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Imperial War Museum - Trustee
Imperial War Museum - Trustee
The Department for Culture Media and Sport would like to invite applications for a Trustee of The Imperial War Museum
Time Commitment:
Likely total time commitment will be up to one day per month
Location of Meetings
Generally IWM London on Lambeth Road, SE1, although one meeting per year is held at another of the Museum's branches.
Remuneration
The position is not salaried but reasonable expenses are paid.
Duration of Appointment
Appointment is for an initial term of four years.
Type of Appointment
Trustees are appointed by Prime Minister on the recommendation of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
Background
The Imperial War Museum (IWM) was founded in 1917 to record the story of the Great War. Its remit has subsequently been extended to cover the Second World War and all military operations involving Britain or the Commonwealth since August 1914.
The IWM is a war museum rather than a military museum: it tells the story of modern war, people’s experience of war and its impact on society in Britain and the Commonwealth. It is an educational institution responsible for archives, collections and sites of outstanding national importance. It is a single institution with a single purpose, fulfilled in different ways at its different branches, both physical and virtual.
In addition to the headquarters building, IWM London, in Southwark, the Museum’s branches comprise the Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms and HMS Belfast in London, IWM Duxford in Cambridgeshire, and IWM North in Trafford, Greater Manchester which is housed in a stunning purpose-built building by Daniel Libeskind. The Museum’s collections, in addition to artefacts, include a major national art collection, a film and video archive, extensive archives of documents, photographs and sound records, and an important specialist reference library.
The Role
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. Individual Trustees should therefore also be aware of their wider responsibility as members of the Board – namely to comply at all times with the Code of Practice for Board Members of Public Bodies as adopted by the IWM; and with the rules relating to the use of public funds and to conflicts of interest; and to act in accordance with the requirements of Charity law where this applies.
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.
The person
The Museum welcomes applications from people from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience with the ability to make an effective contribution to the Board.
Essential Criteria:
Candidates for all Trustee appointments will:
•have an interest in and knowledge of the Museum, its historical field and public educational objectives;
•understand and support the purposes and values of the Museum
•have an understanding of the diverse communities in the UK and a real commitment to promoting diversity
•be people who have demonstrated achievement in some area of public life or private or voluntary endeavour;
•have proven ability to take responsibility and demonstrate sound judgement in strategic decision making;
•demonstrate excellent intellectual and communication skills, with the ability to contribute to the effectiveness of the Board and the governance of the Museum;
•demonstrate the ability and commitment to allocate sufficient time to the role.
•have a clear understanding of the principles of corporate governance in the public sector.
Specific skills sought for the current vacancy:
•an academic with substantial experience in an institution of higher education and research.
•a track record in public communication of research.
Additional desirable qualities:
The following criteria would be useful but are not essential
•expertise in a field of twentieth century and/or contemporary conflict
•Evidence of work or research in the areas of conflict resolution, social change, war economies rather than the course of war would be especially relevant.
•Experience of guiding the creation of research strategies and knowledge of sources of research funding would be especially welcome.
How to apply
Further details and an application form are available electronically or in hard copy. Please contact:
Mrs Gill Smith
Assistant Museum Secretary
Imperial War Museum
Lambeth Road
LONDON SE1 6HZ
Tel: 020 7416 5205
Email: GSmith@IWM.ORG.UK
DCMS promotes an equal opportunities policy. Appointments are made on merit, following a fair and transparent process, and these appointments are regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Applications are welcomed regardless of gender, age, marital status, disability, religion, ethnic origin, political opinion, sexual orientation for whether or not you have dependents.
Closing date
Completed forms should be received by 12 November
Interviews
Interviews for shortlisted candidates are expected to be held on 23 and 26 November
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