Capital Project Manager - Scottish Design Galleries

Salary: £43,742 - £55,542

Contract type: Fixed Term 3 years, 37.5 hours a week however this role will need increasing amounts of time on site as the project develops. We would also welcome applications for secondment from different organisations.

Download our recruitment pack here.

Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer

Direct reports: Leading an internal project team and external groups

Department: Finance, Resource & Planning

Who are we?

We are Scotland’s design museum - on a mission to inspire and empower through design. We are designed for everyone, firing imaginations and sparking curiosity in design across Scotland and around the world. We advocate for the power of design – as both extraordinary and brilliantly ordinary, shaping our daily lives – and the vital role it can play in helping us overcome today’s challenges.  

We are a museum with energy and have a vision of the future where everyone is inspired through design and recognizes its far-reaching impact in our lives. We are part of the V&A family of art, design and performance museums, championing the power of creativity.

V&A Dundee was conceived as a 21st century museum, created for everyone as a new type of museum, full of activity and energy, championing Scottish design at home and around the world, generating joy for audiences and deepening our reach and relevance.

The Scottish Design Galleries share stories from 500 years of design, making and manufacture from across Scotland. We host design workshops and activities for all ages throughout our spaces, and present spectacular exhibitions, hosted in Scotland’s largest exhibition galleries, and a range of vibrant design experiences animate our building, plaza and city.  

Welcoming visitors from near and far, V&A Dundee is a gathering place and a great resource for people living, working, visiting and studying locally. We want everyone to feel that V&A Dundee is a relevant, responsive and useful organisation that is much loved locally.

This post comes at an exciting time for the organisation as it looks to build on learning from the last 6 years to expand and reimagine the Scottish Design Galleries and the wider visitor experience.

Strategic Aims

We have five overarching strategic aims for all that we do:  

1. Generate joy and spark curiosity in design for all our audiences  

2. Grow our civic role as a museum and deepen our social impact  

3. Become Scotland’s design champion  

4. Cultivate an organisation that values our people, audiences and planet  

5.  Prosper as a sustainable organisation for the long term  

We achieve these aims through:  

• Our pioneering programmes, our work with collections, our visitor and digital experience, our commercial activities, and our world-class architecture and plaza  

• Reaching out and connecting with people and partners across Dundee, Scotland and internationally, strengthening design’s cultural, social, environmental and economic value and becoming a place for everyone to participate and feel at home  

• Advocating powerfully for design and designers as one of Scotland’s greatest resources, establishing Dundee and Scotland as an international centre of design excellence, forging partnerships, nurturing ideas, innovation, and research  

• Underpinning what we do with creativity, inclusivity, diversity, and a commitment to the environment  

• Using our entrepreneurial spirit and available resources to transform our financial model

V&A Dundee is the trading name of Design Dundee Limited. V&A Dundee was created through an innovative partnership of the V&A, Dundee City Council, the University of Dundee, Abertay University and Scottish Enterprise. V&A Dundee is run by a charitable company that is independent of the wider V&A family. The museum receives core funding directly from Scottish Government and its Founding Partners.

The Capital Project

In February 2025, the UK Government announced funding towards cultural regeneration projects across the UK.  As part of that funding V&A Dundee was selected to deliver a nationally significant project to support growth through the extension and a reinterpretation of the Scottish Design Galleries.  The level of funding is £2.6m and the intention is to supplement this with ambitious private fundraising to support visitor experience improvements. 

The initial planning timeline is being drafted with the intention to reopen the galleries for V&A Dundee’s 10th year in 2028.  This project is ambitious. We want to create a world class visitor experience, a welcoming, inclusive and accessible gallery inspired by best practice from museums and attractions around the world. The project will develop a new approach to interpretation that dives deeper through storytelling, and design. The new galleries will be for everyone, with a new focus on families, young people and education groups, rethinking traditional display and interpretation methods with broad audiences in mind ranging from AI and digital to low tech and tactile approaches.

The project will renew the existing Scottish Design Galleries (SDG) Delivered through a bold reinterpretation of Scotland’s design history and story that emphasises the iconic and shines a light on surprising stories that are little known and will tell the story of Scottish design to create a world class visitor experience, achieving the following key priorities:

• Strengthen V&A Dundee’s cultural reputation, reach and relevance – delivered through world class, nationally impactful and surprising design stories, including iconic loans, unknown stories, imaginative exhibition design, new textual and digital interpretation.

• Create a world class visitor experience for the broadest range of audiences, through galleries that are welcoming, inclusive and accessible.

• Increase visitor numbers, inspire repeat visits and build sustainable footfall.

• Support local, national and international partnerships, accompanying publication and programmes and activity including learning, research, retail and public programme.

The scope of the project is in development but will include extending the scope of planning permission beyond the footprint of the existing galleries, management of loans during a period of transition, increasing the scale and ambition of the galleries so they are underpinned by a bold and dynamic curatorial, design and visitor experience ethos. The capital project is expected to extend across the museum site – ensuring the collections are beautifully displayed in a coherent and engaging journey, attuned to appeal to a broad range of visitors with different expectations and needs. The project will also support our organisational key performance indicators, including improving visitor satisfaction, increasing visitor footfall and increasing income. 

The Capital Project Manager will lead the review and delivery of new approaches to the visitor experience; a redesign of the Scottish Design Galleries beyond their existing footprint; manage the curatorial milestones in collaboration with the Lead Curator;  and lead the exhibition design of a new range of exhibits that tells the story of Scottish Design in a dramatic and well-designed ways, rooted in research, curation, audience research and innovative approaches to exhibition making.

Background: The Scottish Design Galleries

V&A Dundee and its Scottish Design Galleries are for everyone, open for audiences to visit for free. The Galleries opened in 2018 as part of the museum’s opening offer. They were curated by V&A South Kensington after 4 years of research, consultation and conservation, with most of the objects drawn from V&A collections in storage. Star objects were also borrowed from other local and national lenders, including the Oak Room by Charles Rennie Mackintosh on loan from Glasgow Life. The objects on display are largely from the V&A’s collection alongside star objects from local and national lenders as well as private collections.

This new project presents an opportunity to build on the work to date to embed these priorities from the inception. Reimagining the galleries will allow the museum to further widen and diversify the stories, collections and designers represented in the museum, improve accessibility and deepen engagement.

V&A Dundee houses three different main gallery spaces, learning studios, an auditorium, a variety of smaller display areas, restaurant and shop – which are accessed from the building’s lower and upper foyer. The gallery spaces are as follows: 

• The Museum’s Scottish Design Galleries (SDG) which are free to enter sit at the heart of the building and are central to all its programmes, currently covering 552m2, housing 300 objects, which span 500 years of Scottish Design

• Gallery 1 and 2.  This space can be separated into two distinct galleries (Gallery 1 800m2 and Gallery 2 300 m2) or combined to make one (1100m2) which host a changing programme of ticketed exhibitions and are the largest temporary museum standard galleries in Scotland

• Michelin Design Galleries (MDG), this is an open space without gallery controls, spanning 76m2 and hosting an agile programme of smaller free-to-enter exhibitions and projects

Sitting at the heart of programmed spaces at the museum, the Scottish Design Galleries are the anchor of the wider museum programme which comprises major to small-scale exhibitions, displays, learning and public programme. This broad programme enables the museum to connect with the widest possible audience through a variety of means. It is critical the Scottish Design Galleries work in harmony with the wider programme, underpinning the curatorial vision of V&A Dundee and serving as a key asset that satisfies our existing visitors, attracts new visitors and encourages people to visit the museum again and again.

The project will include the expansion and re-curation of the Scottish Design Galleries, making them much more prominent and visible within the museum and completely transforming how we present the story of Scottish design and our visitor experience.   The Galleries would be extended by 80m2 to incorporate a portion of the Museum’s upper foyer creating a greater footprint for an increased number of inspiring design objects, commissions and stories.  Not only will the galleries be expanded and transformed into the stand-out destination to learn about and experience Scottish design, but the visitor journey to the galleries and wayfinding will also be completely refreshed improving the whole museum experience.

Transforming the visitor experience will benefit each person who reaches our door; and will be of particular benefit to the 80% of visitors who visit to enjoy the free offer. The galleries will be more accessible for all visitors, embedding diversity, accessibility and inclusivity by design and ensuring they are accessible to visitors with any level of design interest.  Wayfinding through the museum will be improved, and visitors will benefit from the strengthened curatorial approach and audience insight generated by five years of experience and a deep understanding of visitor expectations.  The galleries will act as a focal point and springboard for all our programmes including vibrant and inspiring offers for young people, families, schools and communities.

Job Purpose

This role will act as client lead for the multi-disciplinary design teams, funders and stakeholders and will manage the project through the project life cycle through consultation, research, brief development, design team procurement and establishing project teams, steering groups, loans management and all to agreed time, cost, governance, reporting and quality standards.  The long-term sustainability of the galleries is a core part of this remit, ensuring that flexible spaces, loan requirements and other considerations ensure the optimal long-term success of the project.

The Capital Project Manager will be responsible for leading managing, communicating, implementing and delivering this capital project through each phase from establishing the initial brief through the construction and fit out phase, managing and planning for operational impact to practical completion and re-opening and forward planning.

V&A Dundee wants to ensure that an outstanding interdisciplinary design team and dynamic curatorial team works alongside audience, digital, learning and visitor experience expertise to deliver an exceptional set of outcomes for the museum, for audiences and for Scotland’s design and cultural reputation.

This post is responsible for developing a strategic approach to capital works, developing and executing and maintaining a capital works project team in conjunction with key stakeholders across V&A Dundee. Continually reviewing to ensure the plan remains consistent with the strategic aims and objectives of the museum.

The Capital Project Manager will be part of the Finance, Resource and Planning team, reporting to V&A Dundee’s Chief Operating Officer, but will work with colleagues across the organisation, and with external stakeholders including funders, lenders, partners and external consultants and contractors.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Capital Project Manager include:

Project Leadership

• Lead the project for V&A Dundee and be the client representative with funders, design teams, and stakeholders, advocating for it and helping to secure support and contributions to the project.

Inclusion

• Actively promote and embed equity, diversity and inclusion across the project lifecycle: developing and maintaining positive working relationships, and ensuring that colleagues are treated equitably and with respect.

• Engaging with, and championing the museum’s civic, curatorial, learning and EDI objectives as core parts of the project and its briefs.

• Engage relevant access consultants and embed access requirements and guidelines within relevant briefs and contracts to ensure the Scottish Design Galleries demonstrate exemplary sector standards with regards all aspects of visitor accessibility.

Sustainability

• Taking into account sector best practice and emerging thinking, embed climate conscious and committed approaches across the project, ensuring contractors deliver against this core business priority. This will include a clear remit to reuse existing gallery displays and make environmentally conscious design decisions.

Project Management

• Perform all project management duties, ensuring the brief is agreed, contracts are in place and works managed to budget and in line with agreed health, safety and quality standards.

• Manage the lifecycle of the project through feasibility, approval, design, construction, completion commissioning, handover and post project review.

• Develop and clearly communicate the briefs, programme and budget for projects, ensuring the project is delivered within agreed parameters.

• Scope, develop, plan and coordinate the successful delivery of the programme of works (e.g. loan relocations, object protection, storage projects and accommodation moves) associated with the impact of projects on the museum, on time and to budget. This involves identifying the impacts of the construction project on the museum, developing and delivering appropriate solutions for each impact.

• Oversee and manage the delivery of fit-outs, move and operations of capital projects, on time and to budget.

• Work closely with the Museum operational teams, Directors, Construction Project Managers, Curatorial teams, the external design team, Audience and Media team to plan and deliver the fit-out works.

• Develop a design phase that has broad consultation with key stakeholders, peers, audiences and communities. It should be informed by best-in-class visitor experiences and integrate the latest technology.

• Utilise audience insight to ensure the project is audience focused, designed to mitigate current challenges and satisfy a diverse range of visitor needs.  

Stakeholder Engagement

• Be responsible for the cohesion of client-side information and feedback to external stakeholders including the UK Government, V&A, Dundee City Council, original architects, Design Teams and lenders.

• Be proactive in managing the conflicting requirements of projects and the wider museum programme of activity and resolving these in a creative and collegiate manner. Often a balance will need to be achieved to minimise disruption to the museum, while enabling the project or construction work to progress in the most efficient way possible.

• Establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders including amongst others UK Government, Dundee City Council, Scottish Government, Arts Council England and founding partners

• Manage internal and external stakeholders to achieve timely and constructive decision making in relation to the project, design, construction, fit-out, installation and completion

• Manage and support internal teams, contractors and internal project team members to deliver the project goals.

• Work to minimise conflicting requirements of the project and the wider programme of activity and regular income generation.

• Support the development of communication plans and ensure that the wider museum and V&A family is kept well informed of the project’s progress and is consulted as appropriate.

Financial Management

• Ensure robust financial management and commercial awareness.

• Liaise with the procurement team on contract procurement, including contractor selection, and tendering procedure.

• Manage the appointed contracts – ensuring quality of build to cost and time, liaising with H&S team to ensure H&S compliance.

• Work with Finance, Resources & Planning colleagues to ensure cashflow availability.

• Work with Finance and tax advisors on the tax implications of the project.
  

Risk Management

• Identify and manage risks within the project lifecycle including preparation and upkeep of risk registers and contingency reserves.

• Measure project performance using appropriate systems, tools and techniques.
  Develop a robust project governance reporting structure that uses appropriate authorisation techniques to manage changes in project scope, schedule and costs. Writing reports for funders and Boards.

• Manage the appointed contracts – ensuring quality of build to cost and time, liaising with H&S team to ensure H&S compliance

Key Performance Indicators

• Delivery of a high-quality project

• Adherence to approved project budget

• Meeting agreed schedule milestones and completion

• Achieving increased museum footfall after completion of 50,000 pa

Key Relationships

The postholder will have key relationships with:

• Chief Operating Officer

• Museum Director and Director Group

• Project Team

• Funders, stakeholders and partners

• V&A Dundee’s founders, including DCC who are landlord for the museum

• Finance, Resource and Planning team

Team Structure:

Personal Specification

Essential

• Degree level education or equivalent experience.

• Proven track record in delivering a capital project, with evidence to support the successful establishment, communication and implementation of the project, preferably in a museum or cultural setting.

• Experience of appointment of both consultants and contractors and be confident in stakeholder engagement and management.

• Experience of managing a budget, reporting on progress against budget and programme.

• Knowledge and experience of delivering to RIBA stages.

• Outstanding communication skills, both verbal and written, able to tailor presentations to a variety of audiences.

• Good working knowledge of procurement and financial budgeting.

• Awareness of health & safety and CDM regulations.

• An understanding of the economic environment, constraints and opportunities facing a public museum.

• Adept in devising and managing project tools, comfortable juggling a busy workload and competing priorities with an exceptional attention to detail.

• Business or commercial skills experience.

• Experience of creating an inclusive and respectful culture within a team and applying the principles of diversity and inclusion in building and maintaining relationships with colleagues, advocates, and partners/donors.

• Ability to manage a wide variety of stakeholders.

Desirable

• Very good understanding of design, design processes, the roles within design teams.

• Experience of successfully leading multi-disciplinary design teams to ensure qualitative and successful outcomes.

• Experience and excellent track record in delivering wide reaching and complex cross organisational projects in the museum or cultural sector.

• Good understanding of the museum sector including knowledge of exhibition design practices to the highest of sector standards.

• Experience of working with curators and museum collections.

• Good working knowledge museum practice and loans management.

• Experience of embedding audience insight and designing projects to appeal to broad audience needs.