Volunteering

Are you inspired by the Museum of the Home’s vision to reveal and rethink the ways we live, in order to live better together? Are you commercially minded and passionate about the cultural sector and its ability to make a difference?

The Museum of the Home is seeking to appoint a new trustee to serve on the main Board, and also as Chair of our Commercial Development Committee, which incorporates the Museum’s trading company, Museum of the Home Enterprises Limited.

We are looking for a commercial expert who can help guide the ongoing development of the Museum’s commercial activities and support our rebuilding and recovery after the financial impact of Covid, and the current standard of living crisis.

The key areas of commercial activity at the Museum are the shop, café and events business.  All profits from the Museum’s commercial activities support our creative and community programmes and partnerships.

Our Vision

We exist to:

Reveal and rethink the ways we live in order to live better together.

We are:

A place to explore and debate the meaning of home – past present and future – using collections, content and programming to spark ideas and conversation. Working in partnership to be a force for change on issues affecting the ways we live.

Our values

We work in ways which are:

Bold. Be brave in trying new things, taking action and fighting for change on issues affecting the ways we live.

Kind. Be friendly, generous and considerate in all our actions.

Eco-Active. Embed climate action in all decision-making and encourage visitors to make eco-minded choices at home.

Equitable. Act transparently, ethically, inclusively – and allocate resources, time and care equitably.

About the Museum of the Home

• History. The Museum of the Home is in Hoxton, long an area of diverse and shifting communities. It opened in 1914 as a museum of furniture and woodwork and over the last 120 years has become more focused on domestic life. The museum is located in almshouses built in 1714 with a bequest from Sir Robert Geffrye, a merchant who made some of his money from investments in the international trade in enslaved Africans. We are now reassessing this legacy through our programmes and creative partnerships.
• Transformation. We re-opened as the Museum of the Home in June 2021, following an £18.1 million redevelopment with new galleries,  learning spaces, a café, entrance hub and a collections study room. Together with our visitors, we reveal diverse, thought-provoking and personal stories of home through collections, exhibitions, events, performance and debate.
• Working in partnership. We work with international partners and collaborate across the UK to support original research into and responses to the meaning of home, past, present and future.
•  Communities. We have active programmes with local community groups, including the South and South-East Asian community.
• Collections. We have a collection of around 40,000 objects, including our library and archives. Going forward we want to expand and diversify these collections, to represent more experiences of home and home life.
• Charitable status. We are an independent charitable company limited by guarantee set up as the Geffrye Museum Trust in 1990, registered charity number 803052, company number 2476642.
• Funding. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) sponsors the Trust through grant-in-aid. We supplement this from earned income, donations and sponsorship. The National Lottery Heritage Fund granted £12.3m to support the redevelopment. We also received significant support for the capital campaign from major donors, trusts and foundations, companies and individuals.

About the Commercial Development Committee and Museum of the Home Enterprises Limited

The Commercial Development Committee supports the Museum board in the development, delivery and monitoring of commercial activity operated at the museum for the purpose of generating funds.

Museum of the Home Enterprises Ltd.  is a separate legal entity from the Museum of the Home. The company manages retail, product development and commercial events hires at the Museum, and advises on the development of the Museum café.

All members of the Commercial Development Committee are also Directors of Museum of the Home Enterprises Ltd.

Commercial Development Committee and Museum of the Home Enterprises Ltd. updates are provided by the Chair of the Commercial Development Committee at each main Museum board meeting.

There are currently three Enterprises Board directors – a Museum trustee (the Chair), a co-opted director and a member of the Museum executive team. Other senior Museum staff attend the company’s meetings to update on the Museum’s commercial activities and progress.

Who we’re looking for….

The Museum is looking for an amazing person to join the Board of Trustees and work with the Director and Senior Management Team to achieve the ambitions set out in the 2023-2024 Vision in Action plan.

You will have:

• A commitment to the vision and values of the Museum of the Home, and to support its core purpose to be a place to explore and debate the meaning of home.
• An ability to think strategically and creatively to help Museum of the Home Enterprises Ltd increase income generation and stay true to the values and vision of the Museum.
•  Experience of strategic leadership in commercial operation (I.e. hire, café, shop etc.) and with commercial partnerships.
• Good judgement with a willingness to be open, ask challenging questions and help find solutions.
• An ability to work collaboratively and as part of a team.
• A willingness to learn about the legal duties and responsibilities of trusteeship.
• A commitment to diversity and inclusion, and the 7 principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership

We encourage applications from those whose experiences and perspectives are currently under-represented on the board and in the Museum sector.

Additional information

Time commitment

• The usual term, or length of service, for our trustees is 3 years. Trustees may serve for up to two terms.
• We would normally expect trustees to prepare for and take part in 4–5 board meetings per year; each year, one of these is an away day and lasts for 4–5 hours. Meetings are usually held at the Museum of the Home. Meetings typically last 2 hours with preparation time of 1–2 hours required to read and consider written reports on progress against strategic goals and finances.
• The Commercial Development Committee meets 3-4 times per year, with each meeting lasting 1-2 hours.

• Trustees are encouraged to support the Museum of the Home through attendance at events or exhibitions, but we recognise that people have different demands on their time.

Payment

• The role, as defined by the Charity Commission, is an unpaid voluntary position.
• Expenses incurred taking part in Board business, such as travel, caring or support costs, will be reimbursed or met directly by the Museum of the Home.

Access

• Many areas of the Museum are fully accessible. However, due to the original building’s Grade I listed status, some sections are not accessible to all. Please do get in touch to discuss requirements, both as part of the recruitment process and in relation to the role as trustee.

Benefits

• The role provides opportunities for the further development of a wide range of leadership skills.
• Board members also gain experience of, and can develop networks in, the heritage and cultural sectors and beyond.
• We provide in-house induction for new trustees, which can be tailored to meet individual needs.

How to apply

• A CV and statement of what you can bring to the role will be used to select candidates for interview.
• Your statement can take the form of a written piece (max. 2 sides of A4)  or a 4-minute filmed or audio response.
• Your written statement/video/audio response should address how you meet the ‘You will have’ statements in the Who we’re looking for section of this document.
• Closing date: 5pm on Friday 24 February 2023. 
• Please send your CV and written statement or video/audio to Alison Anscomb
• Interviews: w/c 27 March 2023.
• The term of office will begin in July 2023. The first Board meeting will be an Away Day on 18 July 2023, and the first Commercial Development Committee meeting will be on 19 September 2023.
•  If you would like to find out more about the role, please contact Alison Anscomb, who will be able to arrange for you to have an informal conversation with one of the Enterprises Board directors.

We look forward to receiving your application.