Chair of the Board

The organisation:

The Scottish Crannog Centre Trust (the Crannog), on the tranquil banks of Loch Tay is a living museum and activity centre showcasing the traditional craftmanship and way of life for ancient Iron Age people. The Crannog hosts an action-packed annual calendar of events for school parties, local people and tourists alike, anyone who’s keen to find out more about who lived there and how they were successful in building and protecting their village.

The Crannog is on a mission to care for and make accessible the archaeological finds of Scottish Crannog dwellers and demonstrate how their stories weave a significant thread into the rich fabric of Scotland’s heritage. They hope to offer benefit, enjoyment, education, and inspiration for all by delivering work that matters, has impact, and benefits the diverse communities the museum serves. Crannog’s vision is to become a national treasure venue through projects with its partners; its approach to sustainability; and its commitment to social justice and work with marginalised groups.

Find out about their work here: The Crannog

The opportunity:

The Scottish Crannog Centre Trust is in transition from the old, low-key to the new sector leading, sector-shaping organisation.  It is at a pivotal point between Phase 1 (£4m now complete) and Phase 2 (£12m with a new purpose-built museum).  It’s this huge achievement to date, coupled with more to come, that highlights the need for a board refresh with a new Chair.

This is the right time for change!

Now recovered from the devastating fire that broke out in In June 2021, the Scottish Crannog Centre Trust is keen to engage a new Chair who offers the skills and experience needed to help Crannog further its vision and offer support to the Executive team.

Chair

Crannog feels that this role would be best served by an experienced Chair, or someone who has extensive trustee experience and is ready to step up. Professional background is open, and the Chair will ideally have some practical understanding of governance. What’s essential is strong business experience for this role. The viability and, indeed success, of Crannog as a business is central to its ambition and reputation.

It’s also important that the role is held by someone who has a supportive, collaborative and encouraging approach, and the willingness to coach newer members of the board. They must be at ease to delegate tasks to fellow trustees who have the right skills to support different projects, and they should also be willing to work constructively with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

The availability of time is also essential. The Chair would need to be able to commit at least 1 day a week and to have the capacity to commit extra time at critical points in the project at least until the development is complete. The Chair should have reliable availability to host discussions, attend meetings and consultations.  This is not a remote role and time to visit, talk to staff, and learn and understand is most important.  While there is now a clear national dimension in this appointment, the Chair should also bear in mind easy travel time to the Kenmore site.

Additional information

Several trustee roles are soon due to reach the end of tenure: the Vice-chair and several founding trustees are now stepping down after six years and more.

Crannog feels that the new Chair should be in post for an effective handover with the incumbent Chair; to contribute to the recruitment of the trustee roles and in time for the AGM in March 2025. If candidates are interested in joining as a Trustee, please do get in touch with BTA to register your interest.