Director's Assistant
Whitechapel Gallery Closing date: Mon, 30 Nov 2026
- Full time
- £30k-£40k
Thu, 05 Nov 2026 "> published -
Job Summary
Job Description
Salary: £37,000 per annum, pro rata for part-time hours
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 36.25 hours per week. We also welcome applications for a four-day working week, with hours and salary adjusted pro rata.
Location: Whitechapel Gallery, with hybrid working according to the requirements of the role
Bring your experience, judgement and care to the heart of Whitechapel Gallery.
For 125 years, Whitechapel Gallery has brought artists, ideas and people together in East London. As we celebrate our anniversary and take forward plans for our historic building, we are looking for a Director's Assistant to join us.
This is a varied role with connections across the Gallery. You could be preparing papers for Trustees, arranging an artist's visit, drafting correspondence or bringing colleagues and consultants together for a capital project meeting. Your work will keep the Director's Office running smoothly and ensure that people have the information they need, commitments are met and plans move forward.
You will provide support to the Director, coordinate Board and committee administration, and contribute to our WG125 Capital Project. Along the way, you will work with the people behind a public art institution rooted in its local communities and connected to artists and audiences around the world.
Job Requirements
We are looking for an experienced PA or Executive Assistant who has supported a Director or senior leader within a not-for-profit arts or cultural organisation. You will bring an understanding of the sector, an informed interest in contemporary visual art and an appreciation of the Gallery's public purpose.
You will be comfortable working with senior colleagues, Trustees, artists and external partners. Experience supporting Board and committee meetings is essential, alongside the ability to draft thoughtful correspondence and handle confidential matters with discretion.
We will value the judgement and perspective you have developed through your experience. You will be confident managing competing priorities, anticipating what is needed and following things through independently. A calm, considered approach and the ability to build trusted relationships will be central to your success.
Please check our website for the full Job Description.
Job Responsibilities
Support for the Director
Be the first point of contact for enquiries to the Director. Prioritise correspondence, respond where
appropriate and draft communications on her behalf.
Manage the Director's diary and competing commitments. Ensure she has the papers, briefings and
practical information needed for meetings and engagements.
Arrange travel, accommodation and related meetings. Prepare reports, briefings and presentations as
required.
Maintain clear communication between the Director, senior management, colleagues, Trustees, funders
and other external contacts.
Governance and office administration
Arrange the annual schedule of Trustee, committee and team meetings, management reviews and one
to-ones.
Coordinate Board and committee papers, including contributions to the quarterly organisational report.
Liaise with Trustees and monitor their terms of service.
Please check our website for the full Job Description.
Useful Links
Job Overview
- Job Title: Director's Assistant
- Salary: £30k-£40k
- Hours: Full time
- Artform: Visual arts
- Role: Admin, Secretarial & PA
- Contract: Permanent
- Closing date: Mon, 30 Nov 2026
-
Location:
London
How to Apply
We would love to hear what you could bring to the Gallery.
Please visit the Whitechapel Gallery website to download the recruitment pack and our application form. Complete the form and submit it following the instructions provided on our website.
We want to hear your own voice and learn about your experience. Responses that feel overly generic or artificially generated may not do justice to your abilities or reflect the individuality we value.
Deadline for applications: 12 noon on 30 November 2026
Interviews: 8 December 2026
- Contact email: [email protected]
About Whitechapel Gallery
Whitechapel Gallery was founded in 1901 to present “the finest art of the world to the people of the East End, London”. Over one hundred and twenty years later, Whitechapel Gallery is renewing its founding mission under the directorship of Gilane Tawadros, recognising our unique role as a pioneering art institution that sits in the heart of London’s East End and our global, diverse communities.