultural venue,
gallery or museum.
– Knowledge and experience in museum cataloguing, documentation and archiving practice
– Knowledge and experience in museum preservation and conservation programming
– Experience of public programming using art collections, with experience of handling a variety of
art objects and material
– Experience in developing, curating, installing and touring exhibitions
– A high degree of motivation and the ability to work both alone and in and across teams, with
excellent inter-personal, communication, organisational and time management skills.
Desirable Experience and Knowledge:
– Knowledge of Scottish art, and accurate research, interpretation, and writing skills.
– Experience of using Axiell CMS and other IT applications (Windows, Excel, PowerPoint and
Adobe creative suites)
– Familiarity with using websites and social media for collections and exhibitions promotion
Contract type: Permanent
Probation period: Six months
Notice period: One month
Work pattern: Full time (9.30am-5pm)
Pension: Subject to eligibility you will be auto enrolled in our pension scheme.
Holidays: 25 days annual leave per year plus 6 public holidays. The leave year runs from 1
January to 31 December.
Applications:
Applications should be submitted in the form of cover letter (maximum of two pages) and current CV.
Applications must be submitted with two referees noted, one of which should be a current or latest
employer. References will only be sought after successful interview. Applications should be submitted
by email to Sandy Wood: [email protected].
Deadlines for applications: 12pm, Monday 16th January 2023
Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
Interviews: Week beginning 23rd January 2023 at the Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, Edinburgh