Built as Horace Walpole’s summer residence in the second half of the eighteenth century, Strawberry Hill House is a beautiful example of Gothic Revival architecture, with many fascinating stories to tell through its inhabitants, design, collection, gardens and recent restoration. Following an award-winning £10m restoration project undertaken by The Strawberry Hill Trust, the house and gardens were opened to the public in 2010, with further work leading to the opening of the private rooms in 2015. At the end of 2018 the House displayed an acclaimed once-in-a-lifetime exhibition of Walpole’s famous and unique collection, brought together from around the world for the first time in 170 years. Apart from providing to a steady stream of visitors a unique historical and educational perspective on Horace Walpole and his times, this iconic venue plays host to a diverse range of exhibitions and events, including film and TV locations, weddings, festivals etc., catering to local as well as national and international audiences.
The activities and reach of Strawberry Hill House have grown substantially in the last 10 years. Despite the challenges caused throughout the heritage sector by Covid, visitor numbers have recovered well, and Strawberry Hill has attracted renewed interest though recent exhibitions and new acquisitions for its Collection of objects relating to Horace Walpole and his successors as owners of the House.
As an independent charity, The Strawberry Hill Trust has built a strong reputation for catering to its local communities, particularly schools and colleges, providing innovative curriculum support, as well as music and fun days, flower festivals, lecture series, day and night-time children's events and other events catering to a broad demographic. Its ongoing mission is to further raise its profile as the Home of Gothic and enhance its appeal to an ever-wider range of communities and interest groups.
About the role
The Strawberry Hill Trust seeks a new Honorary Treasurer to lead the Board on financial issues and help make it the destination venue for a wide range of interest groups.
The Board is responsible for the strategic leadership of the charity and for ensuring that it delivers on its charitable objectives, is in good financial shape, and complies with charity law. The Trustees support the Director and management team and review and oversee the House’s overall performance.
The Board is seeking an experienced and energetic Trustee of unimpeachable quality to join a fast-evolving team as the Honorary Treasurer, providing strategic leadership to the House at a time of great change and renewed creativity and vigour. The new Trustee will be eager to become involved in overseeing management and development, and will need to have a demonstrable understanding of the issues relevant to the successful governance of a charity.
The Honorary Treasurer's role is to advise the Board and the Director on financial matters, but also to work closely in a hands-on way with the Financial Manager and Director to provide support and advice. The incoming Honorary Treasurer will help implement Strawberry Hill’s financial strategy, chair the board Finance Committee, advise on the best ways to ensure financial self-sufficiency and optimise the financial performance of The Strawberry Hill Trust.
All Trustees are expected to attend six ‘in person’ Board meetings per year, normally held at Strawberry Hill House. In addition, the Honorary Treasurer will be asked to chair the Board’s Finance Committee, also held a minimum of six times a year before each Board meeting. Additional Board meetings are normally held by Zoom as required.
Remuneration: The role is voluntary but reasonable travel and other expenses incurred will be reimbursed.
Person specification
Strawberry Hill is seeking a new Trustee to complement the current membership of the board and to replace the outgoing Honorary Treasurer. We welcome applications from individuals with board experience as well as advanced financial acumen. Candidates would ideally also bring previous charity finance experience to the role. More broadly, experience of the heritage charity sector would also be welcomed.
Required for this role
1. Trustee experience or aptitude: Sitting on a trustee board requires the ability to take a more advisory approach than in executive roles. If you have not previously held any trustee or non-executive positions, you should demonstrate a track record of influencing the direction of your organisation at board level. If you already have significant trustee or non-executive experience, please detail this. Please include your most relevant experience including role and key achievements.
2. Advanced financial and accounting acumen: In-depth experience of working directly with financial and accounting issues. Experience could be either in a leadership role of a finance function or as a director or partner of a professional services firm in this area. Candidates will be able to lead the board in debates about complex financial and accounting matters and would ideally be chartered within their field.
Desired for this role
1. Charity finance: Demonstrate experience of issues relating to charity finance, preferably having led a finance function or sat on the Board of a charitable finance organisation.
How to apply
For further information, and to apply, please contact Lynn Beard at applications@strawberryhillhouse.org.uk. Please send CV and covering letter, outlining relevant experience including role and key achievements in each of the areas described above.
Closing date for applications: Friday 14th March 2025.
Seniority level
Executive
Employment type
Voluntary
Job function
Finance and Sales
Industries
Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
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