Vice Chair Trustee

**Culture & Leisure**

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- Museum & Gallery

**Blackpool Council**

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BLACKPOOL HERITAGE AND MUSEUM TRUST
VICE CHAIR TRUSTEE VACANCY

Showtown is the Blackpool Heritage and Museum Trust’s new museum of fun and entertainment, with the aim of engaging local residents and visitors through fun, laughter and story sharing what makes Blackpool special. It is due to open in spring 2024.
Showtown’s overarching concept is to create a ‘behind-the-scenes’ glimpse of the entertainments and amusements that are the bedrock of Blackpool’s nationally popular entertainment. It will offer different views and perspectives throughout: those of producers, performers, visitors and residents. Work is ongoing with specialist museum interpreters and scriptwriters to ensure that a fresh approach that reflects the lively spirit of Blackpool itself is offered.

OUR VISION:
This project comes at a critical time in the redevelopment of Blackpool, as a seaside town that has been identified as one of the most deprived areas in England.
Showtown will form a critical cornerstone of Blackpool Council’s £100m investment plan that will transform Blackpool as a place to live, visit and do business. Showtown will serve as the jewel in the crown of the investment plans, enabling culture-led economic growth by providing a memorable, high quality and educational destination venue for visitors, creating new jobs and skills and by bringing local people together to proudly celebrate the Blackpool story.

TRUSTEES:

- The skill priorities for the current recruitment to the Blackpool Heritage and Museum Board of Trustees are:
- Strategic skills to contribute to developing the business.
- Relevant sector experience and understanding.

What do we need?- Strong personal commitment to the Blackpool Heritage and Museum Trust and its charitable aims.
- High levels of personal credibility and leadership.
- Skills, knowledge and experience that would positively benefit the Trust,

in particular those skills listed above.- Links to relevant networks e.g. business, professional, governmental.
- Time and energy to devote to the Trust.
- A willingness to be active in supporting the fundraising of the Trust.
- Person Specification: what do we need you to be?
- The Vice Chair will need to demonstrate:
- Knowledge and previous experience in a governance role.
- A willingness and ability to chair meetings in the absence of the Chair.
- Commitment to heritage and the entertainment community of Blackpool.
- A pragmatic approach to decision making with the flexibility to react effectively to changing circumstances.
- Strategic understanding in a business environment.
- Excellent communication skills and to be able to represent the Trust effectively in the public arena.

All Trustees should have an understanding of corporate social responsibility and be demonstrably committed to Blackpool, developing partnerships and its visitor economy and supporting fundraising.

The duties of a Trustee are:
To ensure that the Trust complies with its Articles of Association as its governing document, charity law and any relevant legislation or regulations.
To ensure that the Trust pursues its objectives as defined by the governing document.
To ensure the Trust uses its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objectives.
To contribute actively to the role of the Board of Trustees.
To safeguard the good name and reputation of the Blackpool Museum and Heritage Trust and behave in a professional manner, keeping all activities confidential.
To ensure the efficient and effective administration of the Trust.
To ensure the financial stability of the Trust.
To protect and manage the property of the Trust and to ensure proper investment of the Trust’s funds.
To ensure that any fundraising activity carried out by, or on behalf of, the Trust is properly undertaken, and that all funds collected are properly accounted for and spent according to the charitable objectives.
In addition to the above duties, each Trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience to help the Board make sound decisions and in particular, take a proactive interest in their particular areas of expertise.

The Trustees will support and give strategic direction to the organisation as a whole and the management team in turn will ensure that the Board of Trustees has the correct information necessary for effective leadership of the organisation.

Term of office: The length of service for the appointment is three years, following successful completion of a formal review after the initial 12 months.

Time commitment:
Trustees will also be expected to represent the Trust at various advocacy and cultivation events and in meetings with key stakeholders. Supporting the fundraising of the organisation will also be an important task for all.
It is anticipated that approximately four/five Trust Board meetings will be held annually and will be held either remotely or in person and a commitment to attend f