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2 April 2026
7pm on 30 April 2026
5 June 2026
30 July 2026
The role of the Trustee
The role of Trustee represents an exciting and challenging opportunity for an individual with a strong commitment to, and enthusiasm for, the UK’s diverse heritage, to make a lasting contribution.
As a member of the Board of Trustees, each Trustee will be expected to contribute to:
Strategic planning and management of the organisation.
Our vision for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.
Making decisions regarding the allocation or distribution of monies from the Heritage Fund.
Overseeing the activities and performance of its committees and panels.
Financial planning and monitoring, including reviewing and approving the organisation’s business plans and annual reports and accounts.
Ensuring the effectiveness and adequacy of the organisation’s risk management, internal controls, and governance procedures and processes.
Managing change within the organisation and organisational development.
Ensuring the organisation and its executive team meet performance objectives.
Building relationships with stakeholders and supporting strategic partnerships.
Ensuring that equality and diversity are embedded at all levels of the organisation and across its activities.
Adhering to and demonstrating the values and behaviours of the organisation.
The Board of Trustees also bring skills, knowledge, and experience in the following areas:
Demonstrable understanding and experience of at least one aspect of UK heritage.
Awareness of the strategic context of heritage issues in the UK.
General business, commercial, and/or public sector management experience in either a medium sized or large organisation.
Chairing meetings.
People motivation and management.
Corporate governance and/or non-executive leadership.
Stakeholder engagement and public affairs at a national level.
Devising and implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Digital transformation, with a focus on ensuring IT systems have relevant audience insights and best customer care practice.
An insight into the processes of local government and community development.
The role of the Chair of the Committee for Northern Ireland
In addition to serving on our Board, the trustee will also chair the Committee for Northern Ireland, which oversees the distribution of National Lottery funds within parameters delegated by the Trustees, and acts as advocate for the Heritage Fund in Northern Ireland.
The Chair of the Committee will work closely with the Northern Ireland Director to promote and represent the Heritage Fund in Northern Ireland. The successful appointee will be required, consistent with the Heritage Fund’s strategic objectives, to engage actively with stakeholders in the heritage and cultural sectors in Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive. The Chair of the Committee will also ensure that the other Trustees have visibility of, and are able to engage with, key issues and opportunities that are specific to the Heritage Fund’s work in Northern Ireland.
Some public appointments are made by the Prime Minister, or the Crown on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Others are made by Secretaries of State or other ministers and are of interest to the Prime Minister.
Public appointments made by or of interest to the Prime Minister
In order to apply you will need to create an account or sign in.
Once you are logged into your account, click on 'apply for this role' and follow the on-screen instructions To apply, all candidates are required to provide:
We will ask you to check and confirm your personal details to ensure your application is accurate.
You will also have the opportunity to make a reasonable adjustment request or apply under the disability confident scheme before you submit your application.
As part of your application, you will be asked to provide equality information including special category data (which may identify your race/ ethnic background or health); you have the choice to opt out from sharing any equality data, by selecting ‘prefer not to say’. We use your personal information and special category data for a wide range of purposes, to enable us to carry out our functions as a government department.
Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process which is conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. We aim to conclude the appointment process within three months of the deadline for applications – this is in accordance with the Governance Code.
The assessment process
Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.
An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Ministers to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.
At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates have best met the criteria, who should be recommended for interview. Ministers will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist. If you have applied under the Disability Confident Scheme and you meet all the essential criteria, then you will also be invited for an interview.
Once the shortlist has been agreed by Ministers, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.
The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The Panel may invite you to make a brief presentation at the start of the interview and will go on to question you about your skills and experience, including asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post. The Panel will also explore with you any potential conflicts of interest or any other issues arising from your personal and professional history which may impact on an appointment decision.
Details of the panel’s assessment of interviewed candidates are provided to Ministers, including whether they have judged a candidate to be appointable to the role. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, Ministers may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.
Ministers may choose to meet with candidates before deciding the outcome. Candidates should therefore be prepared for a short time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.
Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application, including whom they may approach for feedback. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.
DCMS Panel Chair - Helen Dhoot, Deputy Director for Heritage
National Lottery Heritage Fund Representative - Simon Thurley CBE, Chair
Independent Panel Member - Kathryn Thomson, Chief Executive of National Museums NI
Northern Ireland Representative - Manus Deery, Director of the Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities
In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.
There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.
The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards.
You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:
you are disqualified from acting as a company director (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);
have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;
your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.
When you apply, you should declare if:
you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this.
you are subject to a current police investigation.
You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points.
When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)