Vacancy for Touring Exhibitions Manager

This exciting appointment comes following our 5th birthday, as we look to grow from the success of Tartan and deepen our role and reach in Dundee, in Scotland, as part of the V&A family and across the world.

At V&A Dundee, we champion exhibition making, engaging audiences in design through explorations of themes, collections, archives and designers. Exhibitions sit within the Programme team which is defined in broad terms, comprising ticketed exhibitions, a free offer of changing exhibitions and displays, Scottish Design Galleries, learning, UNESCO City of Design, a creative public programme of talks and events, V&A Dundee’s Design and Innovation programme, as well as our design research programme. A distinct strand of our programme is delivered through the renowned collections of V&A and includes the Scottish Design Galleries as well as an outstanding exhibitions programme. The V&A Dundee programme is delivered by a site-based programme team, in collaboration with teams across the museum.

This is an exciting opportunity to initiate V&A Dundee’s exhibition touring programme as the museum looks to develop its international role and reach. This post has a particular focus on developing plans for an international tour of ‘Tartan’, the first blockbuster exhibition to be curated by the museum. The Touring Exhibitions Manager is responsible for developing the tour model to deliver Tartan, seeking and confirming venues and the overall organisational management and delivery of the tour. The post-holder will work closely with the Head of Exhibitions to develop and deliver V&A Dundee’s touring exhibition programme more broadly, setting up core processes and systems. As a member of the Exhibitions team, the Touring Exhibitions Manager contributes to the Museum’s programme by actively participating in cross-team collaboration and ideation.

Job description

• To organise and deliver multiple national and international touring exhibitions within the exhibition programme concurrently, with particular focus on the international tour of V&A Dundee’s first in house exhibition ‘Tartan’, including overall project and loan management.
• Work to achieve V&A Dundee’s mission, vision and aims developing and delivering the Touring Exhibitions at V&A Dundee, ensuring cross team and partnership working.
• Work closely with the Head of Exhibitions and Programme Director to implement new touring exhibition processes, procedures and systems.
• Develop strong collaborative relationships with high level stakeholders and touring partners.
• Be the key point of contact for all aspects of the tour of ‘Tartan’ and other specific projects, liaising with partners, and internal and external colleagues, including museums, galleries, curators, advisors, designers, transport agents and more.
• Effectively manage exhibition tours from start to finish including drafting and negotiating contracts, liaising with legal experts as needed, forecasting, developing and managing exhibition budgets and risk schedules associated with each project; schedule and manage the installation and deinstallation of exhibitions in liaison with tour partners; organise insurance and customs documentation and oversee the sign off process for exhibition design and object layouts by tour partners and venues.
• Work closely with the Tartan curatorial team to project manage the de-installation of the Tartan exhibition at V&A Dundee and prepare the exhibition for tour including liaising with conservators, technicians and lenders, coordinating crating of all objects, managing and maintaining all project documentation including schedules, object lists and budget.
• Undertake venue finding research and develop a strong network of potential tour partners and venues to develop a market for future V&A Dundee touring exhibitions. Work closely with 2D designers and colleagues in Audiences & Media to develop exhibition tour packs.
• Organise collaborative meetings with touring partners to discuss and share key activities and outcomes and to develop and maintain key relationships.
• Represent V&A Dundee at local, national and international events, attending touring exhibition conferences to present and market V&A Dundee touring exhibitions to the widest possible audience.
• Liaise with key internal colleagues including the Head of Exhibitions, Head of Production, Curators, Technical Manager and AV Manager to adapt and compile all necessary documentation for touring partners including object lists, crate lists, packing instructions, interpretation, AV manuals etc.
• Develop opportunities around tours, with colleagues, stakeholders and partners that develop international relations; champion design from Scotland, and Scotland more broadly on the world stage.