Audit and Risk Trustee for Board of Trustees at the National Portrait Gallery
Background
Established in 1856, the aim of the National Portrait Gallery is to promote through the medium of portraits the appreciation and understanding of the men and women who have made and are making British history and culture from the Tudors to the present day. We celebrate and encourage portraiture in all forms with a diverse programme at our Gallery and across the UK
Founded on the principle that the paintings in the Collection should reflect the status of the sitter, not the artist, the Gallery has collected the likenesses of famous people in British history. Today, the Gallery holds the most extensive collection of portraits in the world, and, as one of the country’s premier arts institutions, draws around 2 million visits each year.
The Primary Collection of paintings, sculptures, miniatures, drawings, prints and photographs contains some 11,100 portraits. Of these more than 4,150 are paintings, sculptures and miniatures, nearly 60% of which are regularly displayed at the National Portrait Gallery or elsewhere, including several houses managed by the National Trust. In addition, there are some 6,800 works on paper, shown on a rotating basis of about 300 items a year. The Gallery is always keen to find new ways to share the Collection through the National Programmes as well as through their website.
As with other national museums the government continues to support the Gallery but in reality this is decreasing and the Gallery increasingly needs to generate income from a considerable number of individuals, companies, trusts and foundations, as well as by the receipts from ticketed exhibitions, retail, catering, and events
The Gallery aims to bring history to life through its extensive display, exhibition, research, learning, outreach, publishing and digital programmes. These allow the Gallery to stimulate debate and to address questions of biography, diversity and fame which lie at the heart of issues of identity and achievement.
The Gallery strives to be the foremost centre for the study of and research into portraiture, as well as making its work and activities of interest to as wide a range of visitors as possible.
Following a period of unprecedented growth, the continuing challenge is to strengthen the organisation and reduce areas of risk. At the same time the Gallery is developing the imaginative and distinctive aspects of its display, exhibition, learning, research and access programmes, with a greater national presence and an increased recognition of the quality of its work and its collections, and the skills and knowledge of its staff.
Following the launch of the Ondaatje Wing in 2000, the Gallery has increased the number of visits year on year, including over the last few years, despite the unfavourable economic climate and difficulties with international tourism and travel. The National Portrait Gallery has free admission and it has seen around2 million visits each year to the St Martin’s Place site and the Gallery employs around 258 permanent full time equivalent staff, with an average annual turnover of £16 million. The Gallery raises 65% of annual income from fundraising initiatives, retail and rights and images, ticket admission on exhibitions, catering and some learning programmes.
The Gallery has also demonstrated its ability to make acquisitions of national importance, such as the portraits of Sir Anthony van Dyck and the Duke of Wellington, to revitalise its regional work including Montacute and Beningbrough, two National Trust regional partnerships, to establish new sponsorship partnerships, and to collaborate on major projects. To continue with such successes, while coping with limited staff and resources, requires a determined sense of direction, clear planning and continued efficiency across the institution as a whole.
The Gallery is now embarking on a period of renewal under Inspiring People, transforming the National Portrait Gallery – a major £35.5m capital project which will deepen understanding and enjoyment of the Gallery’s remarkable collection of portraits and broaden its appeal to the widest possible audiences. It will do this through a transformed building that will be more attractive and welcoming and will include improvements to the facilities, returning the East Wing to public use, including a top lit exhibition space, the creation of a new Learning Centre with a number of studio spaces, the renewal of the Collection displays and interpretation and the development of a broader digital and national programme.
The Gallery has recently been awarded a First Round Heritage Lottery Fund capital grant of £9.4m towards the Inspiring People project
About the National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery’s core purpose is to:
- care for, preserve and add to the works of art and the documents in its Collection
- ensure that the works of art are exhibited to the public;
- ensure that the works of art and the documents are available to people seeking to inspect them in connection with study or research;
- generally promote the public’s enjoyment and understanding of portraiture of British people and British history through portraiture both by means of its Collection and by such other means as it considers appropriate.
The Gallery’s eight strategic objectives are:
- To extend and broaden the range of audiences for the National Portrait Gallery and its work through participation and learning activity, a higher national and public profile, and an effective communication strategy.
- To develop the Collection, creating opportunities for acquisition and commission, while improving its care and conservation.
- To increase the understanding of and engagement with the Collectionand the art of portraiture through outstanding research, exhibitions and displays, publishing, learning, regional and digital programmes.
- To make the Gallery a national hub for sharing ideas and expertise about portraiture with a dynamic centre for learning in London and a skills sharing network across the country.
- To create a digital presence which connects, inspires and engages audiences, where is not seen as the remit of a single department, to one where all teams have digital activity as a core part of their working strategy.
- To maximize the financial resources available through both public and private sector support, trading and licensing and through the effective management of the Gallery’s assets and resources.
- To develop staff as an essential resource through the extension of staff diversity, training, development and learning programmes, upgraded internships and a volunteer programme.
- To physically open up the Gallery building to make the Collection and programme more visible, accessible and welcoming and to bring the buildings, technical and managerial infrastructure of the Gallery to the highest standards, including processes, systems, collection storage and staff accommodation.
The role
The Board of Trustees is seeking a new Trustee and specifically a person with the capability to chair the Audit and Risk Committee with a particular focus on monitoring the key risks around the delivery of Inspiring People.
The Board of Trustees
The chief role of Trustees is to assist the Chair in meeting the Board’s overall responsibilities under the Charities Act and in accordance with the guidance issued by the Secretary of State. Trustees offer guidance and expertise on the Gallery’s strategy and its practical implementation. They must also assist the Chair in ensuring that the Gallery’s affairs are conducted with probity.
Trustees must be able to attend Board meetings and such other sub-committee meetings as may be necessary. Board meetings are normally held four times a year in London, with one additional review day. Some additional time will need to be devoted to ad hoc meetings,studying papers, attending events at the Gallery and occasional visits to regional partnerships.
The Gallery is looking for a candidate who ideally will be:
A qualified Accountant who continues to be actively engaged in the detail of financial management.
An active, or recently active, Finance Director of a Public or large private Property Company.
Experienced and knowledgeable in the area of property matters and specifically construction risk and project risk.
Knowledge or experience of a major capital building project.
and a candidate who will:
Have an understanding of, and commitment to, the vision and values of the National Portrait Gallery and its future development, particularly the Inspiring People project.
Have theability toact as an inspirational advocatefor the Gallery with government, senior policy makers, donors, sponsors and supporters.
Additionally, the successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following other essential criteria:
- An understanding of the diverse communities in the UK and a real commitment to promoting diversity.
- Excellent communication skills with an ability to present to a range of stakeholders including the media.
- An understanding of public life in order to help the Board to provide advice and opinions to staff on the development of the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection through the acquisitions and commissions process and through an understanding of the broader Art market.
- Have a good understanding of the challenging self-generated income needs of the Gallery and be prepared to show initiative in support of fundraising initiatives.
- The ability to engage with the Gallery’s budgeting and financial planning.
Time Commitment:
Quarterly Board meetings, ad hoc meetings, an annual Review Day and the time to dedicate to chairing the Audit and Risk Committee.
Supporting Information
Current Board members:
David Ross (Chair)
Brian Allen
Ms C Allegra Berman (Chair of the Investment Committee and Finance Trustee) Professor Dame Carol Black DBE
Dr Rosalind (Polly) Blakesley
Rob Dickins CBE
Ms Kim Evans OBE (Deputy Chair)
Sir Michael Hintze
Ms Joanna Kennedy OBE
The Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP (Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council - Ex Officio)
Christopher Le Brun (President of the Royal Academy, Ex Officio)
Dr Andrew Roberts
Bjorn Saven
Sir Peter Stothard
Rachel Wang
Location of Meetings
London
Remuneration
Board appointments are not remunerated, but reasonable expenses are paid.
Duration of Appointment
The appointment is for a period of up to four years with the possibility of re-appointment at the end of that term. The post is expected to begin in January 2018.