Central Otago Museum’s Trust

Vacancy – Chairperson – Board of Trustees

Expressions of Interest close on 2 August 2024

Looking for a meaningful way to make a difference? The Central Otago Museums Trust seeks an experienced Chairperson to support our five Central Otago Museums in their mission of working from a museum network perspective.
We are looking for someone with a passion for the museum and heritage sector, a clear understanding of governance and demonstrated leadership experience.

The primary role of the Board is to foster a strong network across our five Central Otago museums to build capability in protecting, preserving and celebrating our community’s stories and artifacts.

BACKGROUND:

The Trust was established in January 2022 as an Incorporated Charitable Trust. The primary purposes of the Trust are to:

help develop the Museums and their collections;
protect, preserve and celebrate community stories and artefacts;
helping develop educational resources and materials based on or incorporating such community stories and artefacts and the Museums’ collections generally;
foster a sharing of resources within the network of the Museums;

You can find the Central Otago Museums Trust Deed here.

MEET THE TRUSTEES:

Cromwell Museum – Martin Anderson (Acting Chair)
Central Stories Museum & Art Gallery – Paula Stephenson
Clyde Museum – Russell Garbutt
Maniototo Early Settlers Museum – Sam Inder
Teviot District Museum – Barbara Fraser
Central Otago Heritage Trust – Maggie Hope

Non-Trustee Roles:

Central Otago District Council Liaison – Paula Penno
Central Otago Museums Coordinator (Independent Contractor)

OUR STRATEGIC PLAN

The Trust’s work programme is guided by the Central Otago District Museum Strategy and the following seven key goals:

Value relationships with mana whenua and other communities
Recognise that each museum has a unique story to tell
Museum offerings are relevant for locals and visitors
Identify and share skills and resources, both human and physical
Work together to secure sustainable resourcing
Work with stakeholders to develop enduring relationships based on mutual trust
Commit to the care and development of our collections

Coordination:

The Trust engages a part-time independent contractor to coordinate activities linked to the Central Otago District Museum Strategy. The Independent Contractor role will also responsible for the following administrative tasks:

Liaising closely with the Trust Chair on a ‘no surprises’ basis.
Organising Trust Board meetings, prepare agendas and take minutes
Providing monthly progress reports to the Board
Researching and drafting submissions on behalf of the Trust as required
Preparing accountability reports to Central Otago District Council as required
Creating, overseeing, distributing and filing correspondence and documents
Preparing and tracking budgets including paying bills and banking

SKILLS REQUIRED :

Experience: The Chair should have prior experience serving on a board or in a leadership role to ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively lead the team.

Communication: Clear communication is essential for a Chair as they lead the board and communicate with members, stakeholders, and other organizations.

Strategic Thinking: A Chair should be able to think strategically and work collaboratively with Trustees to develop and implement long-term goals and plans.

Conflict Resolution: The Chair should have strong conflict resolution skills to manage any issues that arise within the board.

Financial Acumen: Understanding financial statements and the budgeting process is important for the Chair to make informed decisions that contribute to the success of the organization.

Commitment: The Chair should be committed to the mission of the organization and willing to dedicate the time required to fulfill their responsibilities effectively. This is a voluntary role, however expenses incurred in undertaking the duties of Chair will be reimbursed.

TIME COMMITMENT:

Between 4-6 hours/month

8 weekly 1.5-2hr Board meetings: ( in person or online)
Weekly work-in-progress meetings with the Central Otago Museums Trust Coordinator (Independent Contractor)
Presenting six-monthly accountability reports to the Central Otago District Council
Representing COMT in submission and planning processes (e.g. Long Term Plan & District Plan submissions)

Still interested?

Please register your interest in this role by completing the form below.