Museums Galleries Scotland - Board Member

Board Member – Museums Galleries Scotland

Can you help put museums and galleries at the heart of Scottish society?

Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) is the National Development Body for Scotland’s museums and galleries. We support more than 400 museums and galleries, through strategic investment, advice, advocacy, and skills development.

We are looking for a Director to our Board to support the governance and financial management of the organisation and promote our aims as set out in Going Further: The National Strategy for Scotland’s Museums and Galleries for the benefit of the museums sector and the people of Scotland. The Board meets four times a year in addition to an annual general meeting and the successful candidate will also sit on the Audit and Risk Committee of the Board.

We are interested in hearing from candidates with a recognised financial qualification (for example, ICAS, ACCA or CIMA), and an understanding of the issues around charity governance. Candidates who are part-qualified will also be considered but all candidates should have work experience in either a finance or an investment setting.

The successful candidate will have a passion for museums and the heritage sector, and will manifest our core values: collaboration, integrity, passion for the heritage sector, and courageousness.

The ability to set strategic direction will be important, as is your desire to act as an ambassador and advocate for MGS and the wider sector.

Your role on the Board will include:

• Attending and participating in approximately 4 board meetings and an AGM over 12 months
• Attending and participating in 4 Audit and Risk Committee meetings over 12 months
• Supporting the work of MGS, setting strategic direction, and acting as ambassador for our work
• Engaging with MGS staff on specific pieces of work on an ad hoc basis if appropriate

The Audit and Risk Committee is currently comprised of four members. The responsibilities of the Audit and Risk Committee include:

• Ensuring the organisation complies with all legal obligations and regulatory requirements
• Ensuring the organisation complies with all internal control systems in place and that these are fit for purpose
• Reviewing all material risks (financial and non-financial) and seek assurance
• Reviewing the annual budget and make recommendations to the Board for approval
• Monitoring the financial performance of the organisation via regular review of the Management Accounts and recommend adjustments as required
• Being a source of advice for other trustees on key financial matters

In addition to the above, the Audit and Risk Committee meets annually as the Remuneration Committee for MGS to determine the annual pay review and other decisions affecting staff remuneration.

We currently have a Board of 10. Directors are appointed for a fixed term of 3 years and are eligible for re-election for one subsequent fixed term of 3 years. These roles are unpaid voluntary positions. Reasonable expenses are paid.

Being a Board Member offers the opportunity to work at a strategic level to support the development of the Museums and Galleries sector in Scotland as well as gaining skills and experience in areas of non-executive governance and management. A full induction is provided along with other learning opportunities to ensure you are able to fulfil the duties and responsibilities of a Board Member of Museums and Galleries Scotland.

Museums Galleries Scotland encourages applications from suitably experienced candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity. We also welcome applications from young people or those interested in applying for their first position as a Board Member.

MGS currently has 30 staff. We have Investors in People accreditation and are a Living Wage Employer. For further information please see our website https://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/

Please apply by sending your CV and covering letter to:

[email protected].

If you would like further information please contact us at this email address or by telephone on 0131 550 4122.

Closing Date: March 12th

Candidates who are short listed will be invited to meet with the interview panel of the Board of Museums Galleries Scotland on March 29th online via Microsoft Teams.

All MGS staff are currently working from home and all meetings, including Board and Committee meetings are held online. We are developing a workplace adaptation plan and considering what any return to the office may look like going forward.

We continue to monitor the official guidance for employers around coronavirus and will put in place, and communicate to staff, appropriate and timely guidance and measures as the situation evolves.

Please note that details supplied may be held in electronic and paper files for administration purposes only during the recruitment process. We retain recruitment files for six months following the date of interview, after which they are shredded and disposed of.

You can view MGS’s privacy policy on our website at: https://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/privacy-policy/