Recruitment of Chair – Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales

Vacancy summary:

Amgueddfa Cymru is incorporated by Royal Charter and is a registered charity regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The Chair therefore has responsibilities under the Charter and, like all Trustees, must comply with charity law and Charity Commission guidance.

The Chair is accountable to Welsh Government Minister(s) (the Welsh Government provides some 80% of the Museums funding) and may also be held to account by Senedd Cymru / Welsh Parliament. Communications between Board and the Minister must, in the normal course of business, be conducted through the Chair. The Chair must ensure other trustees are kept informed of all such communications.

The Chair is responsible for ensuring policies and actions support the Minister’s wider strategic policies, and the Body’s affairs are conducted with probity. Where appropriate, the Chair must make arrangements to communicate and disseminate these policies and actions throughout the Body.

The Chair is someone who can play a leading role, inspiring and supporting the work of the Museum in achieving its vision, The position of Chair requires a person of integrity and vision, capable of leading a national organisation in the senior non-executive role, and of being an advocate for the Museum with our key stakeholders.

Background:

Amgueddfa Cymru is one of the leading cultural organisations and national institutions in Wales and is visited by 1.9 million people each 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 sponsored by the Welsh Government. It has a Board of Trustees whose role is to set the strategic direction of the organisation and 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.

Publicity summary:

The Welsh Government circulated details of the appointment through stakeholder lists held by the Public Bodies Unit (PBU) and posted the vacancy on the Welsh Government public appointments website and the UK Cabinet Office website.

The vacancy was promoted by the following Social Media channels and advertised through the media listed below:

· Diversity Jobsite

· Fish4jobs

· Black Young Professionals

· Women on Board

· The Guardian

· Museums association

· Museum Next

· Safle Swyddi

· Lleol

Recruitment process summary:

Advertised on both Welsh Government and Cabinet Office website between 10 March and 11 April 2023

Sift – 18 April 2023

Interviews – 23 and 26 May 2023

Assessment advisory panel membership:

Jason Thomas, (Chair), Director, Culture Sport and Tourism, Welsh Government Craig Stephenson, Senior Independent Panel Member 
Helgard Krause, Welsh Books Council, Independent Panel Member

A total of 9 applications for the new role were received. 4candidates were recommended for interview. The Assessment Advisory Panel considered there to be 3 Appointable candidate.

Deputy Minister for Arts Sports and Tourism’s preferred candidate – Kate Eden

Conflict of Interest (as stated on the application form)

Council Member and Vice Chair, Arts Council of Wales
Prifysgol Aberystwyth University

Political Activity (as stated on the application form)

None