Digital Asset Management (DAM) Consultant

People’s History Museum (PHM) is seeking a freelance Digital Asset Management (DAM) Consultant to support the Head of Collections and Engagement, Archive Manager and Collections Manager to develop requirements, procure and implement a Digital Asset Management System at People’s History Museum.

PHM has a budget of £5,000 (+ VAT) for this piece of work.

PHM currently has the KeEMU Collections Management System in place but no existing DAM system.  The team have discussed for some time the need to introduce a DAM system to improve storage, organisation, access and use of the museum’s digital assets for a number of uses across PHM’s work.  A funded project to catalogue and digitise the museum’s poster collection in 2021-23 has triggered this brief to appoint an external expert who can help the museum choose and introduce the right system for PHM’s needs.

PHM is seeking someone with expertise and experience of scoping, selecting, implementing and working with a DAM solution within a museum, archive or other heritage setting.  This will be a freelance / consultant contract to achieve the key tasks below, with the option of providing ongoing support beyond implementation if required /available. PHM would like to commission this work to be delivered between November 2021 and March 2022.

Key tasks include:

1. Work with Axiell to establish the best set-up for KeEMU (PHM’s current Collections Management System) to establish interface with a new DAM solution
2. Develop DAM requirements based on light-touch scoping with key internal stakeholders including Head of Collections and Engagement, Archive Manager, Collections Manager, Engagement Manager, Network Manager and Comms and Marketing Manager to understand general needs and goals
3. Based on understanding of the market, present a shortlist of 3 appropriate DAM systems with a proven track record in the museums/heritage sector, used by other organisations of a similar scale and scope (including suggestions to be supplied by PHM)
4. Work alongside the PHM team to evaluate and select the appropriate supplier from the shortlist, making recommendations and adding external expertise to the decision making process
5. Once a system is selected, work with the Network Manager to support technical set up and implementation, including migration of data from legacy systems including KeEMU
6. Work with Head of Collections and Engagement and Collections Manager to create plan and workflow for the poster project to go online as a first phase of using the DAM system
7. Support the PHM team with the development of relevant policies and standards for using the DAM system
8. Provide training and guidance notes for key staff, who can then facilitate training of other staff members as appropriate
9. Provide ongoing support on an ad hoc basis as required, to be paid for at agreed rate

Interested consultants with relevant expertise are invited to provide a proposal outlining the following areas:

• Relevant experience including an example of a relevant client or organisation where a DAM system was scoped, selected and implemented
• An overview of approach to the project with key milestones to achieve the tasks above
• A breakdown of costs (with a separate indication of the cost of ongoing support if available and required)
• Details of two referees who can be contacted (with permission) in relation to the proposal

How to apply:

Consultants are asked to send their proposal to Charlie Corkin at charlie.corkin@phm.org.uk by 12pm on 29 October 2021.  A selection process will select a minimum of three consultants to invite to an informal conversation with members of the PHM team (online or in person depending on preference and availability) before one is appointed.

Please contact Charlie using the details above with any questions about this piece of work.