trustees - river & rowing museum · in addition to the qualities outlined above, a digital...

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Trustees - River & Rowing Museum Candidate Information Pack

February 2020

This Brief has been prepared by Eastside Primetimers for RRM and includes sensitive information. The use of the Brief, therefore, should be controlled and limited to those concerned directly with this assignment.

Eastside Primetimers is the trading name for Eastside Consulting Ltd, registered in England No 04958922. Telephone: 0845 4563 885. CAN Mezzanine, 49 – 51 East Road, London N1 6AH. www.ep-uk.org

Candidate Brief

For the position of: Trustee – Digital Trustee – Museums & Collections Trustee – Fundraising

At the: River & Rowing Museum

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Board of one of the UK’s leading independent Museums at a key point in its development.

Background The River & Rowing Museum (RRM) is one of the country’s leading independent museums, attracting 118,000 visitors per year, with a reputation for high-quality exhibitions and an excellent learning and events programme. Based in Henley on Thames in Oxfordshire, the Museum was opened by Her Majesty the Queen in 1998. Housed in an award-winning David Chipperfield designed building on the banks of the River Thames, the Museum’s galleries tell the interweaving story of the River Thames, the art it inspires, the international sport of rowing, and the town of Henley. In 2006 the Museum extended its Education Centre and has held the Sandford Award for excellence in heritage learning since 2007 (renewed in 2013 and 2018). 20,000 children, adults and families take part in our inspiring learning programme each year – an outstanding figure for a museum of our size. The Museum was one of ‘The Times’ 50 best Museums in the World in 2013 and has twice been shortlisted for ‘Kids in Museums’ Family Friendly Museum of the Year. Working with national partners like Tate, the V&A and the British Library, and collaborating with Penguin Random House and Seven Stories (the National Centre for Children’s Books), to present three temporary exhibitions each year, featuring artists and designers such as David Hockney, Barbara Hepworth and William Morris, as well as family-friendly shows such as Peter Rabbit™, the museum punches well above its weight. The making of the River & Rowing Museum (RRM) was an audaciously bold and creative endeavour. It has had considerable success in its two decades, developing a distinctive Museum with strengths in many areas and recognised as excellent by its peers and audiences. These are firm and inspiring foundations to build on as the Museum seeks to develop its financial sustainability and ensure continuing excellence for the next twenty years and beyond. A registered charity, the Museum depends upon private donations, business sponsorship, grants from trusts and foundations, admission charges, income from its commercial activities (retail, venue hire and café) and the support of its benefactors, donors and friends. In what is set to be a hugely exciting period, the Museum now needs to refocus and refresh its offering, maximising opportunities for visitors in challenging times for the sector, whilst establishing new sources of funding to support its substantial existing endowment. This will ensure that the Museum can continue to develop and deliver on its core mission and educational objectives, whilst retaining a leading position in the sector.



Planning for the Future In our Forward Plan (2019-24), we respond to the Museum’s financial challenges, the opportunities it has to develop and flourish, and the impact it seeks to make through its work. At the heart of this is our Vision for what the Museum can achieve, and the difference we seek to make: “Bringing the river to life, to create a powerful sense of place, enhance the wellbeing of our communities and support a more sustainable natural environment”. This is a confident expression of the role the Museum can play - creating a sense of belonging for our local communities, making people happier and healthier, and inspiring change to help protect our planet. How we deliver this Vision is expressed in our Mission and Purpose: “Using the Thames as our unifying theme we will work with our communities, collections and our riverside location to inspire learning, celebrate creativity, build participation and encourage active lives” and in our three strategic Aims - to: Build engagement; Steward & celebrate our collections & building; and Become a sustainable organisation. This is an exciting time to join the charity as we working to deliver on our five-year plan and budget, with a clear ambition to achieve transformation and growth to secure lasting financial sustainability. Recruiting new Trustees Our recent strategic planning has highlighted the need to attract new specialist skills to our Board to form a well-rounded team capable of providing strategic oversight and guidance to all elements of our work. We are looking for Trustees with expertise in the areas of:

• Digital communications/marketing/e-commerce

• Collections/museums

• Fundraising



Job description and person spec – Trustee - River & Rowing Museum

Location Henley-on-Thames

Time Commitment 4 Board Meetings and up to 4 Committee Meetings per year

Remuneration Unpaid – expenses covered in line with policy

The River & Rowing Museum Foundation is an independent educational charity. The Board of Trustees are responsible for the overall control and strategic direction of the charity. They meet regularly to review plans and policies, and receive reports and updates from staff. The main functions of the Board of Trustees of the River & Rowing Museum are to:

• Set the overall strategic aims and objectives of the Museum. • To act as an advocate and ambassador for the Museum to a range of external stakeholders. • To ensure that the River & Rowing Museum acts in accordance with its charitable objectives and

remains true to its vision and values. • Ensure that the collections and knowledge about them are safeguarded, both now and for the future,

through effective care, management and documentation. • Ensure the provision of a high quality, user-friendly service, centred on the collections and wider

Museum activities. • Be responsible for the proper performance of the Museum and its stewardship of assets, and to

monitor performance. • Support the River & Rowing Museum in its efforts to secure funding for revenue and capital needs. • Provide an appropriate steer for the Director and Senior Management Team.

Trustee candidates will ideally bring all or most of the following qualities:

• An understanding of and enthusiasm for the work of the River & Rowing Museum, along with a commitment to its objectives and values.

• Knowledge and experience of the charity and /or cultural sector. • The ability to think and work strategically. • An understanding of the needs of a diverse audience. • Good communication skills. • An understanding of the need to build self-generated income. • Ability to work as part of a team and willingness to take collective responsibility for the governance of

the charity. • Willingness and capacity to devote the necessary time and effort, including attendance at fundraising

and stakeholder events. • Extensive networks and a willingness to draw on contacts as appropriate.

The Board is particularly interested in ensuring it represents a diversity of experiences and backgrounds.

For all roles, candidates must have excellent interpersonal skills, be willing to be an ambassador for RRM, be interested in developing opportunities and have the vision to achieve excellence and an appreciation of the charity sector, particularly within heritage.



Additional Information – Trustee – Digital

The additional functions that a Trustee with digital expertise should bring to the Board are:

• Provide thought leadership on the role of digital and data in achieving sustainability and growth. • Provide oversight and support for the implementation of digital projects, where appropriate. • Provide thought leadership on the role of digital and data to improve RRM’s capacity to reach all

stakeholder groups. • Highlight the opportunities and the risks of digital, in terms of our strategy in general, and in reference

to any specific projects. • Translate the risks and opportunities of digital for other Trustees, to enable the Board to engage in an

informed way. • Champion the use of data in Board discussions, and in driving the delivery and improvement of the

organisation. • Draw on your networks to support our work. • Where appropriate, help the Board to understand why they should invest in digital.

In addition to the qualities outlined above, a digital Trustee should have: • Technical understanding and practical knowledge of website design and content management systems,

CRM and SEO. • Experience of working at a senior management/leadership level in the digital space, including an

understanding of data security and compliance with GDPR. • Successful track record in digital marketing/communications/e-commerce and social media; growing

audiences & engagement to support business growth. • Demonstrable and practical experience of delivering transformational change to business technologies

and processes, to deliver cost savings and improved marketing and communications to all stakeholder groups. Experience in the arts/culture or charities sectors desirable.

• Ability to work at a strategic and visionary level whilst understanding the detail and complexities of delivery, and the influencing skills needed to bring stakeholders along with plans.

• Ability to analyse risks and opportunities around digital and take a balanced approach to both.



Additional Information – Trustee – Museums and Collections

The additional functions that a Trustee with museum/collections expertise should bring to the Board are: • Provide thought leadership on best practice in the care, housing, development, access and use of

collections in the context of RRM’s ambitions. • Share knowledge and expertise around collections to support the RRM to develop in line with its

audience needs, thereby enhancing its resilience. • Provide input on best practice related to collections and audience engagement, including upholding the

Museums Association’s Code of Ethics. • Provide guidance to the Head of Collections & Exhibitions where required.

In addition to the qualities outlined above, a Trustee with museum/collections expertise should have:

• Experience in museum/gallery leadership and/or curating and/or developing arts or museum exhibitions.

• A strategic understanding of the museum sector.

Additional Information – Trustee – Fundraising

The additional functions that a Trustee with fundraising expertise should bring to the Board are:

• Provide thought leadership on fundraising opportunities, preferably across all methods: trust & foundations, statutory, community and corporate fundraising, individual giving & philanthropy.

• Provide oversight and advise on the implementation RRM’s fundraising activities. • Provide oversight and advise to ensure that RRM’s fundraising strategy will secure a sustainable future

and enable the organisation to achieve its objectives. • Provide oversight and advise to ensure that the RRM fundraises legally, responsibly and effectively,

always treating the public fairly and with respect.

In addition to the qualities outlined above, a Trustee with fundraising expertise should have:

• A track record of developing successful fundraising activities or campaigns within the not for profit sector.

• A sound understanding of the challenges facing small to medium UK charities – especially in the arts/culture sector - in maximising income streams & donor cultivation.

• Experience of diverse fundraising practices, including statutory, community, corporate and/or philanthropic giving.

• Excellent networking skills, influencing and communication skills; knowledge of the Thames Valley area an advantage.



How to apply?

Please email a CV and cover letter indicating why you are interested in applying for the role and how you meet the role requirements to Marlijn Wijkhuizen, [email protected].

If you would like a call to discuss the role in more detail, please email Marlijn to arrange a convenient time for you and us. The closing date for applications is Friday 20th March, with shortlisting telephone interviews taking place that week/the week after. Interviews will take place in London on 9th April.

trustees - river & rowing museum · in addition to the qualities outlined above, a digital...

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