Head of Department: Africa, Oceania and the Americas

  • Contract
  • London

The British Museum


Job Summary

This is a fantastic opportunity for a specialist of academic distinction and curatorial experience join the Museum as Keeper of Africa, Oceania and the Americas, where you will lead and manage the department.

Job Description

The department cares for over 350,000 cultural objects, and for hundreds of thousands of digital assets, archives and photographs. It is responsible for a range of research, global collaborations, exhibitions, international loans, and the Endangered Material Knowledge Programme, African Histories and Heritage Programme, and the Santo Domingo Centre of Excellence for Latin American Research.

In 2024, the British Museum in Camden received 6.5 million visitors, more than any other museum in the UK. Against this backdrop, the Museum is now undergoing an extraordinary transformation, both intellectual and physical, and there could not be a more meaningful time to join.

The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing and supporting the department to successfully deliver curatorial and academic work and care for an internationally important collection. You will provide strategic leadership and mentoring to your team, helping to inspire them and have the opportunity to participate widely in delivering the Museum’s goals and objectives. This will include representing the Museum in the UK and abroad.

Job Requirements

The successful candidate will have significant management and leadership skills and experience with a strategic and analytical approach. They must have excellent communication skills and be able to stay calm under pressure. They should also be able to evidence:

  • Degree educated or equivalent in a relevant subject with membership of relevant learned and professional societies
  • International recognition as a scholar in a relevant field
  • Excellent understanding of the Museum and wider academic and cultural world
  • Experience of major income generation
  • Experience working internationally and generating collaborative partnerships
  • Experience of delivering and managing effective change

Job Overview

  • Job Title: Head of Department: Africa, Oceania and the Americas
  • Salary: £50k+
  • Hours:
    Full time
  • Artform: Museums
  • Role: Curation
  • Contract: Permanent
  • Closing date: Wed, 26 Nov 2025

  • Location:

    London

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Job: Head of Department: Africa, Oceania and the Americas

Job: Head of Department: Africa, Oceania and the Americas

Organisation: The British Museum

Postcode: WC1B 3DG

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