The National Gallery - 3x Trustees
- Body
- The National Gallery
- Appointing Department
- Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
- Sectors
- Business, Finance & Skills, Charity & Public Sector, Culture, Media & Sport, Education
- Location
- Normally central London.
- Skills required
- Accountancy, Audit and Risk, Business / Commercial, Change Management, Communication / Media / Marketing, HR, Major Projects, Procurement, Retail
- Number of Vacancies
- 3
- Remuneration
- The posts are unpaid but reasonable travel expenses may be claimed.
- Time Requirements
- Trustees are expected to attend 6 Board meetings a year and an annual strategy day. Additional time will be required to study papers and to attend events at the Gallery. In addition, most Trustees sit on at least one Committee or Board advisory group.
Campaign Timeline
-
Competition Launched
08/02/2021
-
Closed for Applications
15/03/2021
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Panel Sift
08/04/2021
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Final Interview Date
23/06/2021
-
Announcement
TBC
Assessment Panel
- Panel Member
- Helen Whitehouse OBE
- Added
- 08/02/2021
- Panel Role
- Panel Chair
- Positions
- Acting Director of Arts Heritage and Tourism at DCMS Departmental Official
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- Panel Member
- Sir John Kingman
- Added
- 25/05/2021
- Positions
- Interim Chair of The National Gallery Representative of Organisation
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- Panel Member
- Sir William Fittall
- Added
- 08/02/2021
- Positions
- Senior Independent Panel Member
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Vacancy Description
The National Gallery (“the Gallery”) is a charity and Non–Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The Gallery seeks three new Trustees for appointment in Spring 2021.
The Gallery is a public museum with a uniquely important collection of pictures which it holds for the benefit of all. It constitutes a living legacy of humanity’s highest cultural achievements in painting and is an inestimable resource for understanding the world as we have inherited it. Established in 1824, the Gallery’s statutory responsibilities include caring for and adding to the collection; displaying the collection to the public and making it available for the purpose of research and study; and generally promoting the public’s enjoyment and understanding of painting and fine art.
From its inception it has been free for all to visit and the Gallery believes that, despite the financial implications of Covid-19, free admission represents a commitment to the public which must be reaffirmed and developed.
Covid-19 has had far reaching consequences for the Gallery. Up until March 2020, millions of people visited the Gallery each year, many from overseas and many more are reached on-line. Currently the Gallery cannot predict when, if ever, the same numbers of visitors will return. Lord Hall of Birkenhead took over as Chair of the Gallery at the beginning of last July and the Gallery is currently re-evaluating its strategy to take account of Covid-19 and the bi-centenary of the Gallery in 2024.
Further information about the Gallery (including a list of current Trustees) can be found on its website at www.nationalgallery.org.uk.
The role of the Board of the Gallery includes responsibility for the Gallery’s statutory functions; the provision of overall leadership and development of strategy. It ensures that high standards of corporate governance are maintained and that the Gallery has effective control systems, decision-making processes and management in place. The Board complements the executive by providing support and advice while also, where necessary, challenging the status quo.
The Board consists at any time of 12 to 14 Trustees, one of whom is appointed by the Board of Tate and the remainder by the Prime Minister. The Gallery wishes to draw its Trustees from as diverse a range of backgrounds as possible.
Person Specification
All trustees of the Gallery are expected to demonstrate:
- A love of paintings and a commitment to the Gallery’s strategic plans;
- An understanding of the importance to the Gallery of fundraising and a commitment, as a leader of the Gallery, to work with the development team to contribute to the delivery of the Gallery’s fundraising ambitions;
- Excellent judgment and the ability to contribute to Board discussion and strategy and policy development;
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to represent and advocate for the Gallery;
- The ability to work collaboratively with other Trustees and senior management of the Gallery; and
- That they share the Gallery’s commitment to audience development, as well as a commitment to preserving the gallery’s collection to support education and understanding of it.
In addition, for these vacancies, the Gallery wishes to appoint: –
Fundraising Trustee
An individual with excellent contacts and the ability to network with those who are able to support the Gallery financially, as well as help raise money from trusts and foundations.
Academic/Cultural Trustee
An individual who is an academic or is prominent in the cultural field, preferably with an ability to build a broad understanding of the collection; this may include links to the world of scholarship.
Business Trustee
An individual with significant senior commercial experience (at executive board level) to chair the Board of the National Gallery Company, a trading company whose profits support the National Gallery and whose trading operations include retail (including e- commerce), venue hire, publishing, image and brand licensing and catering.
All applications should meet one of the above Trustee categories.
Additional Information
Duration of appointment
A term of up to four years will be offered.
How to Apply
To apply, please send:
- A CV of no more than two sides of A4; this should provide details of your education and qualifications, employment history, directorships, membership of professional bodies and details of any publications or awards;
- A supporting statement of not more than two sides of A4, setting out how you meet the criteria – please make sure you refer to the contents of this document; and
- The conflicts of Interest Form and the Diversity Form. The Diversity Form will be kept separately from your application and Conflicts of Interest Form and will not be seen by the selection panel in order to meet the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.
Completed applications should be sent to: publicappointments@dcms.gov.uk. Please put ‘The National Gallery Trustee Application’ in the subject line and specify which of the two roles you are interested in.
To talk to someone about the public appointments process, please contact James Emberley by email at james.emberley@dcms.gov.uk.
To talk to someone about the trustee roles at the National Gallery please contact Victoria Hayes, Secretary to the Board on 020 7747 2436 or by email tom victoria.hayes@ng-london.org.uk.
The National Gallery and DCMS aspire to diversity in public appointments and operate an equal opportunities policy. Appointments are made on merit and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.