Curator of digital

Closing date for applications: 5pm, Monday 23 September 2024

Salary: £37,500 per annum 

Working Pattern: Full-time 9:30am - 5:30pm Monday - Friday with hybrid working (minimum 2 days a week in our London office)

In this role you'll lead the charge in shaping our online presence by crafting compelling content across social media and our website, driving strategic objectives, and bringing art stories to life for diverse audiences.

The Contemporary Art Society currently has a membership of 78 museums across the UK: from Plymouth in the South to Orkney in the north, from Swansea in the West to Norwich in the East. These museums welcome more than 21 million visitors a year collectively.

The Curator of Digital will lead the development of our online content, including all social media channels and the website, in support of our strategic objectives. This role will develop partnerships and work with the curatorial team on commissioning informed, authoritative content that brings the stories behind the artworks to life for a professional as well as a general audience. The post holder will be able to thrive in a varied and busy role and will be confident in navigating social media channels, technical website management and developing engaging content that resonates with our audiences.

Background 

We have gifted over 10,500 works of fine art and craft to public collections since our foundation in 1910. In June 2023 we launched a new website, which for the first time in our 114-year history gives public access to information about the works we have placed within public collections. Having developed this public resource, we wish to develop the website as a platform on which to build our digital activity, to create lively, informed, authoritative content that brings the stories behind the artworks to life. 

Our Communications activity will be concentrated on our digital offer, harmonised across the website and social media platforms. As part of this re-focus, we have created two new roles, a Curator of Digital and a part-time Communications Manager. Both these roles will work closely with the Collections Information Manager and the Rights Manager, and alongside our curatorial team. The Curator of Digital line manages the Communications Manager. 

Main objectives

To lead the development of our online content, including all social media channels and the website, in support of our strategic objectives. This role will lead on developing partnerships and working with the curatorial team and commissioning informed, authoritative content that brings the stories behind the artworks to life for a professional as well as a general audience. The postholder will be able to thrive in a varied and busy role and will be confident in navigating social media channels, website management and developing engaging content that resonates with our audiences.

Key responsibilities

• Review, develop and deliver a digital strategy, roadmap and KPIs in consultation with the Senior Management Team, third party web development and database support agencies and internal teams, to be implemented across both website and social media channels. 
• Lead on the website, ensuring that through its content, navigation, functionality and design that it provides the best user experience for our audiences.
• Work with digital agencies to deliver technical enhancements and upgrades to the website including improvements to functionality, UX, design, SEO and web accessibility. The postholder will be expected to own and manage any technical development projects for the website, working closely with our current web support agencies Un.titled and Keepthinking, as well as any new agencies where necessary. 
• Line manage the Communications Manager, providing leadership and guidance on the delivery of the marketing element of the digital strategy. 
• Oversee all digital content workflow processes across the organisation. This includes the curation and management of monthly website content rotations, working with the Copyright Manager and Collections Information Manager; processing website content requests; creating new webpages and routinely updating web copy and images.
• Develop partnerships across the sector and work closely with internal colleagues to develop lively and informed website content in line with the digital strategy and our brand’s tone of voice. 
• Lead on budgeting and commissioning writers, filmmakers and other creatives to make content for CAS channels. 
• Product discovery on new digital technologies and approaches that could enhance the delivery of the digital strategy. 
• Manage social media to promote acquisitions, consultancy and other areas of work as applicable through all social media platforms. 
• Liaise with marketing teams at Member Museums to co-ordinate social media strategies relating to acquisitions. 
• Work with the Communications Manager to manage the production ofmonthly newsletters, weekly exhibition reviews and other email campaigns, managing and developing the mailing lists. 
• Work with the Deputy Director on budgetary management for the website including forward planning for any future website development, regular technical maintenance such as CMS and database upgrades, resource allocation and leading on any digital procurement processes as appropriate. 
• Report internally to SMT and Board against agreed digital strategy KPIs. 
• Act as first point of contact for press enquiries. 
• Any other duties appropriate to the post as assigned by the Director.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential 

• Demonstrable experience of developing and implementing successful digital strategies to drive online growth for organisations via their website, social media channels, using data and creative problem-solving to improve the overall customer experience 
• Digital Project Management experience including demonstrable experience of working with third party technical support agencies to enhance website functionality, design or accessibility. 
• Demonstrable experience of how to use Google Analytics 4 and other web/ user performance tools to analyse website performance. 
• Demonstrable understanding of how to improve a website’s SEO and optimise websites to improve engagement. 
• Confident and experienced in writing and editing clear, informed and effective web copy, following best-practice SEO guidelines for different audiences. 
• Excellent knowledge of modern and contemporary art. 
• Commitment to inclusion and diversity across all areas of our work 
• Have excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills. 
• Have strong personal initiative and a collaborative spirit. 
• Commitment to the aims and ethos of the Contemporary Art Society 

Desirable 

• Knowledge of CMS software such as Drupal (preferred) or Umbraco 
• Knowledge of UX best practices and WCAG2.2 principles 
• Line management experience. 
• Academic qualification in Art History, Curating or related subjects, to Masters level or above.
• Understanding of ACE investment principles and NPO reporting.

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.