Vacancy -- Vice President-Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales

Vacancy details

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales
Travel to Board, Committee, events and other meetings across Wales may be required although there may be flexibility to allow virtual as well as in-person attendance.
The role of Vice President is not a paid role, but all trustees can claim travel and 
subsistence expenses
12
year

Function of body

Amgueddfa Cymru is one of Wales' leading cultural and national institutions. 1.9 million people visit Amgueddfa Cymru every year.

Established by Royal Charter in 1907, Amgueddfa Cymru is one of the largest museums in the United Kingdom, the custodian of internationally significant, diverse collections, and a leader in education and cultural participation.

Amgueddfa Cymru’s sites include Wales’ seven national museums: National Museum Cardiff; St Fagans National Museum of History; Big Pit National Coal Museum in Blaenavon; National Wool Museum Dre-fach, Felindre; National Roman Legion Museum in Caerleon; National Slate Museum in Llanberis, Snowdonia and the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. We also have a National Collections Centre near Cardiff. There are over 5 million individual items in our collections, embracing art and design, history and archaeology, and the natural sciences.

Amgueddfa Cymru is funded by the Welsh Government, and has a Board of Trustees whose role is to set the strategic direction of the organization, and to ensure proper management of its resources. As a Museum, we are also accountable for the use of our collections and resources to the nation we serve.

Amgueddfa Cymru belongs to us all

Our vision is to inspire people through Wales’ national museums and collections to find a sense of well-being and identity, to discover, enjoy and learn bilingually, and to understand Wales' place in the wider world. We believe that everyone has the right to participate in the cultural life of their communities and of their nation. We have been developing a new ten-year strategy for the Museum - Amgueddfa Cymru 2030 - which includes six clear commitments. 

We will work with people and communities across Wales, through collections, public programmes and partnerships, to:

• Make sure that everyone is represented
• Inspire creativity and learning for life
• Help protect and restore nature and our environment
• Support well-being through inspirational spaces and experiences
• Discover and explore the museum digitally
• Build global connections.

Our new Vice President will have a critical role to play in making these commitments a reality. 

Role description

The role of Vice President

In addition to the responsibilities of a trustee, the Vice President will 

• Assist the President in leading the overall direction of the Board, taking on the role of the President if he/she is absent, and advocating on behalf of Amgueddfa 
Cymru – National Museum Wales; 

• Chair other Amgueddfa Cymru Committees and/or in the absence of the appointed Chair;

• With the President, act as a key point of contact between the Board and the Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, and Chief Whip and Government officials;

• Support the President as required in liaising with other officers and members of the Board, and with the Museum’s senior executive team. The Vice President will 
also have an important role to play in scrutinising, challenging and supporting the executive to meet Amgueddfa Cymru’s aims, objectives and targets;

• Participate in the corporate planning process, including agreeing annual budget plans for operational programmes and corporate activities;

• Deputise for the President as required in representing Amgueddfa Cymru in its dealings with the Senedd and the Welsh Government;

• Actively promote the benefits of the diverse cultural heritage sector within Wales and further afield;

• Have a clear vision as to how Amgueddfa Cymru can continue to contribute as a main deliverer of Welsh Government’s cultural heritage policies;

• Have an understanding of how the public sector in Wales functions;

• Be actively engaged in encouraging board membership and the next generation of trustees;

• Ensure Amgueddfa Cymru achieves value for money within a framework of best practice, regularity and property;

• Act in a way that promotes highs standards of probity and public finance;

• Be politically independent.

Welsh language skills

The Welsh Government acknowledges the importance of developing and growing bilingual capabilities in public appointments in Wales, and welcomes applications from candidates who demonstrate their capability to work in both English and Welsh.  The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the recruiting body of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post.
Essential

Person specification

We are seeking someone who:

• Is an experienced and diplomatic leader who has a commitment to the values and vision of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales and an 
appreciation of its role in supporting change and development in Wales through cultural participation;

• Has a passion for culture in Wales, who understands the culture sector and is sensitive to cultural issues in Wales;

• Has excellent interpersonal, communication and stakeholder management skills, including ambassadorial skills, and is able to work in a collegiate manner;

• Can demonstrable their ability to think and operate strategically;

• Is aware of Welsh Government policies and strategies and of how these influence the work of Amgueddfa Cymru and the culture sector in Wales;

• Is committed to Nolan’s Seven Principles of Public Life.

VICE PRESIDENT - ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Experience of operating as a senior leader in a complex, multi-disciplinary organisation;

• Experience of developing strategic partnerships;

• Able to evidence a thorough understanding of good governance

• A proven commitment to increasing diversity, and promoting inclusion and equality;

• Understanding of, and experience of working with diverse communities or audiences, ethnically, socio-economic or other.

All candidates will be assessed against the essential criteria listed.

Interview dates

22 August 2022
26 August 2022

Closing date

01/08/2022, 12:00

Additional information

The interview panel will assess each candidate's CV and personal statement to determine who best meets the criteria for the role, and who will be invited to 
interview. The panel will rely on the information in your CV and the statement to assess whether you have the required skills and experience. Make sure you provide evidence to show how you meet each of the essential criteria

How to apply

To apply for this role, click on the ‘Apply’ button below. The first time you apply for a post, you will need to complete a registration form for the Welsh Government’s online application system.  You will only need to register once, and you will be able to keep yourself updated on the progress of your application, and any other applications you make, via your registered account.

Once you’ve registered, you’ll be able to access the application form.  To apply you will need to submit two supporting documents. The first, a document outlining how your knowledge, skills and experiences meet the criteria for the role as outlined in the information for candidates.  This document should be no more than 2 sides of A4.  Your application may be rejected if you exceed this limit.  The second document is a full, up to date CV.  The two documents should be uploaded to the ‘Reasons for applying’ section of the online application form.

In your application, you will also be asked to provide details of any activities which have helped you to develop skills that would be useful in a public appointment role, and list the organisations for which you undertook these activities.  We also need to know about any political activity that you’ve undertaken over the last 5 years. 

It is recommended that you register for an account and access the application form as soon as possible so that you see how the application form is structured, before starting to prepare your evidence.  You don’t have to complete the application form all in one go.  You can save your responses, and log in and out as required, until you’re ready to submit – just follow the guidance in the application form.

If you’d like to apply for this opportunity in Welsh, please use the ‘Newid Iaith / Change Language’ link at the top of this page, to take you to the Welsh version of this advert, from which you can apply in Welsh.

If you need any further assistance in applying for this role, please contact the Welsh Government’s Public Appointments Team on  PublicAppointments@gov.wales.

For further information about Public Appointments in Wales, please visit www.gov.wales/publicappointments

Commissioner for Public Appointments logo

This vacancy is closed to applications.