Head of Culture & Engagement

Office Location: Wentworth Woodhouse, Wentworth, Rotherham, South Yorkshire

Length of Contract: Permanent

Hours of Work: 37.5 per week x 50 weeks

Responsible to: CEO

Role Purpose:

Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust (WWPT) was formed in 2014 with the specific mission to save Grade I Listed Wentworth Woodhouse for the benefit of the nation. However, from the moment the Trust took ownership of the site in 2017, the emphasis of its work has been to provide opportunities for those who need them most, and to develop a rich, varied, and exciting cultural offer at Wentworth, attracting a national and ultimately international audience to South Yorkshire. In 2023 the Wentworth Woodhouse Cultural Strategy was launched which set out plans for development of the cultural offer to 2028. It is bold, exciting, innovative and ambitious. It is already changing people’s perceptions of Rotherham and is helping to launch Wentworth Woodhouse on to the national and international stage.

This senior leadership role will drive all aspects of our cultural offer including visitor engagement, exhibitions, cultural event programming, and digital and film production. The role requires determined, pioneering leadership, dynamic thinking and a passion for developing and implementing world class programming, as well as managing busy and diverse activities across the site. You will need a broad national perspective to ensure our potential and ambitions continue to be brought to life. Equality and diversity will be at the forefront of your strategic thinking, and your track record will demonstrate your ability to understand the complexities of delivering outstanding projects to national audiences.

Working as part of the senior leadership team you will be required to plan and implement your departmental work around the needs of several other operational departments and to play a leading role in the organisations wider strategic thinking.

Main Duties:

• Work with the CEO and other members of the Senior Leadership Team to achieve the charity's strategic objectives, contributing to the annual business plan, attending regular team meetings, and providing support to the CEO on strategic and operational planning.
• Oversee and be responsible for all aspects of development and delivery of the cultural offer at Wentworth Woodhouse as set out in the Cultural Strategy. This includes:
• Collections - caring for the collection and government indemnity.
• Exhibitions and cultural programming – from research through to delivery.
• Community engagement activity.
• Tours – management of the tour guide team, support script development, training.
• Interpretation – house and wider site interpretation.
• Be accountable for collections, both owned and loaned, including historic fine and decorative works of art and a growing archive, ensuring adherence to best practice in collections management and preventative conservation.
• To be responsible for managing loans to WWPT in-line with the Government Indemnity Scheme.
• To lead on the disaster planning in relation to cultural assets.
• To manage conservation projects as required.
• Work closely with the senior leadership team, ensuring our heritage story, including the restoration programme is at the heart of our cultural offer.
• Working with and line managing the Learning Manager to develop a learning and skills training strategy aligned with Wentworth Woodhouse’s mission, audience development goals and wider organisational objectives.
• Work with the Culture team to curate a high quality, diverse, and multi-disciplinary programme of events, exhibitions, films and heritage activity to be presented in-person and online.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with funders, artists, managers and key stakeholders.
• Act as the Wentworth Woodhouse key point of contact for the Cultural Partnership Board, Rotherham Creative Health the SY Creative Health Board and the Flux Consortium.
• Produce regular verbal and written reports on engagement, activity delivery, impact and the development of new programmes.
• Manage, support, coach and appraise the Culture Team.
• Support the recruitment, training, induction and supervision of volunteers and freelancers.
• Monitor performance against budgets, targets and Key Performance Indicators.
• Work with the CEO to apply and acquire new funding streams to support cultural delivery and to report on grant funded programmes as they are delivered.
• Work with the Cultural Team to ensure that events are financially sustainable, lucrative where necessary or create good value for community groups.
• Work with the finance team to ensure robust budget setting and management, with income and expenditure accurately recorded, and taking overall accountability for Culture finances.
• Evaluate cultural event and activity delivery to ensure client satisfaction, to maximise future opportunities and to encourage repeat business.
• Ensure resources across Culture are effectively targeted.

Person Specification:

Please see the criteria expected of the role below. For your application, please note these and explain how you meet and exceed them.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE:

• Extensive relevant experience within a similar role.
• Successful delivery of ACE and/or other public funded projects.
• Senior management experience.
• Experience of working with artists, performers, events companies and suppliers.
• Experience of working with volunteers.
• Experience of working successfully with multiple partners and agencies within projects.
• Experience of using Microsoft Office and ability to acquire knowledge of new applications as required.
• Professional qualification in the arts, event management, curatorial or similar.

JOB RELATED SKILLS:

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage relationships and motivate others at all levels.
• Good planning, organisational and budget management skills.
• Ability to work independently and within a team.
• Full driving license.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:

• Good communication skills both written and oral.
• A flexible and positive approach.
• A ‘can do’ attitude.
• Committed to the core values of the trust including equality and diversity.

WORK CIRCUMSTANCE:

• Able to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays at times.
• Aware of the implications of social media in a workplace.