Wigan Museum is seeking to appoint a Freelance Project Manager to help deliver our new NLHF funded gallery redevelopment project – ‘Wigan Museum: Our Northern Soul’. The fee for this role is £15,000 based on a day rate of £300 for 50 days – with 3-4 working days per month May 2026 to July 2027
Job Description
The role will provide project management support for delivery of the National Lottery Heritage Fund – Wigan Museum: Our Northern Soul – project, and will work alongside the Wigan Museum team to manage and deliver the project. The role will provide additional support in the following areas:
- Procurement of the Exhibition Design and Build contractor and day-to-day management of the museum design, production and installation process to completion.
- Recruitment of the Community Artist for the outreach programme.
- Recruitment of the Digital Artist to develop a socially-engaged art piece for display in the museum.
- Delivery of the Project Plan, ensuring it aligns with project objectives and timelines.
- Management of Project Budget, ensuring all expenditures are tracked and reported accurately to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
- Management of Project Risk Register, identifying potential risks to the project and developing mitigation strategies.
- Ensuring effective communication and collaboration amongst the project team, organisation of monthly project team meetings and attendance at monthly steering group meetings.
- Contribution to project process evaluation by minuting key decisions, recording learnings, monitoring deliverables and organising end of project review with full project team.
- Providing guidance and support to Wigan Museum staff.
The fee for this role is £15,000 based on a day rate of £300 for 50 days, working 3-4 days a month May 2026 to July 2027.
QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
We are seeking individuals with a proven track record in delivering similar contracts.
Essential
- Strong experience and substantial track record of project management in the culture and/ or heritage sector.
- Demonstrable experience of creating and monitoring a Project Plan.
- Experience with National Lottery Heritage Fund projects.
- Experience of successfully delivering a museum redevelopment project.
Aptitudes & Abilities
Strong organisational and planning skills. - Experience in budget management and financial reporting.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to analyse data to reach reasonable conclusions.
- Able to meet deadlines under pressure.
- Strong IT skills.
Knowledge & understanding
Knowledge of best practice in project management (relevant qualifications in project management desirable) - An understanding of the working environment for local authority museums.
- Strong understanding of how diffe
KEY DELIVERABLES
As part of this scope of work, the Consultant will be required to deliver as a minimum:
- A Project Execution Plan (based on agreed Project Plan)
- A Project Risk Register
- A Project Programme
- Project Budget scheduled breakdown to inform National Lottery Heritage Fund drawdowns
- Client monthly reports (outlining status on delivery of project plan, budget, programme, risk and minutes of project team meetings)
- Record of project delivery and key learnings to inform project evaluation
- The Consultant will be required to attend regular project team and monthly steering group meetings and work with museum staff, project consultants and partners online and / or in Wigan to deliver this contract.
- The Consultant will be expected to work closely with the Evaluation Consultant on the capture of project process evaluation, deliverables and learnings.
email Ben Whittaker at B.Whittaker3@wigan.gov.uk for the full tender brief or for an informal conversation about the role. Deadline is 23:59pm on 26th April 2026.
