HR Manager

Candidate Pack
HR Manager
Part Time, 32 hrs per week
Permanent Contract

Introduction

The Wallace Collection is an internationally outstanding collection which contains unsurpassed masterpieces of
paintings, sculpture, furniture, arms and armour and porcelain. Built over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
by the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, it is one of the finest and most celebrated collections in
the world. So that it could be kept together and enjoyed by generations of visitors, the collection was given to the
British Nation in 1897 and opened to the public in June 1900. It was an astonishing bequest and one of the
greatest gifts of art works ever to be transferred into public ownership. The museum is internationally famous for
its collection of French eighteenth-century art, Arms and Armour and for its Old Master paintings.

The museum is managed by the Director Dr Xavier Bray, who reports to a board of Trustees appointed by the
Prime Minister, and is financed by a combination of grant-in-aid from central government and self-generated
income.

We aim to engage with and diversify our audience and attract over 500,000 visitors a year to the museum.

In June 2025, the Wallace Collection announced that Selldorf Architects, in collaboration with Purcell and
Lawson Ward Studio, has been appointed to lead the design and delivery of a transformational masterplan for
Hertford House, the museum’s historic home in London. This ambitious project will reimagine and revitalise the
museum’s spaces for the 21st century, preserving the charm and unique character of the building while
improving access, sustainability and visitor experience.

CANDIDATE PACK FOR HR MANAGER - THE WALLACE COLLECTION

Our priorities

The Collection is committed to providing access to as wide a public as possible and to helping visitors
engage with this diversity. Our goal is to create a place of understanding, cultural pluralism, curiosity
and learning. To do this, we plan to create a world-class visitor experience for all ages which stimulates
engagement with our collection through a new programme of exhibitions, major gallery refurbishments
and an enhanced and expanded digital presence.
Our strategic priorities are to:

• To maintain, research and preserve the Collection for future generations;
• To broaden and deepen visitor engagement, connecting with audiences onsite and digitally;
• To build and support a strong exhibition programme;
• To lay a strong financial foundation for the future; and
• To embark upon a Masterplan programme to transform the museum.

CANDIDATE PACK FOR HR MANAGER - THE WALLACE COLLECTION

Role summary

The HR Manager is responsible for the provision of a comprehensive, high quality HR service to all the
Collection's employees (circa 140 staff) and is supported by a HR Assistant.

The HR Manager oversees the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, performance
management, employee relations, and offboarding, ensuring all practices are compliant and aligned
with the Collections values. The postholder will work closely with the Collections Senior Management
Team to develop a strong people strategy aligning with the Collections strategic objectives.

This role will report to the Director of Finance and Resources.

CANDIDATE PACK FOR HR MANAGER - THE WALLACE COLLECTION

Role description

General

• Ensure the provision of a consistent and comprehensive HR service to SMT, managers and staff in

respect of all aspects of employment advice.

• Develop and maintain all HR systems and processes to ensure compliance with current and

emerging employment law.

• Ensure that all recruitment is carried out in a fair, open manner and in accordance with the

Collection’s recruitment procedures; liaising with relevant line managers and ensuring deadlines
are met in a timely manner for all recruitment campaigns. Ensuring safer recruitment deadlines are
adhered to, following up references and overseeing DBS checks and renewals for all staff.

• Maintain and develop the Collection’s induction processes, with support from the HR Assistant.

• Provide comprehensive advice to SMT and line managers on all matters relating to disciplinary,

grievance and/or performance issues, and attending formal meetings as and when required, with
the support of the Collections External Legal Advisors.

• Play a leading role in any proposed organisational change, consulting with SMT, managers, staff

and Trade Unions as appropriate and ensuring effective channels of communication are maintained
at all times.

• Act as secretary to the regular Management/Trade Union meetings including preparing agendas

and taking and circulating notes of meetings and acting on follow up actions.

• Keeping up to date with developments in Employment Law legislation and case law, ensuring

policies, practices and procedures are updated or introduced as required, including communicating
changes to Trade Unions, managers and staff.

• Ensure that the Collection maintains a range of on-line training and development modules covering
both mandatory and developmental training, in liaison with the external provider (Skills Gate).

• To develop, implement and maintain a robust Learning and Development strategy in order to

enable strong succession planning within the Collection.

• Manage the HR budget and ensure all relevant invoices for HR services are paid on time.

• Promote Equality and Diversity within the Collection, ensuring compliance with Employment

legislation and lead on staff health and well-being policies including providing confidential advice
and support to managers and staff when needed.

• Attend regular all staff meetings and represent the Collection at relevant external events i.e. DCMS

ALB’s forums.

• Support the Senior Leadership Team throughout the upcoming masterplan providing strategic

guidance on workforce planning.

• Oversee the HR Assistant’s management of day-to-day employee record keeping, including
holidays, sickness absence and HR files and the provision of relevant statistical information.

CANDIDATE PACK FOR HR MANAGER - THE WALLACE COLLECTION

Person specification

Essential
• CIPD qualified (Chartered level) or demonstratable equivalent experience
• Extensive generalist operational HR experience, covering the complete range of the employee life

cycle

• Experience of managing staff with the ability to support, develop and lead them in a motivational

and professional manner

• Evidence of supporting senior managers with the ability to quickly establish credibility and respect
• Experience in the development, documentation and implementation of new policies, and HR

procedures, processes and systems

• Experience of working with senior managers and Trade Unions when leading and implementing

organisational change and change management

• Ability to interpret employment legislation to ensure organisational compliance with all aspects of

the law and that policy and procedures reflect best practice
• Knowledge of core Civil Service terms and conditions of service.
• Well-developed communication skills with the ability to manage and explain all aspects of the HR

function to a diverse audience

• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to build effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders.

CANDIDATE PACK FOR HR MANAGER - THE WALLACE COLLECTION

Salary, benefits
and working hours

The salary for this role is between £33,600 (£42,000 FTE) and £34,400 (£43,000 FTE) per annum
dependent on skills and experience.

In addition, the post-holder will receive 25 days paid annual leave plus bank holidays and 2.5 ‘privilege’
days. Employees are also offered the following benefits:

• Membership of an Occupational Pension Scheme

•

Alpha – a defined benefit occupational pension scheme (28.97%)
Partnership pension account - a stakeholder pension
Interest free travel loans after six months satisfactory service
Interest free season ticket loan
Cycle to work loan

• Eye Tests
• Occupational Health Service
• Annual Flu Jab
• Employee Assistance Programme

Services available 24/7 and 365 days per year to all employees
Free therapy service of up to six sessions per issue, per year (each session lasts 45-50 minutes)

• Access to Mental Health First Aiders
• Parental Leave
• Training and Development Opportunities

For this post, the normal working week is a four-day week, with working days falling between Monday
and Friday. The normal working day will be 09.00 to 17.00. However, we are open and flexible on
discussing the agreed days and schedule, in line with operational requirements.

CANDIDATE PACK FOR HR MANAGER - THE WALLACE COLLECTION

How to apply

Please complete the Application Form, and the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, following the
links provided on our website. Please note the equal opportunities form is used for monitoring
purposes only and does not form part of the selection process. Both forms should be emailed to
recruitment@wallacecollection.org by midnight 08/02/2026. Please note late applications or
applications via a CV will not be considered.

Interviews for the role will take place week commencing 16/02/2026. Candidates who have been
shortlisted for interview will be contacted after the closing date. Due to the large number of
applications we receive, it will not be possible to contact or give feedback to candidates who have not
been shortlisted for interview.

Start date: As soon as possible

Appointment to the role is subject to a satisfactory Basic Disclosure check. The Wallace Collection is
an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

CANDIDATE PACK FOR HR MANAGER - THE WALLACE COLLECTION