British Museum

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 Finance Director. This role will report to the Director and be a key part of the executive team, delivering professional finance, legal, information management, internal audit, and planning services that support the Museum’s strategic and operational priorities. Responsibilities include leading and developing the finance, legal, and internal audit departments, and supporting the Museum’s senior executive team in developing a finance strategy aligned with the Museum’s vision. The role will also work with a new Managing Director and the Director of Estates & Capital Projects to oversee expenditure for the Museum’s Masterplan, including projects like The BM_ARC in Reading and the Energy Centre and Western Range programmes in Camden. 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 EBMH. Alternatively, telephone +44 (0)20 7227 0880 (during office hours). Applications should be received by noon on Thursday 29 August 2024.