Romsey, Hampshire
Permanent
Volunteer position
Are you an ambitious and visionary leader with a strong track record of managing organisations through change?
Are you looking for an opportunity to ‘give something back’ by using those skills within a charitable organisation?
We are seeking an inspirational individual with the experience and dedication to take King John’s House Museum forward, and to lead the Board and support the Museum Manager and staff team to further drive growth and impact within the local community.
King John’s House with its museum, accredited under the Arts Council England scheme, with its tea rooms and period gardens is embarking on a period of change. We are determined to become less reliant on local authority funding while still being an important heritage contributor to tourism in Test Valley and Romsey in particular. We have recently recruited a Museum Manager with wide experience of managing heritage buildings and collections.
Our current Chair of Trustees accepted the role on an interim basis and now wishes to step down. We need to find an individual who can commit the necessary time and effort as a more long-term Chair.
When you visit the listed buildings of King John’s House and Museum you make a journey through time. Located at the heart of Romsey near the Abbey, our medieval, Tudor and Victorian buildings, surrounded by a beautiful period-style garden, are rich in history and have been in continuous occupation and use for over 800 years. King John’s House and Tudor Cottage Trust Limited was incorporated in September 2000 to incorporate the long-standing activities of a charitable trust. The charity had the objects of education and the preservation for the people of Romsey, and of the nation at large, the properties and buildings known as King John’s House and Tudor Cottage, Romsey. In 2014 the objects were extended to include operating as a museum, developing and maintaining its collections.
As an independent charity, King John’s House is overseen by a dedicated and experienced board of Trustees.
The role of the Board of Trustees involves:
- strategic direction to the museum
- oversight of risks to and opportunities for the museum’s main activity, including safeguarding the good name, ethos and values of the museum
- oversight to ensure the financial stability of the museum
- acting with integrity and declaration of any conflict of interest or loyalty in carrying out the duties of a Trustee
- being collectively responsible for the actions of the museum
- working within the Code of Conduct for Trustees adopted by the museum
- oversight of the following:
– effective and efficient administration of the museum
– ensuring the museum applies its resources exclusively in pursuing its objectives
– protection of the assets of the museum
The role of the Chair
The appointed Chair will assume a pro-active engagement with the museum’s business, including leading Board meetings, reading Board papers, contributing to discussions on key issues, and providing guidance on new initiatives.
The successful candidate will have excellent communication skills, outstanding leadership qualities, and the ability to confidently lead with tact and diplomacy thus encouraging and fostering a collaborative team spirit. The Chair, supported by a team of Trustees, will ensure that the organisation complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
Whatever your professional background, you will bring effective experience, enthusiasm, strategic thinking, and an entrepreneurial approach to business. It would be preferable if the successful applicant resides near Romsey. There will be the opportunity for a structured handover from the current Chair.
Please submit a CV and a brief accompanying letter outlining what you could bring to the role, and explaining how you meet the requirements. In the first instance this should be sent to the current Chair of Trustees at mountolive@btinternet.com. You can find out more information about the museum at www.kingjohnshouse.org.uk
This unremunerated role is open to all, and we encourage anyone who feels they meet the criteria to apply.
Closing date for application: 31/12/2024
Commitment: A Board meeting every 2 months (early evenings, online or in person). In addition, there are sub committee meetings which the Chair may also attend and various ad-hoc meetings.