Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) is the National Development Body for Scotland’s museums and galleries. We support a sector of 449 museums and galleries, through strategic investment, workforce development, advice and advocacy. We are a forward facing and inclusive organisation, committed to the ongoing development of a positive culture for our team.

We are looking for a Senior Museum Development Manager to work with the Head of Museum Development to facilitate and support development across the sector in line with Scotland’s Museums and Galleries Strategy. The strategy provides a framework for the sector and MGS to work to ensure the future relevance and resilience of the sector. It centres around three thematic strands of Connection, Resilience and Workforce.

You will have significant knowledge and understanding of the Scottish museums sector and current issues facing it in order to articulate the needs of the sector and turn that into action. Key to this role is direct engagement with museums and galleries in Scotland to build an understanding of diverse development needs. You will build strategic relationships, initiate development programmes and identify funding opportunities, working collaboratively to deliver impactful programmes and projects.

You will also have experience of addressing barriers to inclusion and driving positive change, with an understanding of anti-racism and anti-oppression in order to lead MGS’s work to support museums to become more inclusive.

As part of MGS’ senior management team, you will build and nurture effective working relationships across the organisation. You will manage a team of staff within the wider Museum Development Team.

The successful candidate will manifest MGS’s core values: collaboration, integrity, passion for museums, and courageousness.

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

We are currently looking for a new Chair with substantial experience of charity governance and experience of working with the Scottish Government. The ideal candidate will act as a passionate advocate for Scotland’s museums and galleries and lead our Board in supporting MGS to effectively develop and champion Scotland’s museums and galleries sector. The role involves leading the Board in its responsibilities in setting the strategic direction of the organisation and ensuring it is financially and operationally robust. The Chair works closely with the CEO and supports her and MGS staff in applying its resources responsibly in pursuit of MGS’ objectives.

We would like to hear from candidates who have a track record of leadership, operating at board level in the public, or voluntary sectors. Candidates should have strong corporate governance experience, including charity governance, with an understanding of the Scottish political environment and experience engaging with government. Candidates should also have a commitment and appreciation of the importance of museums and galleries as integral institutions of Scotland’s cultural sector.

For further information on the role including more about MGS, key responsibilities and person specification please download the candidate information pack.

This post is unremunerated and reasonable expenses are reimbursed.

Initial three-year term with option to extend for a further three years.

See the role on our website.

Role Purpose

This is a permanent role within Scran Academy with the core purpose of leading and managing the delivery and development of our Academy Programme.

The successful candidate will help change the lives of young people facing poverty by supporting them through a year-long programme of learning in a youth work setting. Each year the post holder will support a cohort of 15 young people at S4 and S5 to guide their own education and gain positive experiences through a blend of vocational training, accreditation, 1-2-1 delivery and outcomes-driven youth work.

We are an organisation committed to the welfare and safety of young people. The Academy Programme Lead will be a co-lead in our safeguarding processes, and be a key player in ensuring child protection is paramount across the organisation.

We are a youth-led organisation. Young people come to us to learn in a bespoke way. They set their own outcomes and goals, and co-design the nature of the programme accordingly. This means both relationship-building and record-keeping are absolutely central to the role. Using a Theory of Change approach, the post holder will be expected to compassionately support young people to dream big, developing unapologetically ambitious goals and achieving meaningful steps towards them, tracking impact along the way through tailored planning, delivery and evaluation.

We are an independent SQA centre, allowing us to offer young people the opportunity to gain qualifications outside of the classroom. Leading a team of youth workers, the post holder will design and deliver exciting, experiential learning sessions for the programme that maximise positive impact for young people. They will also proactively engage in all necessary compliance and training required for the SQA, and ensure continuous capture and celebration of young people’s progress.

Our success is underpinned by our catering social enterprise, and we provide real-life work experience and confidence-boosting opportunities that shift power dynamics, create trust through responsibility, and establish pride and a positive regard for work. The Academy Programme Lead will be key to ensuring young people are engaged with opportunities across our organisation.

The post holder will act as a critical relationship builder and point of contact for young people on the programme, and be the operational link for families and referral partners, including schools.

It is expected that the successful candidate will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the role and demonstrate a commitment to excellence in all aspects of the job.

This role embodies our values: We Love, We Trust, We Unite and We Lead:

We Love – the successful candidate will nurture young people. They will care deeply and see all behaviour as communication that deserves a dignified response. They will be non-judgemental and take a trauma-informed approach.

We Trust – the successful candidate will believe in the potential of young people. They will trust them to be the expert of their own life and circumstance. They will support young people to take responsible steps in learning, work and life.

We Unite – the successful candidate will courageously bring young people together. They will aim to create safe spaces where stepping outside comfort zones is supported and encouraged.

We Lead – the successful candidate will see all young people as leaders in their own lives. They will be ready to both lead and be led by young people. They will listen and provide a platform for young people to lead their learning and thrive.

Work somewhere where a job is not just a ‘job’, where you can be part of a team with a passion for sharing Scotland’s heritage and making a real difference to local lives. Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott, is one of Scotland’s most important heritage sites and easily accessible from Edinburgh by road and rail. Now cared for by an independent charity, we are seeking an exceptional individual to manage and develop our award winning community work.

In this interesting and varied part time role you will be responsible for the Trust’s volunteering, educational, and mental health programming. Managing a team of two, you will call on the whole charity to support you in your work, integrating programmes into the fabric of the charity’s operations at every level. As a small charity run by staff and volunteers, you should be personable and flexible in your approach to others, and be prepared to be bitten by our passion for Scott and Abbotsford.