Museum Director – The Peace Museum

About the Peace Museum:

The Peace Museum explores the history and the often-untold stories of peace, peacemakers, social reform and peace movements. It is unique in that it is the only accredited museum of its kind in the UK.

We are currently undertaking an exciting transformation programme designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Museum. The programme will deliver brand-new public exhibition and engagement spaces within Salt’s Mill, Saltaire, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The new Museum will open in Summer 2024 allowing us to display more objects and greatly extend our audience.

We are now looking for a Museum Director to lead on the transition to our new premises and ways of working, and then to lead on the strategic and operational management of the new Museum.   

About the role: 

The Museum Director is the leader of The Peace Museum team of staff and volunteers ensuring good professional practice in all areas of the Museum and that the Museum remains accredited, resilient, and financially sustainable.

By joining The Peace Museum at this pivotal point in its history, you will be at the forefront of our transformation journey, making an impact in shaping the future of our institution. This is a unique opportunity to lead a highly skilled and dedicated team and contribute to the ongoing sustainability of our museum. This is your chance to make a real difference and to help determine the character and direction of The Peace Museum of the future.

Key responsibilities:  

The Museum Director is responsible for:

• ensuring the smooth transition to our new premises and ways of working
• leading the day-to-day operations of the museum as an important local, regional and national asset
• ensuring the effective management of the buildings and site, including compliance with statutory requirements e.g. health and safety, first aid, environmental, security and fire safety
• line management responsibility for 3 managers (Development Lead, Curator and Learning & Engagement Lead), the Marketing and Communications Coordinator, the Audience and Participation Coordinator, and any freelance staff
• overall responsibility for the volunteer community, including recruitment
• developing key strategies and plans for adoption by the Executive and Management Team to enable the Museum to fulfil its aims and ensuring the effective delivery of these strategies. These will include strategies and plans relating to Stakeholder Management, Curation & Collections, Education & Learning, Development and Marketing & Comms.
• overall responsibility for budget planning and management in liaison with the Treasurer
• developing and delivering key policies on behalf of the Board of Trustees
• promoting and upholding the Peace Museum’s Vision, Objectives and Values in all strategic and operational activity
• promoting the Museum in the public domain, including media and other strategic partners

The Museum Director reports to the Chair of the Peace Museum Board of Trustees.

Requirements:

Essential Skills & Experience

• 3-5 years of strategic leadership in a museum or other visitor-facing heritage setting
• Experience of communicating with the media and other key external stakeholders
• Demonstrable experience of managing and motivating staff and volunteers through leadership, motivation, team building and performance development
• Proven ability to delegate and deliver success through others
• Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to communicate effectively at all levels
• Experience of leading on all aspects of fundraising and the delivery of grant-funded projects
• Experience of leading on all aspects of marketing and communications
• Budget & performance management in a small organisation
• Working knowledge and experience of relevant legislation and guidance e.g. museum accreditation
• Effectively managing Health and Safety in the workplace
• Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Commitment to the Peace Museum’s Vision, Objectives and Values

Desirable

• Experience of working within an independent museum undergoing transformative change and improvement
• Experience of working for a registered charity

Why Join Us:

The Museum offers a competitive benefits package including:

• Annual leave allowance of 28 days per annum plus national holidays
• Membership of our employee pension scheme
• Professional and personal development opportunities

Hours of work:

The normal hours of work will be 37½ hours per week.

The Mill is currently open to the public daily from Wednesday to Sunday, as well as on some Bank Holidays and additional days over the Christmas and school holiday periods. The Museum opening days will coincide with the days that Salts Mill is open to the public.

There is a requirement for a member of the Management Team to be onsite as Duty Manager when the Museum is open to the public. This responsibility will be shared amongst all members of the Management Team and a duty-management rota will be in place to support this. The Management Team comprises the Museum Director, Curator, Development Lead and Learning & Engagement Lead.

Other hours are to be worked by arrangement with colleagues and the Board such that, over the course of each month, an average of 37½ hours per week are worked.

There will be some opportunities for remote working.

Additional details:

For more information about this role, please click here for the full job description>>

The current museum office is based at 10 Piece Hall Yard in the city centre of Bradford and is only accessible via 60 steps.

The Peace Museum is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from unlawful discrimination or harassment. We value the benefits that a diverse workforce brings to a museum which represents peace and peace-making.  The Museum is committed to ensuring that no job applicant suffers unlawful discrimination because of any protected characteristics. Our recruitment procedures aim to ensure that individuals are selected because of their relevant knowledge, skills and experience.

How to apply:

Please send your up-to-date CV and a covering letter, of no more than 2-sides of A4, explaining your suitability against the essential skills and experience criteria in the job profile to: Eithne Bolton:  eithne.bolton@peacemuseum.org.uk

If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details to eithne.bolton@peacemuseum.org.uk

Interviews will be held on Saturday 18 November 2023 at Salts Mill, Victoria Rd, Saltaire, Shipley, BD18 3HU.

Candidates invited to attend an interview will be sent a copy of the interview questions in advance.