Museum Manager

Introduction:

We are a small community based museum currently managed by a board of eight trustees assisted by a team of around twenty dedicated volunteers.

You can find out lots more about us at our website:-

 crieffandstrathearnmuseum.org.uk

And for more current news, stories and pictures, please see our Facebook page "Crieff and Strathearn Museum".

Background:

We were established as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation in 2018 but have had premises only since September 2023 when we agreed a nineteen year lease with Perth and Kinross Council for the Old Town Hall in Crieff High Street. Following a great deal of work by trustees and volunteers and several successful funding applications, we opened to the public on 4 May 2024.

As well as putting in hard work, we have had a lot of fun preparing the various displays and exhibits. Visitor numbers and the extent of positive public reaction, particularly in social media, have exceeded our best expectations and we are now starting to focus on even more ambitious plans for the 2025 season.

Our trustees and volunteers are enthusiastic and have a wealth of knowledge and experience and we are lucky to have access to various specialists who offer advice at no charge. Notwithstanding all that however, the range of tasks and planning activities that we face is becoming increasingly challenging to take forward on a purely voluntary basis. Hence our decision to seek to recruit a paid Museum Manager.

Museum Manager:

The job description below covers the main elements of the job but it is important to emphasise that we will be taking a flexible approach to this appointment. We do not necessarily expect you to have specific experience in every one of the areas of responsibility. We are more interested in finding someone with the right competencies who can offer the best overall fit of knowledge and experience.

The contracted hours of work will be by agreement up to a maximum of 30 per week. The pattern of work will also be by agreement and will be flexible. There will be a mixture of home working and a requirement to be physically present in the museum at agreed times including some weekends. The museum is open to the public from April to October so physical presence during the winter months will be much less.

The salary will be set pro rata to a full time salary of £28,000 for a 40 hour week, which we believe is competitive for comparable positions in the charitable sector in the UK. We can offer membership of the NEST pension scheme and annual leave as stated in the job description.

Timescale:

Ideally we are looking for someone who can start in January 2025 and there will be a probationary period of three months. At present we only have sufficient funds to support the employment of a manager for a year, so the initial appointment will be for a fixed term of twelve months. However, we very much hope that it will develop into a longer term appointment, - and when the manager is in post one of their responsibilities will be to help with securing future funding.

The closing date for applications is 31 October and the selection process will be at the museum on 19 November. If you are being invited to be interviewed we will contact you shortly after 31 October with more detail.

Applying:

If you have any further questions before deciding whether to apply you can arrange a call with one of our trustees at the email address below or by telephoning and leaving a message.

If you wish to apply please send your CV (maximum two pages) with a covering email telling us what interests you about the job.

Job Description:

Job Title: Museum Manager

Accountable to: Board of Trustees

Line managed by: Secretary

Hours of Work: 25 to 30 hours per week to be worked flexibly by agreement including home working

Salary: Pro rata to £28,000 pa for a 40 hour week

Annual Leave: 23 days pa (pro rata) plus public holidays

Tenure: Fixed term of twelve months with a three month probationary period.

Employment beyond twelve months will be dependent on availability of funding

Job Purpose:

To plan and take forward all elements of the Museum’s development and manage the Museum’s operations on a day to day basis.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Formulate and implement a plan to encourage public involvement, accessibility and community engagement and promote the understanding and appreciation of the cultural and historical heritage of Crieff and Strathearn.

Build and manage relationships with local schools and heritage groups to encourage their involvement in the development of the Museum's programme of events.

Engage with visitors to ensure as positive an experience as possible and collect and analyse feedback to plan future improvements.

Identify opportunities for grant funding, collate documentation, prepare and submit applications and secure funding sufficient to meet the Museum’s future operation and development.

Control and develop the system for accessioning items in the Museum’s collection to ensure effective recording, cataloguing and accessibility and their safe storage and care. 

Support the Board of Trustees in driving forward the Museum’s plans for development and expansion including pursuit of accreditation with Museums and Galleries Scotland and assist the Treasurer and Secretary as required with their statutory duties.

Lead, coordinate and motivate the team of volunteers, to include recruitment, induction, performance reviews and management of the duty rota.

Ensure effective ongoing delivery of the Museum’s external communications including preparing press and media releases, maintaining the Museum’s website and social media platforms, and engaging with community groups, schools and other museums.

Carry out and/or supervise facilities management for the Museum building including security and safety, cleaning, heating, liaising with service providers and contractors and reporting defects to the Landlords as required.

Monitor and control day to day budgeting and cash management within delegated authority and manage the Museum’s retail and sales activity including stock acquisition and control and marketing of sales items.

Participate in the planning and physical preparation of displays and exhibitions and coordinate arrangements for external events and visits.

Undertake appropriate health and safety training, carry out risk assessments as required and ensure that relevant policies and procedures are observed including those for safeguarding individuals.

Person Specification:

Ideally candidates will be able to demonstrate most or all of the following:

Knowledge and Experience:

Degree level qualification in a relevant subject or experience in the heritage or culture sector

Front of house customer/visitor/retail experience

Experience of managing a budget

Knowledge of relevant IT applications including Word, Excel and social media platforms

Knowledge of premises management issues relating to a publicly accessible building

Competencies: 

Enthusiasm for sharing the history and culture of Crieff and Strathearn

Excellent communication, and motivational skills

Ability to work flexibly and manage priorities without direct supervision

Ability to build and manage relationships with a wide range of stakeholders

Critical thinking and problem solving skills