Project Manager Venice

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. For 90 years we have shaped brighter futures through education, arts, culture, language, and creativity.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries.

We connect. We inspire.

Project Manager Venice

Location: London, United Kingdom (No flexibility)
Contract Type: 18 Month Fixed-Term Contract

Annual Gross Salary: 30,839 plus £3,300 London market allowance

Closing date: 06 July 2025 at 21:59 UK Time

Requirements: You must have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application.  We are unable to support with visa sponsorship and relocation.

Role Context - About The Team:

This role sits within the Cultural Engagement (CE) Strategic Business Unit (SBU). CE brings together our portfolio of work in arts, education, English, and research. Our UK arts team works with the arts and culture sector in the UK, and our global network of offices, to achieve significant impact and change by finding new ways of connecting and seeing each other through the arts.

The British Pavilion is our flagship arts programme, showcasing the best in contemporary art and architecture and building connections through unique events and collaborations and multiple teams from the British Council are involved in its delivery, along with a body of specialist external contractors. The Venice programme team is unique in the British Council Arts team because it is responsible for developing, managing and delivering an annual exhibition programme, as well as overseeing successful collaborations with commissioned artists and curators and managing exhibition contractors and other suppliers. Although small, the Venice programme team is a centre of expertise and excellence in exhibition delivery and going forwards will play a key role in leading project activity to create a long-term financial business model for the British Pavilion.

The Venice Programme team is situated within the British Council’s Festivals and Seasons team in the UK Arts Department. The team works in a collaborative and agile style, with specific workstreams allocated to members of the team to deliver. The Directors of Visual Arts and the Director of Architecture, Design, Fashion teams are the British Pavilion Commissioners for the art and architecture Venice Biennale respectively. The Senior Project Manager has responsibility for delivering the British Pavilion exhibitions and strategy and the Director of Festivals and Seasons is the Senior Responsible Owner.

Role Purpose - The Job:

The Project Manager will work to the Senior Project Manager to plan, communicate, and deliver specific work packages for the British Pavilion programme at the Venice Biennale from inception through design to completion within agreed costs and timescales.

This includes cohesive client-side project management of external contractors and internal stakeholders to achieve timely decision making.

The role will support all aspects of the British Pavilion programme and the following activities are an indication of the type and level of duties expected of the post. 

• Organising the practicalities of touring with third party tour partners
• Managing works lists, designs and budgets for exhibition production and installation
• Maintaining the Venice project archive in line with information management policy
• Managing transport and logistics arrangements within budget and schedules
• Managing editorial reviews and production schedules for exhibition texts
• Coordinating client-side requirements, procurements and budgets for opening events
• Delivering communications packages and project reporting to stakeholders
• Developing tenders in the UK and Venice for exhibition delivery

Main Accountabilities:

• Implement activities assigned by the Senior Project Manager to achieve the ambitions and purpose of the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.
• Ensure that work packages are delivered to time, budget and quality. The Project Manager will be responsible for end-to-end management of project workstreams, from ensuring requirements are understood by commissioned artists and curators, internal teams and stakeholders to managing specialist exhibition contractors and evaluating performance.
• Managing exhibition budgets and third-party touring agreements for allocated exhibition tours and liaising with third parties to develop the technical requirements of tour contracts.
• Ensure the British Pavilion programme is implemented in compliance with British Council policies and procedures and that all exhibition production and installation work is compliant with relevant health and safety legislation.
• Ensure issues and changes are controlled according to best project management practice and that project documentation is accurate and up to date.
• Identify, manage, mitigate and report on all risks associated with activities and ensure there is a managed process for all realised risks/issues controlling costs and outcome.
• Actively work to mainstream Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies in the delivery of the work packages and to uphold and champion our anti-racist culture and practice within our organisation and in our work.
• Prepare the necessary specification and tender documents for projects, together with any progress reports that may be required will supervise the overall performance of contractors and act when undue delay or underperformance against requirements occurs. The role requires experience of procuring exhibition production and installation, exhibition transport and event services.
• Ensure that good communication is at the heart of all activities, liaising as necessary with the Commissioners, Business Development, External Relations, Marketing and Media teams as required. To respond swiftly and comprehensively to ad hoc requests for management information and to requests for change.
• Ensure appropriate impact evaluation is in place for all activities, including taking note of any ‘lessons learned’ and pro-actively work with other relevant staff / consultants / contractors or suppliers to use these lessons to ensure improvements across all work streams.  

Requirements Of The Role:

Minimum/essential

• Proven experience of exhibition delivery in visual art or architecture
• Experience of procuring exhibition production and installation, exhibition transport and event services in a UK institution.
• Experience of managing multi-disciplinary teams of consultants and experts
• Excellent standard of written English and significant experience of developing clear and concise project reporting
• A proven track record of promoting and supporting diversity and inclusion
• Ability to travel to and from Venice outside of core hours as required

Desirable:

• Experience of delivering projects in the cultural sector
• Experience of international project delivery
• Experience of formal tendering processes and procedures and grant management
• Knowledge or interest in contemporary art and/or architecture
• Project management qualifications (Prince 2 or APM)

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community as we believe that a diverse workforce gives added depth to our work. The British Council is a Disability Confident Employer. The Disability Confident scheme helps challenge attitudes, increase understanding of disability and ensure staff are drawn from the widest possible pool of talent. We guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum role requirements. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

Safeguarding Statement

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with. We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989. Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you experience any difficulties with submitting your application, please email askhr@britishcouncil.org