Join to apply for the Research Executive role at Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum provided pay range
This range is provided by Victoria and Albert Museum. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.
The Role
The V&A's commercial division has developed an award-winning brand licensing programme, the profits of which are covenanted to the V&A. These products are sold in the UK, Europe, USA, China and Japan, in a number of different categories. We are seeking a Research Executive to join the Brand Licensing team as our commercial programme expands. This individual will assist the department by finding and supplying visual content from the V&A collections for a variety of licensing projects.
What will you be doing?
1. Provide bespoke research using the V&A’s collections to support brand licensing collaborations, drawing on knowledge of design and art movements.
2. Source, select and deliver imagery with accurate captions and provenance for product, packaging and marketing use.
3. Collaborate with the Senior Creative Manager and R&D Manager to identify and research themes for commercial interpretation, using insights from licensee meetings, moodboards and trend forecasts.
4. Meet deadlines set by the Brand Licensing team, prioritising tasks as needed and coordinating with the team to avoid conflicts or overlaps in image assets.
5. Source and prepare high-quality digital assets for print and digital production, ensuring resolution, size and technical specifications are met using the Adobe Creative Suite.
6. Manage asset files, maintaining captions, provenance copy and product development materials, while regularly updating presentations.
7. Share and archive samples and 'Gold Seal' products from licensees as reference standards for quality, design and brand compliance.
8. Support licensees by providing accurate provenance and object information, reviewing content for accuracy and offering constructive feedback during product development.
9. Coordinate access to the collections at V&A South Kensington and V&A East Storehouse for Brand Licensing partners, ensuring compliance with museum policies and access restrictions.
10. Assist in research for marketing and press campaigns, promoting product ranges while highlighting the artistic integrity and cultural relevance of the works and creators.
11. Organise quarterly meetings with the V&A Retail Buying team, providing updates on licensing activities, sales reports and product performance.
12. Collaborate with Collections and Photographic Services to coordinate new photography, digitisation of assets and ensure stakeholders are informed on timelines and creative direction.
13. Conduct IP research to ensure compliance with intellectual property and third-party rights, avoiding copyright infringement for licensees.
Who are we looking for?
* Familiarity with managing and handling assets in compliance with museum policies, procedures, contracts and relevant legislation
* A keen interest in brand licensing development and the creative industries
* Clear and concise written, verbal and presentation skills
* Good organisational and time management skills
* Ability to support multiple development projects simultaneously
* Database management systems and Adobe Creative Suite
* Highly adaptable with ability to meet diverse stakeholder needs
* Be proactive, self-motivated and be able to show initiative
* Demonstrate a professional manner
* Capacity for occasional travel
* Shares our values of sustainability, equity, creativity, collaboration and generosity
What’s in it for you?
* 29 days of holiday + public holidays each year
* 5.5% employee pension contribution, 10% employer pension contribution (post-probation)
* Life assurance scheme (to value of 4 x annual salary)
* Family-friendly policies e.g. enhanced maternity + paid carers leave
* Free sanitary products for all employees across our sites
* Free entrance to many major museums and exhibitions
* Benefits platform offering discounts at major retailers
* and many more
* Full job description and list of benefits on our website
When do applications close?
16 November @ 23:59
#J-18808-Ljbffr