MUSEUM ADMINISTRATOR

£21,000 p.a.

Sir John Soane's Museum is the brilliant creation of a great architect, Sir John Soane (1753-1837), whose atmospheric house-museum displays his collection of antiquities, furniture and paintings in the same state as it was left at the time of his death.

You will be responsible for all administrative functions, booking group and educational visits, preparing for meetings of the Trustees, and supporting the Director and curatorial staff. You will be encouraged to play an active role in the life of the Museum. The role is pivotal, varied and extremely busy, and would suit a highly organised, pro-active, articulate, versatile all-rounder with initiative and energy.

The Museum is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

This post requires an Enhanced CRB Disclosure.

Applications in the form of a curriculum vitae and supporting letter, together with the name and addresses of two referees, should be sent by post to the Deputy Director, Sir John Soane's Museum, 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BP. The closing date for applications is 21 November.

JOB DESCRIPTION: MUSEUM ADMINISTRATOR

ROLE PROFILE

The Administrator of Sir John Soane's Museum is a pivotal role and requires a high level of skill in coordinating different events, appointments and bookings for groups and workshops etc. He/she is encouraged to play an active part in the life of the Museum.

Applicants should be highly organised, energetic, versatile, articulate and able to work under pressure. The Museum Administrator must be able to get on with people, work in a team and represent the Museum in a variety of situations. They should have excellent writing and IT skills.

• General Administration
  Answer main telephone information line, maintain the telephone message system, contacting engineers if necessary; maintain and monitor personal voicemail and email, forwarding general emails to other staff members if appropriate or of relevance/interest.
  Run the office and maintain the filing system, sending files to the Archive in consultation with the Archivist. You should be familiar with the contents of the files and able to locate correspondence when it is requested.
  Attend weekly diary meeting
  Maintain the main diary (paper and electronic) and other records as mentioned elsewhere and including the Office Procedure Manual
  Maintain mailing lists/databases that the Administrator is responsible for including staff list
  Cut up magazines, distribute articles to staff members or Library
  Distribute post on arrival, opening the post of any staff on leave (if requested and/or necessary in consultation with the Director or Deputy Director). Send out post daily taking to the post office or the post box, and coordinating with the Head Warder if a Warder is able to do this. Organise dispatch by DHL or FEDEX if necessary, dealing with all paperwork.
  Maintain, and participate in, rota for kitchen duties
  Monitor faxes ensuring attention is drawn to relevant staff member if urgent or unsent for some reason
  Supervise work experience pupils if requested and work with volunteers
  Note staff annual leave in diary and prepare leave forms annually, checking forms correct when submitted to Director
  Collate/assist in collating Annual Report and Annual Review and send out to appropriate mailing list, updating annually
  Familiarise yourself with administration involved in maintaining computer network, consulting with engineers or outside support staff if necessary
  Familiarise yourself with operation of photocopier, ordering supplies as needed
  Order supplies of stationery, printer and photocopier cartridges, stamps, kitchen supplies

 

• Group and Workshop Bookings
  Take bookings for all group visits and record in the main diary, consulting with education staff if required. These include adult groups both private and educational; primary school tours and workshops; art workshops for adults; family activities; and visits to schools under the Museum's outreach programme.
  Take bookings for the Annual Lecture and lectures under the Museum's programme for the Study Group
  Deal with enquiries, correspondence and payment re the above visits
  Record all group visits in MS Access (or similar system) and extract figures and information for any returns when requested and for the Annual Report

 

• Entertaining/Events
  Organise sandwiches/lunches for the Director (or other staff) if requested (and if appropriate)
  Private Views - ensure supplies of envelopes/stamps adequate to send out invitations, generate mailing labels, organise glass hire, check stock wine/water/soft drink ordering if necessary
  Order stocks wine, sparkling wine, water, elderflower
  Make travel arrangements, arrange away-days, staff outings/staff functions
  Assist with evening events and procedures concerning outside hire of Museum, taking over in absence of events person. This may occasionally involve some evening work and a flexible attitude is required. Overtime is paid for paying events.

 

• Director
  Monitor Director's phone in his absence or when in meetings, diverting if necessary
  Prepare tea/coffee for Director's or Deputy Director's meetings if requested and/or organise lunches
  If emails received from DCMS or NMDC, ensure Director is also on distribution list, forwarding if not
  Type letters for Director if requested - the same day
  Be aware of contents of Director's diary and any appointments/visitors
  Open daily the post of the Director, activating any urgent matters in his absence. Be aware of contents of important correspondence (unless marked Private), annotate if reply required by a specific date.

 

• Trustees
  Maintain correct contact details and check Register of Interests is updated annually
  Set meeting dates annually in consultation with Director, Chairman - also of Audit & Finance Meeting if requested
  Prepare papers for sending out prior to meetings (5-6 meetings p.a.) in consultation with the Chairman, Director and other senior staff as appropriate, maintain Minute books, copies of papers and files, and maintain programme of meetings and topics of discussion
  Organise tea/coffee etc. and papers for meetings, and prepare room

 

• Human Resources
  All administration to do with recruitment, interviewing, and employment
  Maintain Croner guide (paper and electronic) and Civil Service Handbook; monitor EPN advices received from Cabinet Office, passing to Finance Director if relevant.

Kindly note that the above is a very detailed job description, and many tasks are included which are only carried out infrequently.

FURTHER DETAILS
Hours of Work: Monday - Friday 9.30am-5.30pm
Salary: £21,000 p.a. plus civil service pension scheme
Leave allocation: 25 days plus 1½ privilege days plus bank holidays& Christmas Eve

Museum staff have recently moved into newly renovated offices; an Education Manager was appointed in 2007 and an Enterprises Manager will shortly be appointed. It is a period of change and there may, in addition, be other tasks which the applicant will be asked to perform from time to time.