Senior Conservator

Overview

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead collection management and conservation initiatives, ensuring readiness for major collection displays, exhibitions, commissions, and organizational milestones.
• Manage the day-to-day operations of conservation teams across multiple locations. Monitor conservation treatments carried out by staff and external conservators, ensuring compliance with internationally recognized professional standards.
• Work proactively with collections, exhibitions, and project teams to ensure the safe handling, display, transportation, and long-term preservation of works of art and cultural assets.
• Advocate for and promote conservation best practices throughout the organization, within the UAE, and internationally.
• Direct and participate in research related to the collection, exhibitions, commissions, and conservation practices.
• Lead, manage, motivate, and develop a multidisciplinary team of conservation professionals to meet current and future operational requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop exhibition strategies that ensure the safety and proper care of collections and loaned works.
• Develop policies and oversee practices relating to collection care, conservation, storage, transportation, and loans, ensuring compliance with recognized international standards.
• Develop and manage departmental operating, project, and programme budgets, ensuring expenditures remain within approved allocations.
• Develop and oversee the implementation of annual and multi-year conservation assessment and treatment plans, maintaining the highest standards of safety, sustainability, and collection care.
• Develop and maintain emergency preparedness, disaster response, and business continuity plans relating to collections and conservation operations.
• Lead recruitment activities for the conservation function, identifying priority positions, supporting workforce planning initiatives, and reporting progress to senior management.
• Support budget planning and forecasting activities by consolidating departmental requirements and coordinating with finance and operational stakeholders to ensure effective resource allocation.
• Oversee conservation-related design, installation, and project implementation activities, including the management of service providers, consultants, and specialist contractors.
• Coach and mentor team members, support onboarding initiatives, and foster a culture of knowledge sharing and professional development.
• Contribute to the review and development of strategic plans, policies, standards, and procedures relating to collections management, conservation, exhibitions, and organizational operations.
• Participate in cross-functional committees and working groups to support the development of sector-wide standards, institutional policies, and best practices.
• Perform any other duties assigned by senior management in support of the organization's strategic objectives.