DIRECTOR – MICHELHAM PRIORY
Job Description
JOB TITLE:
Director - Michelham Priory
LOCATION:
Upper Dicker, Nr Hailsham, East Sussex
PAY.
£ 30 000
RESPONSIBLE TO:
The Chief Executive Officer, Sussex Archaeological
Society
RESPONSIBLE FOR:
The staff team (Approx 9 full and part time) and 4060 volunteers.
MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB:
To provide overarching leadership and management
for Michelham Priory. To lead on strategic,
budgetary and resource management. To direct
personnel. To take overall responsibility for day to
day management of site and gardens. To be
responsible for partnerships. To oversee the
success of site based commercial services. To be
responsible for maintaining the highest standards of
professionalism in business, site management and
heritage interpretation. To lead on the promotion of
Michelham Priory and Gardens both locally and
nationally.
Key Accountabilities
To manage Michelham Priory as a successful heritage business.
To direct on site business processes and to develop and implement a new
business and income generation strategy for the site.
To direct and performance manage the MP staff.
To direct visitor services and audience development.
To provide overarching strategic management for Michelham Priory
To provide overarching leadership and management for the catering and
commercial services.
To direct on site conservation and interpretation.
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To oversee physical, financial, IT and other key resources
To oversee marketing and communication
To take lead responsibility for health and safety
To ensure high professional standards of access, equality and diversity are
maintained at MP
To ensure that relationships with key stakeholders including external partners and
the Friends of Michelham Priory are effectively managed and new business and
heritage partnerships are developed
To provide overarching management for the volunteer programme across the site
To work alongside The CEO and senior staff team within the Sussex
Archaeological Society and to help develop the sustainability and strategic
direction of the wider organisation
This job description sets out the accountabilities of the post at the time
when it was drawn up. Such accountabilities may vary from time to time
without changing the general character of the accountabilities or the level of
responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and
cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading or pay of the
post.
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Person Specification – DIRECTOR MICHELHAM
Essential Criteria
Desirable Criteria
Key Skills &
Abilities
 Excellent written and oral
communication skills
including writing structured
reports.
 Demonstrable proficiency in
managing a heritage
organisation
 Strong analytical and
research skills
 High level of attention to
detail & accuracy
 Excellent numeracy and
literacy skills
 Strong ICT skills
 Ability to use own initiative
 Ability to organise and
prioritise own work to meet
tight deadlines
 Excellent interpersonal and
public relations skills
 Problem solving skills
 Excellent personnel and
performance management
skills
 Ability to fundraise and
manage income generating
services
 Excellent strategic thinker
 Business planning skills
 Budget management skills
 Ability to oversee
public events
Education &
Qualifications

Knowledge
 Good working knowledge of
policies & procedures and
legislative requirements
relevant to Heritage sector

Degree or equivalent
qualification
 Full driving license

Museums or heritage
qualification
 Tourism or business
qualification
 Knowledge of Health &
Safety Legislation
 Knowledge of
Archaeology of Sussex
 Working with
community groups
Significant knowledge of
health and safety.
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Method of
Assessment/
Source of
Information
 Application,
assessment and
Interview
 Certificates
 Application,
assessment and
interview




Charitable governance
Heritage education
Security
Marketing
Experience
 Experience in historic site
management.
 Experience in event
management
 Minimum of three years
successful experience in
managing a staff team
 Experience of drawing up and
managing budgets.
 Experience of project
management.
 Knowledge of
museums/historic properties
sector.
 Fundraising
 Buildings and site
management.
 Network and partnership
management.
 Experience of
recruitment,
supervision and
management of
volunteers
 Conservation
volunteering
 Working on HLF
projects
 Leading guided tours
on historic sites
 Retail/catering
management
 Quality Assurance
 Application,
assessment and
interview
Personal
Attributes
 Self-motivated with the ability
 Committed to history
to enthuse and motivate
and archaeology
others

 Authoritative
 Customer orientated
approach to work
 A commitment to personal
development and training
 A commitment to equal
opportunities and antidiscriminatory practice
 Show tact, diplomacy and
empathy
 Flexible approach
 Proactive stance to health
and safety
 Excellent decision making
skills.
 willing and able to work
occasional long days and
weekends
 post holder required to
undergo enhanced CRB
disclosure
 car owner
 Application,
assessment and
interview
Other
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Interview
SCOPE OF THE POST
Michelham Priory is a beautiful historic site set in stunning grounds. The post
holder of Director MP has an extremely important and challenging role. They
need to combine managing, day to day substantial visitor and commercial
operations, with the task of helping to develop a new strategic vision for
audience and business development for the site.
The post represents a wonderful opportunity for a dedicated hard working
professional to help create the future of this wonderful historic site.
Details of the scope of the post.
The post holder will:

Take lead responsibility for a budget in the region of £ 300 000

Manage a historic Property which attracts approximately 30 000 visitors.

Manage a staff team of 9 full and part time staff.

Oversee the work a team of volunteers (scale – 40-60)

Manage relationships with key stakeholders and drive initiatives with key
partners
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
There are a range of specific responsibilities which the post holder will be
accountable for on taking up the post. These represent both ongoing and
dynamic targets. As the dynamic targets are achieved, new targets will be set by
the Chief Executive Officer. These are detailed below:
-
-
-
Oversee the development and implementation of a new audience
development strategy for MP and identify a fundraising programme to
finance this. This is to be achieved by March 2013.
Evaluate and report on the business performance of key areas of site
based activities including: Visitor income, retail and catering
performance, gift aid, grants, donations and bequests, the learning
programme, partnerships, room hire, events and functions.
Draw up and implement plans to maximize income generation for all the
above business performance areas.
Oversee the relationship with the Friends of Michelham Priory .
Work with the CEO and the senior staff team within the Sussex
Archaeological Society to help take the whole organisations forwards.
Direct Volunteer management
Oversee the development of a strategic plan for the future development
of the site and its services.
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-
-
Oversee the commercial functions on the site
Manage relationship with neighbours and other local stakeholders
Oversee the development and implementation of a Property Plan for the
site.
Direct internal communications across Property.
Oversee establishment of effective marketing strategy for site
Review effective usage of grounds and develop plan for maximizing
visitor use of grounds.
Ensure buildings, plant and equipment maintenance is effectively
managed.
Ensure high standards of Health and Safety are adhered to across all
activities undertaken on the site.
Examine and make recommendations around the development of new
partnerships which support the business, learning and research targets
for the site are developed.
Ensure that the site and the SAS are effectively represented in the local
and wider community.
A timeframe for the achievement of these responsibilities will be set by the CEO
and agreed with the director MP within a month of their appointment.
The successful achievement of these responsibilities will be reviewed through the
SAS performance management programme and form part of the ongoing review
and appraisal of the post.
PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT
Due to the recent business performance of the site the CEO and Trustees have
decide to offer this post on a one year basis in the first instance. The continuation
of this post will be dependent on the performance of the site and the wider
organisation. The evidence for the actual and future business performance of
Michelham Priory and the Society will be clear by December 2012 when a
decision will be made in relation to the future of this post
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
1. Full time, fixed term appointment of 12 months duration with an anticipated
start date of April 1st 2012.
2. Salary £30,000 per annum paid monthly in arrears
3. Living on site may be a requirement of this post in which case
accommodation will be provided as part of the employment package.
4. Pensionable post after three months of employment
5. Probationary period of 6 weeks duration during which time the notice
period is 2 weeks, thereafter one month’s notice from either party.
6. Working pattern based on 37 hours, 5 days per week. During the season
(March to end of November) when the property is opened 7 days / week
the working pattern will incorporate some week end working. Out of
season, the working pattern will be Monday to Friday 9.00 to 17.30 hours
7. Where additional hours are worked, time off in lieu (TOIL) can be taken at a
mutually convenient time.
8. There will be a requirement for some bank holiday working.
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9. Contractual holiday entitlement of 22 days per annum plus 8.5 public / bank
holidays.
10. Business mileage reimbursed at 40p / mile.
tb/jn Jan 11
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