Are you passionate about our diverse cultural and natural heritage and the forward-facing role it could play in enriching places and communities for everyone? Do you want to make a difference by supporting the people who care for it? Could you work alongside committed Trustees, staff and volunteers to influence government policies and regulation, and support heritage organisations?
If this is you, you may be ideally placed to join our Board of Trustees.
We are The Heritage Alliance, the largest collaboration of independent heritage organisations in the UK, with over 200 organisational members representing more than 7 million people, from visitors to volunteers, trustees to staff. We are a charity which supports our members and the wider heritage sector by influencing decision-makers and funders, by promoting the importance of heritage to everybody’s lives, and by supporting the sector through training and networking, which has proved a lifeline to many in these continued challenging times.
Our context
The Heritage Alliance is a growing membership organisation and charity, passionate about the contribution heritage makes to prosperity, wellbeing, our environment, creativity and social resilience. To help us deliver, we are committed to promoting new thinking and new conversations, and to ensuring that our sector better reflects the varied geographical, ethnic and cultural characteristics of the UK.
We gather insight and evidence so that we can effectively influence policy making locally and nationally, run sector support programmes with major partners such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England, and twice every year we bring members together with the wider sector for our renowned Heritage Debate and Heritage Day. The Heritage Alliance is committed to supporting our membership to succeed and we want to reflect that diversity of focus and thinking on our own Board.
We wish to see a society in which England’s historic environment and wider cultural heritage is valued, supported and able to enrich everyone’s lives.
Who we are looking for
We are looking for one Trustee to join us immediately and up to three in early 2025 to continue to build the capacity and diversity of our Board. As a sector support body committed to positive change and supporting our members to be fit for the future, we feel passionately that our Trustee Board should be truly representative of the people it serves. We therefore welcome applications from a variety of backgrounds, especially those who are under-represented on our own board and across the heritage sector.
In addition, we recognise that each member of the Board brings their own expertise, experience and skill set to the work of The Heritage Alliance, so while an interest in, or commitment to the heritage sector is essential, we are keen to consider a wider range of varied professional and lived experience, new perspectives and sound judgment.
We are particularly looking for people who have experience and skills in any of the areas below:
• Historic places of worship; gardens, parks and natural heritage; archaeology; diverse, intangible and community-based heritage, construction and commercial heritage;
• Climate Change and sustainability, planning policy, fiscal frameworks, soft power and international, local government;
• Advocacy and policy, legislative process;
• Large-scale organisational leadership.
What’s expected from me as a Trustee?
Trustees are the people who lead a charity and decide how it is run by shaping strategy, advocating for and representing the sector, monitoring our performance against objectives and supporting and advising the small Executive team.
You do not need to have been a Trustee before as training will be provided. The board meets formally six times a year including at our Annual General Meeting. However, additional meetings may take place, as necessary, and Trustees are encouraged to engage with our members and the wider sector.
You will play an exciting role in championing and promoting our vision and objectives. You can be based anywhere in the UK, and while the role is not remunerated, reasonable expenses will be paid to enable you to attend any in-person meetings and events, which will normally, but not always, take place in London.
How will I be supported?
All Trustees will receive an induction to their role. As a minimum, each new Trustee to the Heritage Alliance receives:
• A thorough introduction to the work of the Trust and the role of Trustees
• The chance to participate in supporting the future of the heritage sector
• A schedule of formal meetings at least six months in advance to plan around your other commitments
• Opportunities to network with other professionals and like-minded individuals from across the heritage sector
• Exposure to invaluable, transferable skills and a chance to gain experience in new settings
• Reimbursement of reasonable costs in line with our Expenses Policy
• Guidance and support on delivering on your legal duties as a Trustee
How to apply
If you are interested in the role and would like to know more about both The Heritage Alliance and being a Trustee, please do join us for an informal virtual conversation open to all potential candidates. These will be held on Zoom at the following times:
• 1pm-2pm on Thursday 8 February – register here
• 11am-12 noon on Wednesday 28 February – register here
If you are unable to attend either session or would prefer a one-on-one conversation, it may be possible to arrange an informal conversation with either our Deputy Chair (Ingrid Samuel) or our Chief Executive (Lizzie Glithero-West) by contacting [email protected].
Please send applications via email to our Acting Chair, Dr Ingrid Samuel OBE at [email protected]. Please also attach a covering letter outlining briefly:
• Why you want to join The Heritage Alliance, and what you would bring
• Your relevant skills and experience
• How you would support the work of The Heritage Alliance
• If you require any reasonable adjustments during the candidate process.
The deadline for applications is Monday 4 March. Successful candidates will be asked to interview in person in mid-April. For advice or support with your application, or to ask any prior questions, please email [email protected]
