The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has undergone a radical senior management restructure following the departure of deputy director Ian Blatchford and director of learning and interpretation David Anderson.
The move means that the department of learning and interpretation will no longer be solely represented in the museum’s Resource Group, the senior management board made up of “the key decision-makers in the organisation”.
Instead, Beth McKillop, previously director of collections, has been made deputy director with responsibility for collections and education. She will represent the education department in the Resource Group.
A £60,000 post of head of education, rather than director of learning and interpretation, is being advertised on the V&A website for “internal applicants only”.
A V&A spokeswoman said: “Blatchford’s line-management responsibilities have been shared out between the Resource Group. This is a more cost-effective management scheme.”
But Claire Adler, an independent museum and heritage-learning consultant, said: “At a time when every public body is facing deep cuts, it worries me that an institution that has done so much for pushing the education agenda to the fore of its management style should take the opportunity to pull back from its education and learning stance.”
“Although education may be firmly fixed in some staff in the Resource Group, without someone constantly pushing the idea of museums being accessible for all, it could easily fall from a museum’s agenda.”
Sian Williams, director of finance, and Jo Prosser, director of V&A Enterprises, will replace Anderson and Blatchford in the Resource Group.