Collections Manager, Van Abbemuseum

Are you caring and proactive, and do you love modern and contemporary art? Become our new collection manager at the Van Abbemuseum!

Your role:

• You will be responsible for the artworks at the Van Abbemuseum, which come in all shapes and sizes: paintings, sculptures, films, installations, furniture, and more;
• You ensure that they have a good and safe life in the collection. You do this independently, with colleagues, or with experts outside the organization;
• You will assist with the presentation of the collection, both here at the Van Abbemuseum and elsewhere in the world. This involves designing and/or creating packaging for the artworks, conducting condition checks, and occasionally transporting artworks as a courier;
• Together with your colleagues, you are responsible for the workshop and storage areas and ensure that the necessary materials and tools are available. 

Steven ten Thije, Head of Collections:“The Van Abbemuseum’s collection is a unique and incredibly diverse collection of modern and contemporary art. Our works travel all over the world and serve as Eindhoven’s most extraordinary ambassadors. Enabling these artworks to embark on their journey through life is a privilege that never grows old.” 

Who do you do that with?

You will work on the Collections Team, which is part of the Collections Department. Together with your colleagues, you will be responsible for the art collection, the library, and the archives. The Collections Team focuses specifically on the artworks. Your team consists of five people: two fellow collection managers, a registrar who handles all logistics and insurance for the collection, and a collections registrar who records new acquisitions.

At the museum, you’ll also encounter other departments, such as technical services, education, marketing, and security. We’re all dedicated to the collection—after all, it’s the backbone of the museum.

What you'll need:

• You have an MBO+ level of work and thinking;
• You have at least three years of experience handling works of art (for example, installing exhibitions, creating packaging, and/or performing minor restoration work);
• Knowledge of and experience with modern and contemporary art is a plus;
• You have experience working with artists;
• You enjoy working with others and are adaptable when circumstances change;
• You have experience with collection management systems, such as TMS, or are able to quickly learn how to use them;
• You have an excellent command of both spoken and written Dutch and English.

Perhaps you don’t yet have experience in any of the above areas, but you can see yourself working as a collections manager? Even so, we’d love for you to apply for this position. We’ll work with you to figure out how we can support you as you grow into the role.

What do we offer?

With a job that allows you to make a difference in the city and municipality of Eindhoven. And an informal organizational culture that values a healthy work-life balance. You can also count on the following employment benefits.

• A gross monthly salary between €2,666 and €3,784 based on a 36-hour workweek. The exact salary will be determined based on your education, knowledge, and experience;
• A one-year contract. If both parties are satisfied, it will be converted into a permanent contract;
• 27 vacation days per year (if you work full-time). In addition, you can accrue compensatory time off, allowing you to take a total of about 10 weeks of leave per year. If you work part-time, this is, of course, prorated;
• In addition to your salary, you’ll receive our Individual Choice Budget of 17.05%. This means that 17.05% of your gross monthly salary is set aside for you each month. You can use this, for example, to purchase additional vacation days or for a bicycle allowance. You can also choose to have this budget (partially) paid out;
• We will fully reimburse your public transportation costs. Do you travel by car? We offer a travel allowance of €0.23 per kilometer (commute distance) for distances between 7.5 km and 40 km one way. Do you come by bike/e-bike or on foot? We reimburse €0.23 per kilometer with no maximum limit. And for every day you work entirely from home, you’ll also receive a reimbursement;
• Hybrid work: a great mix of working at one of our locations or from home. We provide (home) office equipment to help you set up a safe and healthy workspace. And for every day you work entirely from home, you’ll receive compensation;
• Free fruit in our buildings and a €20 monthly discount on a gym membership at a participating gym;
• Access to the digital version of the Eindhovens Dagblad and 8 hours per year to volunteer for community activities that benefit the city.

Want to know more about our employment terms and conditions? Visithttps://www.werkenvooreindhoven.nl/over-ons/arbeidsvoorwaarden

If you are an internal applicant, you are already familiar with the terms and conditions of employment, so not all of the text may apply to you.

What are you here for?

The Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven is one of Europe’s leading museums of contemporary art. The museum boasts an extensive international collection of over 3,500 works of art and a library containing more than 140,000 publications, in addition to several unique archives.

Openness, hospitality, and the exchange of knowledge are important to the Van Abbemuseum. We showcase art that reflects on the major issues of our time, such as how to address the Dutch colonial past, climate change, and new ways of living together. Through international collaboration and exchange, the Van Abbemuseum is also a place where creative cross-pollination takes place—a source of wonder, inspiration, and imagination.

The Van Abbemuseum is part of the City of Eindhoven and upholds its core values: Collaboration, Trust, and Ownership. Diversity and inclusion are very important to us. We have room for everyone. We embrace the differences among our employees. Ideally, we want those differences to be just as diverse as those in our city and region. Because it is precisely because we are different that we can realize our big plans together. Want to know what it’s like to work with us? Then read the stories of our employees atwww.werkenvooreindhoven.nl.

Interested in applying?

Theapplicationdeadline is March 15, 2024.If you have any questions about the application process or terms of employment, please contact Maaike van Asperen at +31 (6) 41709081. Do you have any questions regarding the position itself? Steven ten Thije, Head of Collections, will be happy to assist you at +31 (6) 38298711. In accordance with our “Equal Opportunity Policy” and our objective selection procedure, the cover letter is no longer part of our selection process.

The first interviews are scheduled for March 25, and the second interviews for April 1. 

We do not appreciate unsolicited sales calls.