Collections audit officer at Charleston

Closing date for applications: Sunday 15th March 2026 5pm

Salary: £26,100 - £29,600

Location: Primarily based at Charleston in Firle (BN8 6LL), with some work also required at Charleston in Lewes (BN7 1FB).

Reporting to: Head of Collections and Research

Line reports: 4 interns

Contract: Fixed Term until December 2027

Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Interviews: Thursday 2 April 2026 at Charleston in Firle (BN8 6LL)

Help safeguard Charleston’s museum collection, overseeing a major audit as they relocate their archive to a new cultural centre in Lewes.

Charleston is a place that brings people together to engage with art and ideas. The modernist home and studio of the painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, Charleston was a gathering point for some of the 20th century’s most radical artists, writers and thinkers known collectively as the Bloomsbury group. It is where they came together to imagine society differently, and has always been a place where art and experimental thinking are at the centre of everyday life. Today, we present a dynamic year-round programme of exhibitions, events and festivals at Charleston in Firle.

Our new space, Charleston in Lewes is now open. Alongside two new unmissable exhibitions, our cultural centre hosts a shop, café and a free programme of co-produced community projects, artist-led workshops, gallery activities, and a learning programme for local state schools, further education and higher education groups. We believe in the power of art, in all its forms, to provoke new ways of thinking and living.

Charleston is seeking a Collections Audit Officer to join us at an important moment for our organisation. As we prepare to relocate our 15,000-item archive from Firle to a new site in Lewes, this role will lead a comprehensive audit to ensure the accuracy, integrity and care of our museum collection.

We are looking for someone highly organised, with a keen eye for detail and a genuine interest in collections care. You do not need to have worked in a museum before, transferable skills, curiosity and a willingness to learn are just as important to us. The successful candidate will also support and line manage a team of interns across the life of the project. This role is made possible with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to develop our long term plans for Charleston in Lewes to create a permanent cultural centre for the town including the establishment of the National Bloomsbury Gallery.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential

• Strong organisational skills and excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to follow procedures and work systematically.
• Comfortable working both independently and as part of a team.
• Good digital skills, including experience with databases or data entry.
• An interest in cultural heritage, archives, or collections.

Desirable

• Experience working with collections, archives or data in any setting (e.g. libraries, galleries, heritage, academic or research).
• Familiarity with collections management software (e.g. MODES) or similar systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience training or working alongside volunteers, interns or colleagues.
• Awareness of museum standards such as SPECTRUM or ethical guidelines (training can be provided).
• Physical ability to handle objects safely and work in varied environments (e.g. stores, galleries).
• Knowledge of the local area or interest in the Charleston collection and its history

Charleston is committed to equal and equitable opportunities, and to becoming a workforce that represents the diversity of our community. We positively encourage applications from Disabled people, Global Majority people, and working-class people, as people from these groups are currently underrepresented in our organisation.

To apply, please send a covering letter of no more than 2 pages detailing how you meet the person specification, along with a CV. Alternatively, you can submit a link to an audio or video file that details how you meet the person specification, with an overview of your professional experience and skills. This should be no more than 10 minutes.

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the creative industries.

Please make sure that you state in your application that you found this role via Creative Access.