ABOUT PLOWDEN & SMITH | CAREERS | 1x Vacancy: Conservation Manager

Take your career in the fine art restoration sector to the next level with Plowden & Smith

Founded in London in 1966, Plowden & Smith is the UK’s largest fine, decorative and contemporary art and object conservation company. Operating out of new purpose-built premises in Mitcham, our team of experienced, skilled restorers work on an extensive range of materials. All treatments are guided by contemporary ethical considerations and underpinned by industry-recognised standards of best practice. Plowden & Smith is committed to supporting employees with their continued professional development and training.

We advertise current vacancies on our website, listed below, however we are always interested in hearing from talented professionals at all stages of their careers. Please send CVs to info@plowden-smith.com. We will be in touch should a suitable vacancy arise.

Why work for Plowden & Smith?

Work with some of the world’s most rare, beautiful and interesting artworks and artefacts, as well as national and international collections
Work in a stimulating, creative environment
Free entry to museums and exhibitions being held in the UK and around the world
Opportunities throughout the year to attend preview nights and private view events
Personal Continued Professional Development fund
Child Care Voucher Scheme
Cycle to Work Scheme
Hybrid Working

About Plowden & Smith

Founded in London in 1966, Plowden & Smith is a leading fine art and furniture conservation and restoration company.

In December 2018 we moved to purpose-built premises in Mitcham where our team of experienced and skilled conservators and restorers work on an extensive range of materials. All our object treatments are informed by science, guided by contemporary ethical considerations and underpinned by industry-recognised standards of best practice. Staff are committed to continued professional development and training.

Conservation Manager

We are currently looking to recruit a Conservation Manager who can share and embody our core values of working with integrity, in a collaborative way to champion the care of a vast array of artefacts. This is a senior role, and the successful candidate will have at least 8 to 10 years’ experience in a senior conservation role, a degree in conservation and management experience. This role requires that you have demonstrable experience in a range of materials as Plowden & Smith conserves decorative arts, works on paper, paintings, ceramics and glass, contemporary works of art, furniture, metals and offers exhibitions services to include bespoke mount making and framing.

Health & Safety is paramount at Plowden & Smith, and the post-holder will be managing COSHH, RAMS packs for site-based work, and direct our conservators to ensure health & safety regulations are followed.

Working in an inspiring, fast-paced arts environment where no two days are the same, makes this role ideal for someone who is energised by a constantly moving workplace. Colleagues look to the post holder for conservation expertise, knowledge, and ethical practice to support Plowden & Smiths mission to offer the best care and conservation to the precious objects of our clients.

You will need to bring flexibility, adaptability, and management experience to meet the demands of the role whether that means designing a conservation approach to hazardous items, providing ethical guidance, carrying out quality control, or signing off conservator reports.

With a vibrant, experienced team around you, who will support you to conduct day-to-day management of the conservation team, contributing to well-being, performance management, recognition, conservator engagement, and maintaining a learning culture through Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Contract type: Full-time position (Monday – Friday) 37.5 hours.

A combination of onsite and home working is available (post probationary period), and applicants should be able to regularly travel to our Mitcham site for a minimum of 60% of their work time.

Salary: £48,500 per annum

Application deadline: 06/02/2026

Interviews will take place on-site in Mitcham during the week of 9^th February 2026.

As part of the interview process, you will be asked to review a report (treatment OR condition) and provide feedback.

Location: Plowden & Smith, UNIT 5, LIONGATE ENTERPRISE PARK, 80 MORDEN ROAD, MITCHAM, CR4 4NY

Start date: as soon as possible post acceptance, ideally by the 9^th March 2026.

How to apply: We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates need during the recruitment process. If there are additional options, you would like to request please contact Kate Goad on hr@plowden-smith.com OR call +44 (0)20 8874 4005.

We would love to hear from you if you are interested in this position. Please send a CV and brief cover letter explaining why you’re right for the role to Kate Goad: hr@plowden-smith.com

About the role

The Conservation Manager oversees the day to day running of the conservation team and reports to Head of Operations and the Managing Director. To be hands on and discuss complex and in-depth treatment proposals with lead handlers and conservators. To ensure that treatments are ethical and effective. To work with the Head of Operations to ensure that studios are running in a clean, compliant, and efficient way. Providing support to on-site jobs and equipping conservators with the tools and guidance they need.

Key Responsibilities

Conservator HR and Management

Line manager for on-site conservators and freelancers, to include managing timesheets, hours of work, expenses, holiday requests and leave, new starter inductions, performance management and developing engagement through CPD (Continuing Professional Development). The Head of Operations will support these elements.
Supporting subcontractors.

Conservation Operations Management

Review conservator estimates for complex and involved treatments and offer guidance.
Manage quality control for completed treatments.
Review conservator reports (mainly via Articheck) to ensure clarity, appropriate content, and objectivity.
Oversee large collection conservation often across multi-disciplines by creating a job specific operating procedure, briefing conservators, and communicating clearly with the client services/project handler.
With Head of Operations manage any hazardous materials conservation.
Manage with support of Head of Operations handling and storage of any fragile, condition specific or at-risk objects and ensure best practice.
Contribute to the weekly Operations meetings to ensure treatments and projects are on track.
Carryout weekly walk arounds to check in with all conservators.
Be in charge of conservation consultancy and advice, relating to environmental conditions, pest management, limitations of materials and treatments.
Planning and coordination for site work or specific projects.
Offer ethical guidance to ensure all work conducted maintains adherence with the ICON UK’s professional conservation standards and ethical practice.
Chair a quarterly conservator meeting for all company staff.

Conservation Health and Safety

Ensure all conservators have essential health & safety equipment to carryout treatments safely.
Keep records and ensure that conservators are trained and qualified to use specialist equipment and are confident in working in specialised conditions.
Provide RAMS packs for site-based work.
Ensure each studio is COSHH compliant and prepare for Health & Safety audits.
Attend health & safety meetings with the Office Manager, Studio Manager and Head of Operations.
Ensure hazardous waste from conservation activity is handled and dealt with appropriately.

About you:

To have experience of managing at least five people.

To approach tasks in a calm, careful, methodical, detail-conscious way.

To enjoy and be comfortable with problem-solving.

To be positive in choice making.

To be able to multitask and pay attention to detail.

To act with discretion and professionalism. 

To have experience in managing COSHH, RAMS packs and general health & safety knowledge (training will be provided).

Essential

To have a conservation degree.

To have 8 to 10 years’ experience in conservation at a senior level and knowledge of conservation on a wide variety of materials.

Why work for Plowden & Smith?

We work with some of the world’s most rare, beautiful, and interesting artworks, artefacts, and national and international collections.

Work in a stimulating, creative environment.
Access to company ICOM cards for free entry to a range of international museums & galleries.
Opportunities throughout the year to attend preview nights and private view events.
Personal Continued Professional Development fund.
Child Care Voucher Scheme.
Cycle to Work Scheme.

No agencies, please. Must have the right to live and work in the UK.

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates need during the recruitment process. If there are additional options, you would like to request please contact Kate Goad on hr@plowden-smith.com OR call +44 (0)20 8874 4005.

We would love to hear from you if you are interested in this position. Please send a CV and brief cover letter explaining why you’re right for the role to Kate Goad: hr@plowden-smith.com