Trustee role and spec business 2012-05 final iwm.docx

Appointment to the Board of Trustees
BUSINESS TRUSTEE
ABOUT IWM
The Imperial War Museum (IWM) was founded in 1917 to record the story of the Great War. Its remit was subsequently extended to cover the Second World War and today, IWM is the world’s leading authority on conflict and its impact focusing on Britain, its former Empire and the Commonwealth, from the First World War to the present. It is dedicated to recording people’s experiences of modern conflict, exploring the causes of war and its impact on people’s lives. The collections are made up of the everyday and the exceptional, drawn from people of all walks of life. They reflect the total nature of war and reveal stories of people, places, ideas and events. IWM makes its unique collections relevant to contemporary audiences by creating vivid personal stories and powerful physical experiences that engage visitors of all ages with the issues of war and conflict across our five museums. War changes us and the world we live in. The Museum reflects the realities of war as both a destructive and creative force, and challenges people to look at conflict from different perspectives. IWM is a single institution with a single purpose, fulfilled in different ways at its different branches, both physical and virtual. In addition to its headquarters building, IWM London, in Southwark, the Museum’s branches comprise the Churchill War Rooms and HMS Belfast in London, IWM Duxford in Cambridgeshire, and IWM North in Trafford, Greater Manchester which is housed in a stunning building by Daniel Libeskind. Alongside its conventional rôle as a museum, IWM is also a major national art gallery – it holds the second largest collection of 20th Century British and contemporary art in the UK - a significant national archive of written and audio-visual records, an important specialist reference library and a centre for research. The Museum’s strategic objectives, as set out in the Corporate Plan are that by 2020, IWM shall be: • Audience-centred through its temporary exhibitions, gallery spaces, learning programmes, events, services, digital content, publications and products. Exceptionally high levels of customer satisfaction will be sustained • Relevant to its audiences, ensuring that activities are designed to have long-term impact • Continuously evolving in order to deliver excellence, bringing audiences and • High profile, so that the impact on a local, regional, national and international scale is • Efficient and effective, delivering the best possible value for money by continuing to Trustees have recently approved a master plan for the development of the IWM London building, the objective of which is to improve visitor experience. The first phase of the programme includes provision of new First World War galleries, to be delivered in time for the national commemoration of its centenary in 2014. More information can be found on the Museum’s websit Specifically, the Museum’s Corporate Plan and annual report and accounts are published at The Board of Trustees
The Board consists of a President appointed by The Sovereign and 21 other Trustees, of whom seven are Commonwealth High Commissioners and hold office ex officio. The remaining 14 Trustees are appointed variously by the Prime Minister and the Secretaries of State for Culture Media and Sport, Defence, and Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. The Chairman is elected by the Board from within the membership. The appointment of a Trustee to this particular vacancy lies with the Prime Minister.
The Role of Trustees
Members of the Board have corporate responsibility for the general management and control of the Museum, subject to the terms set out in the Imperial War Museum Acts (1920 and 1955), subsequent amending legislation and other governing documents. It is their responsibility also to ensure that the Museum complies with any statutory or administrative requirements for the use of public funds. Specifically, the Board: • Determines the general policy of the Museum; • Appoints the Director-General of the Museum, with the approval of the Prime Minister; • Monitors and oversees the Director-General’s management of the Museum. The Director-General is the Board’s chief executive and the Accounting Officer of the Museum; • Has legal responsibility for the buildings, collections and financial assets of the Museum • Approves the Museum’s Strategic Plan; • Monitors the process of Risk Management within the Museum; • Publishes an annual report and account, audited by the Comptroller and Auditor- Trustees are expected to understand and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life as defined by the Committee on Standards in Public Life. Individual Trustees should therefore also be aware of their wider responsibility as members of the Board – namely to comply at all times with the Code of Practice for Board Members of Public Bodies as adopted by the IWM; and with the rules relating to the use of public funds and to conflicts of interest; and to act in accordance with the requirements of Charity law where this applies. Trustees must be positive advocates for the Museum. They will exercise drive with due tact and discretion as members of a corporate body with a collective and strategic role.
IWM Trading Company Ltd
It is expected that the Trustee appointed to this vacancy will also join the Board of Directors of the IWM Trading Company Ltd. Incorporated in 1999, the IWM Trading Company operates the commercial activities of IWM, except income earned from branch admissions. These comprise retail, catering, corporate hospitality, learning, air days, licensing of collections, image sales and publications. The share capital is wholly owned by the Trustees of the Imperial War Museum, as a body corporate. THE PERSON
IWM is seeking to increase the business and commercial skills on its Board of Trustees. In a climate of public expenditure constraint, the Museum needs to increase self generated funding from commercial revenue, fund-raising and profit.
Essential Criteria
Candidates for this particular post will have significant experience in an area of business or commerce. They will possess excellent business skills and commercial acumen, commensurate with driving profit. Additionally they will be able to: • demonstrate a track record of success at Board level with an extensive network of contacts in business and/or financial circles; • contribute to the Board’s and Trading Company’s work on business and commercial • demonstrate an ability and commitment to support the Museum’s fund-raising activities. As for all Trustee appointments, candidates will also: • have an interest in and knowledge of IWM and support the purposes and values of the • have an understanding of the diverse communities in the UK and a real commitment to • be people who have demonstrated achievement in some area of public life or private or • have proven ability to take responsibility and demonstrate sound judgement in strategic • demonstrate excellent representational and communication skills, • have a clear understanding of the principles of corporate governance in the public TIME COMMITMENT
All Trustees are expected to allocate sufficient time to the role. Likely total time commitment will be up to one day per month. There are four full Board meetings per year (generally March, July, September and December) and the successful candidate will also be expected to attend four or five meetings of the IWM Trading Company Directors. Some additional time will be required to study papers as well as to attend events, other committee meetings as appropriate and any representational engagements. LOCATION OF MEETINGS
Meetings will generally be held at IWM London on Lambeth Road, SE1, but occasionally also at the Museum's other branches. DURATION OF APPOINTMENT
Appointment is for an initial term of four years. Trustees may be invited to serve a second term subject to performance and the Secretary of State’s decision that their skills continue to be relevant to the Board’s work. REMUNERATION
The position is not salaried but reasonable expenses will be paid. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
The Imperial War Museum is committed to a policy of Equal Opportunities. The Museum welcomes applications from people from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience with the ability to make an effective contribution to the Board. Applications from women and ethnic minority candidates will be welcome. SELECTION
This appointment is a position regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public
Appointments.
Closing date for receipt of applications is 12 noon on 10 September 2012

Interviews will be held in London on 28 September 2012

Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/sites/default/files/public-document/TrusteesIWMBusinessTrusteePersonSpec.pdf