Interim Director of Estates and Capital Projects

The British Museum is embarking on one of the most ambitious transformations in its history, and we are seeking an outstanding Interim Director of Estates and Capital Projects to lead on this programme of work. Reporting to the Managing Director, you will oversee the strategic management of a complex, high-profile estate across multiple sites. This is an opportunity to shape the future of one of the world\’s most iconic cultural institutions, reimagining our spaces for generations to come, while ensuring that day-to-day operations remain resilient and efficient.
Key areas of responsibility:
Lead and inspire a large team (plus supply chain) across Estates, Capital Projects, and Facilities.
Oversee a £15 million annual capital programme, delivering effective projects to scope, time, and within budget.
Drive forward the Museum\’s strategic multi-million pound Masterplan, liaising closely with Trustees, senior leaders, and external partners.
Ensure the estate is safe, compliant, sustainable, and aligned with the Museum\’s long-term vision and strategic goals.
Embed a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvements across all estate functions.
What you will bring to the team
You are a proven senior leader with the vision, resilience, and commercial acumen to thrive in a complex, high-profile environment. You will bring:
A track record of delivering large-scale capital projects within a complex, multidisciplinary setting.
Strong strategic and operational leadership experience, ideally across estates, facilities, and capital development.
Excellent relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence at a senior level.
Experience managing significant budgets and diverse teams.
Estates and Capital Projects
Full-time, 41 hours per week (including one hour paid lunch break). We work in a hybrid way and are open to flexible working patterns
Fixed Term Contract, 9 – 12 months, with potential to extend
£110,000 per annum, About the British Museum:
Founded in 1753, the British Museum\’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history and culture. The Museum is a leading visitor attraction, and its world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, the Sutton-Hoo finds, and the Lewis Chessmen. The Museum also holds an extensive collection of prints and drawings spanning 600 years, including works by the greatest graphic artists such as Dürer, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.
The Museum offers a competitive benefits package including:
Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days (rising to 30 days after 10 years\’ service) plus 2.5 privilege days and plus bank holidays.
Membership of the civil service defined benefit pension scheme (find out here what benefits a civil service pension provides).
Free entry to a wide range of museums and exhibitions.
Participation in private and public Museum activities, including talks by leading curators from around the world and behind-the-scenes opportunities to learn how museums care for and manage their extraordinary collections.
Interest-free travel, bicycle, and rental deposit loans.
Professional and personal development opportunities.
Employee Assistance Programme.
Discounts on food and gift shop purchases.
Additional details, We have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees have the right to work in the UK. If you currently do not hold the right to work in the UK, we can only sponsor a limited number of roles that meet eligibility criteria. To offer a sponsorship, the job role you apply needs to be in the list of eligible occupations: Additionally (with some limited exceptions), the role will need to meet the new minimum salary threshold of £41,700 or the going rate for the job, whichever is the highest. You can find more information here: British Museum is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from unlawful discrimination or harassment. We value the benefits that a diverse workforce brings to a museum which represents world culture. The Museum is committed to ensuring that no job applicant suffers unlawful discrimination because of any protected characteristics. Our recruitment procedures aim to ensure that individuals are treated in line with their relevant knowledge, skills, and experience.
We specifically encourage applications from candidates from ethnic minority groups who are underrepresented within our senior roles.
The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.
Museum Website:

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