Chair Board of Trustees

We are thrilled to be supporting the recruitment of a Chair of the Board of Trustees for a Museum of Medicine in Leeds.

As the Museum looks to build on a period of bold strategic growth since our 2021 redevelopment, we are seeking an experienced, ambitious and community-minded Chair to lead our Board of Trustees. The museum is the UK’s largest independent medical museum: a dynamic, civic museum in East Leeds with a nationally significant collection of over 50,000 objects and a clear mission to inspire people with the passion and purpose of medicine and healthcare - past, present and future.

Since reopening we have grown audiences, deepened community partnerships and developed an ambitious plan to be the UK’s leading medical museum by 2030.

Role: Chair of the Board of Trustees

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Term: Minimum three years from 12th May 2026, renewable (maximum six years)
Commitment: Approx. 1–1.5 days per month (voluntary; reasonable out-of-pocket expenses reimbursed)
Your location: Ideally Leeds (nationwide considered);
Board meetings four times a year (three may be hybrid; in-person presence preferred).

The Role:
The Chair will lead and steward an engaged, forward-thinking Board to support the CEO and senior team as the Museum consolidates recent gains and secures long-term resilience. You will ensure excellent governance, provide constructive challenge and support to the CEO, strengthen relationships with funders and partners, champion the Museum’s commitment to equity and community co-curation, and be an ambassador for the organisation locally and nationally.

Key responsibilities:

• Set strategic direction: Lead the Board in shaping, approving and monitoring delivery of the CEO’s strategy to meet the Museum’s mission and 2030 ambitions.

• Own governance & risk: Ensure high standards of governance, legal and regulatory compliance, and effective oversight of the risk register.

• Build board capability: Drive trustee recruitment, induction, appraisal and succession planning to secure the skills, diversity and lived experience needed.

• Partner with the CEO: Line-manage and support the CEO - offering constructive challenge, guidance on operations and people matters, and ensuring strong executive accountability.

• Champion income & profile: Use networks to open doors to major funders, partners and donors, and actively raise the Museum’s profile.

• Ensure financial stewardship: Oversee budgets, reserves and trading activity with the Treasurer and Finance Committee, and scrutinise financial reporting.

• Lead effective meetings: Chair Board meetings, encourage robust discussion, ensure timely decisions and follow-through on agreed actions.

• Represent and advocate: Act as an ambassador to civic partners, funders, media and diverse local communities.

• Steward the estate: Support oversight of capital, maintenance and estate priorities for the Museum’s Victorian building.

Who you are:

• Seasoned governance leader: Experienced chair or senior trustee with sound knowledge of trustee duties, charity & company law and governance best practice.

• Strategic thinker: Track record of leading strategy in museums, heritage, culture, health or education - or in complex, stakeholder-facing organisations.

• Fundraising connector: Proven at building relationships with major funders, trusts, corporates or donors and supporting successful income-raising and profile activity.

• Financially literate: Comfortable with budget scrutiny, risk oversight and the commercial realities of earned income models or trading subsidiaries.

• Capital & estate experience: Practical experience of overseeing capital projects, estate stewardship or major building maintenance.

• ED&I and community champion: Committed to equity, inclusion and co-creation, with evidence of widening participation and diversifying leadership.

• Confident ambassador: Excellent interpersonal and public-facing skills; able to represent the Museum credibly to varied audiences.

• Supportive leader: Able to challenge and develop senior executives while fostering a collegiate, high-performing board culture.

• Local…