British Museum

Managing Director

Job Reference EBMG
Closing Date Thursday 25 Jul 2024

The British Museum is the oldest national public museum in the world. Its mission is to house, curate, conserve, research and exhibit a collection of world cultures. With a collection of around 8 million objects in its collection – from across the globe – the British Museum enables people to explore the extraordinary diversity of human culture, to discover the many forms and expressions human beings have given to every aspect of life, and to realise how closely they are interconnected. The British Museum is one of the world’s most visited museums. In 2023/24, its home in Camden received 6.2 million visitors, while a further 4 million people saw objects from the Museum’s collection elsewhere, 2.3 million of them outside the UK. That’s because as well as the iconic site in London, the Museum has deep and wide-ranging partnerships with other national and international museums, schools and community groups with whom the Museum lends and often co-curates the display of loaned objects.

Following the appointment of the British Museum’s new Director, Dr. Nicholas Cullinan, candidates are sought for a critical new leadership role, the Managing Director. This role will report to the Director and be a key part of the executive team, helping to set the direction of the Museum and ensure all parts of the organisation work together to deliver the institution’s priorities. This role will be responsible for leading operational departments including Visitor Services and Security, HR and Information Services and developing strategies to support the Museum’s vision. The role will also work closely with the Estates and Capital projects team as we deliver on the Museum’s masterplan. Candidates should bring significant leadership and change management experience, a track record of delivering process and structural change in a complex environment, and strong strategic planning and communication skills to engage senior stakeholders, including the Board of the Museum and government.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to the British Museum on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit www.saxbam.com/appointments using reference EBMG. Alternatively, telephone +44 (0)20 7227 0880 (during office hours). Applications should be received by noon on Thursday 25th July 2024.

The Museum is driven by an insatiable curiosity for the world, a deep belief in objects as reliable witnesses and documents of human history, sound research, as well as the desire to expand and share knowledge.