Announcements (Archive)

Imperial War Museum - RAF Trustee and Navy Trustee

Body
Imperial War Museum
Appointing Department
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Sector
Culture, Media & Sport
Location
London
Number of Vacancies
2
Remuneration
Trustees give their services on an honorary basis and receive no remuneration, except for expenses reasonably incurred in performance of their duties.
Time Requirements
Trustees are expected to allocate sufficient time this is likely to be up to one day per month. There are four full Board meetings per year. Some additional time will be required to study papers and reports and attend other meetings or events as appropriate.

Campaign Timeline

  1. Competition Launched

    11/05/2020

  2. Closed for Applications

    19/06/2020

  3. Panel Sift

    w/c 13th July

  4. Final Interview Date

    w/c 10th August

  5. Announcement

    18/12/2020

Announcement

An announcement has been made on the outcome of this appointment.

Mike Utley CB OBE and Edward Stringer have been appointed by the Prime Minister as Naval and RAF Trustees respectively of the Imperial War Museum for a four year period from 1 November 2020 to 31 October 2024.

Date: 18/12/2020

Assessment Panel

Panel Member
Matthew Westerman
Positions
Representative of Organisation
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Political Activity-
Notes-
Panel Member
Helen Whitehouse
Positions
Departmental Official
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Political Activity-
Notes-
Panel Member
Ian McCaig
Positions
Senior Independent Panel Member
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Political Activity-
Notes-

Vacancy Description

The Imperial War Museum (IWM) was founded in 1917 to record the story of the Great War.  Its remit was subsequently extended to cover the Second World War and today, IWM is the world’s leading authority on conflict and its impact focusing on Britain, its former Empire and the Commonwealth, from the First World War to the present.

The IWM is a single institution with a single purpose, fulfilled in different ways at its different branches, both physical and virtual. In addition to its headquarters building, IWM London, in Southwark, the Museum’s branches comprise the Churchill War Rooms and HMS Belfast in London, IWM Duxford in Cambridgeshire, and IWM North in Trafford, Greater Manchester which is housed in a stunning building by Daniel Libeskind.

The IWM has traditionally had a Trustee on its Board from each of the three branches of the armed forces, and is currently recruiting for two Trustees to represent the RAF and Navy branches. 

Person Specification

For all Trustee appointments, candidates will need to demonstrate:

  • a knowledge of and commitment to IWM, and support of the purposes and values of the Museum, including its public educational purpose;
  • proven ability to take responsibility and demonstrate sound judgement in strategic decision making;
  • excellent representational and communication skills, including the ability and willingness to effectively challenge;
  • a clear understanding of the principles of corporate governance in the public sector;
  • the ability to contribute to future policy and strategic developments with innovative thinking.

RAF Trustee Specification:

The successful candidate for this position will be a recently retired, or retiring, senior Royal Air Force Officer who will have:

  • served at Air Force Board or equivalent level;
  • relevant experience of working at a senior level in Whitehall and/or the international community, including working directly with Ministers, senior Government officials, MPs and the media;
  • up-to-date contacts in the Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence and defence sector;
  • an interest in the history of modern conflict, air warfare and people’s experience of it; and 
  • a detailed understanding of working airfields and flying displays and the ability to engage with the Civil Aviation Authority’s requirements relating to air shows and IWM Duxford’s own Flight Safety Committee.

Navy Trustee Specification:

The successful candidate for this particular post will be a serving or retiring officer of the Royal Navy who will have;

  • served at senior or Naval Board level;
  • relevant experience of working in or with the public sector, including working directly with Ministers, senior Government officials, MPs and the media;
  • up-to-date contacts in the Royal Navy, Ministry of Defence and defence sector.

Additional Information

Members of the Board have corporate responsibility for the general management and control of the Museum, subject to the terms set out in the Imperial War Museum Acts (1920 and 1955), subsequent amending legislation and other governing documents. It is their responsibility also to ensure that the Museum complies with any statutory or administrative requirements for the use of public funds.  Specifically, the Board:

  • Determines the general policy of the Museum;
  • Appoints the Director-General of the Museum, with the approval of the Prime Minister;
  • Monitors and oversees the Director-General’s management of the Museum. The Director-General is the Board’s chief executive and the Accounting Officer of the Museum;
  • Has legal responsibility for the buildings, collections and financial assets of the Museum and their care and management;
  • Approves the Museum’s Strategic Plan;
  • Monitors the process of Risk Management within the Museum;
  • Publishes an annual report and account, audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General.

Trustees are expected to understand and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life as defined by the Committee on Standards in Public Life. Trustees must be positive advocates for the Museum.  They will exercise drive with due tact and discretion as members of a corporate body with a collective and strategic role.

How to Apply

To apply, please send:

  • a CV of no more than two sides of A4;
  • a supporting statement of not more than two sides of A4, setting out how you meet the criteria (NB: make sure you refer to the contents of the role specification);
  • the two Monitoring Forms concerning your personal information and political activity, and the Declaration of Interests Form

Completed applications should be emailed to: publicappointments@culture.gov.uk

Please put ‘Imperial War Museum Trustee’ in the subject line, as well as the role you wish to apply for – RAF Trustee or Navy Trustee. The closing date for applications is 19/06/2020 at 23:00.

If you would like a confidential discussion regarding any reasonable adjustments during the process, please also indicate this in the covering email or letter.

If you have any questions about the appointments process, please contact the Campaign Manager, Rhianna Bridgewater at rhianna.bridgewater@culture.gov.uk

If you have any questions about the roles or IWM, please contact Gill Smith – Secretary to the Board of Trustees at gsmith@iwm.org.uk