Heritage Project Evaluator(s) – Brent Museum & Archives

Introduction to Becoming Brent

With National Lottery Heritage Fund investment, Brent Museum and Archives are undertaking a programme called, Becoming Brent. A key element of this project will be a comprehensive evaluation.

Becoming Brent marks the centenary of the British Empire Exhibition. Wembley Park and Wembley Stadium were built to host the British Empire Exhibition and welcomed 27 million visitors during 1924 and 1925. Becoming Brent will be a series of events exploring the impact of the British Empire Exhibition in Brent, and how Brent bears the imprint of Britain’s colonial past.

About the role

We seek a highly skilled and experienced Heritage Evaluator(s) to assess the Becoming Brent project, ensuring alignment with National Lottery Heritage Fund guidelines and best practices. The chosen consultant(s) will exhibit a proven track record in evaluating similar heritage projects, from benchmarking to crafting a final evaluation report for submission to the NLHF pending approval from our Becoming Brent project board and other key stake holders.

Our expectations of Evaluator(s) are, but not limited to:

1. Conduct a thorough evaluation of the project in accordance with National Lottery Heritage Fund requirements.
2. Facilitate the growth of Brent Museum and Archive Members and Volunteers.
3. Enhance the visibility and profile of Brent Museum and Archive assets, especially those related to the Becoming Brent project and the British Empire Exhibition collection.
4. Ensure prominent acknowledgment of the National Lottery Heritage Fund including National Lottery Players across all communications.
5. Eligibility and Criteria for selection

Eligibility and Criteria for selection

We are looking for people who are/have:

Essential

• Excited by Brent’s heritage and about telling multiple local stories.
• Interested in the global and social history related to Brent such as the British Empire or the British Empire Exhibition which took place in Wembley in 1924 and 1925.
• Demonstrate evidence of being able to complete the work to a high quality and to agreed timescales.
• Experience in evaluating heritage projects, from inception to final reporting.
• Capable of mentoring and upskilling team members (staff and volunteers) with evaluative methodologies to support your work.
• Exceptional communication and strong facilitation skills, coupled with sensitivity and a commitment to confidentiality, and comfortable engaging with staff, volunteers, visitors and encouraging new visitors and/or participants.
• Ability to produce evaluations that not only support funding requirements but also inform future decision-making and strategic planning.
• Skills to evaluate the project in line with National Lottery Heritage Fund requirements.
• Elevate the profile of Brent Museum and Archive collections and assets.
• Ensure high-visibility acknowledgment of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and express gratitude towards National Lottery Players through the project.

Desirable

• Experimental approaches to data collection and sharing that encourage audiences that don’t or are less like to engage with or participate in cultural initiatives.
• Innovate and experiment with novel methods for data collection that harness modern technologies or methodologies.
• Explore and implement such approaches for sharing evaluation findings, ensuring accessibility and engagement with diverse audiences.

Type of Contract

The role will be recruited on a fixed term freelance / consultancy / self-employed basis.

Time Frame

18-month commitment. Time of work is flexible but must be available to attend events and activities of the project.

Budget

£10,000. (Small budget for other costs, e.g., materials, printing, etc).

Submitting a proposal

If you would like a lot more detail about the project, have questions or would like to discuss the work informally before applying, please contact Peter Baxter to arrange a meeting stating times of when you are available – core office hours, evenings and weekends are possible too. An MS Teams meeting will be arranged, and an invite will be sent.

Requests for an informal discussion should be no later than the 28 April 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact Peter Baxter, Becoming Brent Project manager: email [email protected] or call 020 8937 6676.

If you would like to be considered for this work, please provide:

• current CV
• covering letter explaining your interest in this role and explain how you would meet the eligibility and criteria for selection (no more than 2 pages).
• a plan or statement about how you will undertake and complete the work required on time and on budget.
• If you are an organisation or a more than one person, please apply based on the lead applicant.

These should be submitted by email to Peter Baxter ([email protected]) by Friday 10 May 2024 with the heading ‘Evaluator – Becoming Brent’.