Meet our Digital Development Manager

With so many fantastic team members across a diversity of teams in the Museum, we want to showcase some of our amazing staff so you can find out more about work and life at the museum.

First in our new staff career series, we talk to?our Digital Development Manager, Rhys Cazenove, about how he got into his role, what a typical day looks like and the challenges of digital work.

1.???What is the main purpose of your role??

?My primary role is to support a team of software developers that build and maintain all the public-facing digital media, such as the website, mobile apps, and online public databases.?I also recruit for this team, and we are always looking for bright individuals who want to be involved in some fantastic digital projects.?

2.???What does a typical day look like??

I enter the museum via Exhibition Road and get to walk through Earth Galleries, next to the amazing Earth Sculpture and surrounded by calming ambient music.?It really is, hands down, the best entrance of any job I have ever worked.?

?The digital work is organised across 5 product teams, each responsible for different parts of the digital catalogue. In the morning I’ll check in with the developers and see if they need my support for anything that has cropped up. I’ll also participate in planning and retrospective sessions so that I am up to date with the latest from each team.?It’s really cool to witness everyone contributing and collaborating to achieve the best outcome possible.?????

?I will also spend time reviewing our ‘continuous improvement’ backlog.?This is basically a long list of software tools and apps that the museum has built over time, that may need maintenance or updating.?I find it really fascinating to learn about all the historical projects, how they were put together and how they fit into our modern tech stack.?

?I always go for a walk at lunchtime.?Not only do I love walking, but the area around the museum is beautiful, next to the V&A, the Science Museum and Hyde Park.?It’s a great way to re-ground oneself during a busy day.?

3.??What are the most enjoyable and challenging parts of your role??

I love chatting with developers about tech, learning what they are excited about, and giving them suggestions or tips for how to approach a certain coding challenge.?The technology moves so quickly, but some foundational principles remain evergreen.?

Recruitment has been challenging so far.?We have a few spaces on our team that we’d love to fill, but it can be challenging to adequately express the value and benefit of working in a purpose-driven organisation as compared to a commercially driven company.?Especially within tech, people tend to conflate size of salary with expected satisfaction of the role.?This is not always the case.?

4.???What do you like about working for the museum?

?Work with purpose, respect others expertise, be inclusive, consider all viewpoints - these are key expressions that reveal themselves in every aspect of the work we do, and I love it.?

5.???How did you get into the role??

Prior to this role I was working as Head of Project Delivery for an IPaaS company (Integration Platform as a Service), whose primary goal is to reduce operating costs for high volume retail companies by integrating supply chain platforms.?It was fascinating work with a lovely team of people, but long stressful hours eventually started to affect my mental health.?

6.??What’s the most interesting/weird thing you have learned about the museum??

There is so much to explore at the museum.?As a new starter, you are encouraged to go wandering and get lost.?3 months in, and I’m still doing that????

7.???Do you have any fun or special memories you have made while working at the museum??

The annual summer party occurred shortly after I started, and it was amazing to see all 900 staff and volunteers together.?It really gave me a sense of place and purpose, and fun to get to know so many nice and interesting folk.?