Head of Exhibitions and Interpretation
Imperial War Museum Closing date: Mon, 06 Apr 2026
- Full time
- £50k+
- Apply now
Mon, 23 Mar 2026 "> published -
Job Summary
Job Description
In this role, you will provide strategic, creative and operational leadership across the Exhibitions and Interpretation function. You will:
Lead the development and delivery of high quality, impactful exhibitions and gallery updates across all IWM sites.
Oversee interpretation across projects and ensure all work aligns with IWM's interpretation principles and audience strategy.
Line manage the Exhibitions and Interpretation Managers, supporting their professional development and ensuring consistent, high quality output.
Guide project management processes, including schedules, reporting, risk management and cross project coordination.
Shape exhibition concepts in collaboration with the Content & Narrative team, maintaining oversight as projects evolve.
Lead on budget setting, monitoring and resource planning for the exhibitions programme.
Champion audiences across all projects, embedding audience insight, testing and evaluation and providing best practice around access.
Represent IWM internally and externally, contributing to sector conversations and promoting innovation in interpretation.
Job Requirements
We'd love to hear from you if you have:
Significant experience leading and project managing complex exhibitions or interpretive programmes in museums, heritage or cultural settings.
Strong creative judgement, with experience developing storytelling approaches and engaging visitor experiences.
Experience overseeing multi-project programmes, including scheduling, risk and content planning.
Proven ability to manage and develop staff, and lead multidisciplinary teams.
Experience managing contractors, consultants and project budgets.
Excellent collaboration skills and experience working across large organisations and with external partners.
Knowledge of audience development, audience research and evaluation.
Understanding of procurement processes and health & safety in museum environments.
Useful Links
Job Overview
- Job Title: Head of Exhibitions and Interpretation
- Salary: £50k+
- Hours: Full time
- Artform: Museums
- Role: Curation
- Contract: Permanent
- Closing date: Mon, 06 Apr 2026
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Location:
London
How to Apply
Apply via our website:
- Contact name: Gavin
- Contact email: [email protected]
About Imperial War Museum
IWM tells the story of people who have lived, fought and died in conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth since the First World War.
We challenge people to look at conflict from different perspectives, enriching their understanding of the causes, course and consequences of war and its impact on people’s lives.
Our staff play a crucial role in caring for our unique collections, welcoming our visitors to our five branches and ensuring we continue to preserve and share powerful personal s