The National Museum of Ireland (NMI) is seeking applications from suitable candidates to fill the position of Keeper of Natural History Division (Keeper Grade) in the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History, Merrion Street, Dublin 2. This is a full-time permanent position,
subject to probation period of one year. The position will be filled by open competitive interviews.
The Keeper of Natural History Museum has responsibility for the leadership, management and strategic direction of the Natural History Division based within the Natural History Museum and others sites within NMI. This position is part of the overall management team within NMI and is one of four Keeper positions relating to the four curatorial divisions within the Museum. The role involves direct line management of a team of four staff within the Natural History division, as well as collaboration with managers across NMI in the delivery of the key strategic aims of the NMI and the Natural History division as outlined in the NMI’s strategic plan.
The role of Keeper of Natural History Museum is a key leadership role within the NMI and will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:
Lead and oversee the management of the Natural History Division (NHD), including managing, motivating, and developing the staff of the Division in accordance with the NMI’s HR policies and procedures;
Contribute to the strategic planning and overall management of NMI;
Provide expert advice to the Director, Management and Board on all matters relevant to the Natural History collections;
Developing and implementing policies and procedures in relation to the care, management and development of the collections in the Division in consultation with the Head of Collections & Learning;
Responsible for maintaining and overseeing the Divisional risk register;
Ensuring curatorial input into the registration of the collections, including the enhancement of the records relating to objects in the collection;
Overseeing access to the collections in the Division;
Ensuring curatorial input into digitisation projects;
Developing the role of research, education and learning in relation to the collections of the Division in consultation with the Head of Collections & Learning and the Head of Learning and Public Programmes;
Raising awareness of and promoting the collections in the Division;
Taking a lead role with the Senior Management Team in the redevelopment of the Natural History Museum;
Prepare, manage and be accountable for the annual budgetary estimates and business plans for the NHD to support NMI's strategy;
Carrying out procurement as necessary;
Seeking external funding for projects, managing such projects and providing reports in consultation with the Director and Head of Collections & Learning;
Contributing to the development of appropriate Museum-wide policies, plans and procedures in relation to health and safety, fire safety, disaster planning, risk assessment and security;
Contributing to collections management across NMI;
Communicating and liaising with staff within the NMI;
Liaising with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and other external bodies as appropriate;
Building relationships with external bodies and representing the NMI on relevant boards and committees;
Support the Director and the Senior Management Team to plan and deliver the strategic aims and objectives of the National Museum of Ireland
Any other duties appropriate to the position.
The above is a general guide to the role and is not an exhaustive description of the duties which are associated with the role. As the role is an evolving one, the Director or Head of Collections and Learning may assign other responsibilities and tasks to the jobholder over time.