Palaces & Collections Director

Organisation: Historic Royal Palaces

Salary: £110-130,000 per annum

Location: Hampton Court Palace with regular travel to other HRP locations as required

Help shape the future of history for everyone. We are the independent charity that loves and looks after six of the most wonderful palaces in the world. The palaces are the setting for the stories that shape us all, and we’re bringing them to people in ways that mean more to them. We want everyone to find themselves in the spaces and stories we share.

We are seeking an inspirational leader who can safeguard the past while shaping the future. As Palaces and Collections Director, you will be responsible for the care and curatorship of our iconic palaces, collections, and historic environments. You will lead a dedicated team of experts, ensuring our sites remain vibrant, relevant, and inclusive to all.

Our Strategy:

• Our strategy is built around a clear vision: we want to be a charity for everyone. This means ensuring the Palaces and their stories are a living, accessible resource for all, regardless of who or where they are.
• Our ambition to Reach Further means we are committed to breaking down barriers so that everyone can access our work—whether through visiting our sites or via innovative digital experiences that bring our stories to people across the UK.
• We want to Mean More, to focus on delivering meaningful work that has a real and lasting impact, enabling people to find personal relevance and connection in the stories we share.
• As we Act for the Future, we take seriously our responsibility to preserve six historic palaces, their contents, landscapes and narratives for future generations.
• We are investing in young people—reaching every school in the UK and increasing diversity in our sector through apprenticeships, paid internships, and scholarships.
• We are also responding to the climate emergency with a commitment to become nature-positive and carbon net zero across all three emission scopes by 2050.

Your impact:

• Drive strategic and transformative change in conservation, curatorship, and collections management, ensuring HRP is at the forefront of best practice and innovation.
• Champion inclusion and diversity in historical curatorship, ensuring our work reflects and engages a broad range of audiences.
• Lead on major strategic and capital projects, delivering them on time, on budget, and at scale.
• Strengthen HRP’s position as a centre of research excellence, ensuring our independent research status drives forward new discoveries and insights.
• Foster strong relationships with key stakeholders, including the Royal Household, Historic England, government bodies, and international heritage organisations.

Who we’re looking for:

This is a role for a bold, strategic, and dynamic leader who can combine deep expertise with a passion for innovation and inclusion. You will bring:

• Proven leadership in a research-led, interdisciplinary cultural or heritage setting.
• A global perspective on history, ensuring our stories and collections resonate with diverse audiences.
• Strong financial acumen, with experience scaling operations and budgets to maximise impact.
• The resilience and determination to push boundaries, challenge traditions, and lead with confidence.
• A collaborative and empowering leadership style, with the ability to inspire and engage teams.

At HRP, we do more than protect the past - we bring history to life for millions of visitors. As part of our executive team, you will have the unique opportunity to shape the future of some of the world’s most iconic heritage sites.

To find out more, please click on ‘Apply’. If, after you have read the person specification, you would like a confidential discussion please contact our recruitment advisers at GatenbySanderson:

• Jennie Wood, Researcher: jennie.wood@gatenbysanderson.com
• Rebekah Herz-Bauman, Partner: rebekah.herz-bauman@gatenbysanderson.com

Closing date: 9am, Monday 28th April