Vacancies

Jobs and volunteering at the Bronte Society

A MUSEUM FOR EVERYONE

The Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth attracts people from all over the world. Some are making a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to see the home of their favourite authors, but many return year upon year to see the new exhibitions and changing displays.

We welcomed some 70,400 visitors to the Museum in 2019 and providing the best possible customer service is of immense importance to us. Comments collected via TripAdvisor, social media and other visitor books indicate that the visitor experience at the Brontë Parsonage Museum is overwhelmingly positive.

The dedication and commitment of our staff and volunteers is key to these results, as our feedback testifies.

Could you be a BRONTË SOCIETY TRUSTEE?
 

In readiness for our online AGM on Saturday 5 October 2024, the Brontë Society would like to hear from people who have the requisite skills and experience to join the Board of Trustees.

The Brontë Society is a registered charity (charity number 529952) and a company limited by guarantee.  It is responsible for the accredited Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth and is dedicated to promoting the Brontës’ literary legacy within contemporary society. 

We are proud to be one of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations for literature and are looking to the future as a resilient, inclusive and modern charity.

It’s vital that charities’ boards comprise a diverse range of individuals who collectively bring different expertise, skills and lived experience to form a whole and balanced team that represent the society we live in.This year, as we look forward to Bradford 2025 City of Culture, we are especially interested in candidates from the Keighley and Bradford area and also those who are currently under-represented in our organisation including people of Black or Asian heritage.We are also interested in hearing from individuals who have expertise in environmental science and those with experience of managing capital projects.
 
We pride ourselves on being an inclusive and accessible organisation and hold our board and committee meetings online. expect anyone standing as a trustee to demonstrate a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusivity and the Society’s policy of respect.

Being a trustee with the Brontë Society is an extremely valuable and rewarding experience. We offer significant opportunities to share and develop skills in areas including finance, governance and strategic thinking in the context of a registered charitable company in the museum and heritage sector.  

Board members all have trustee duties, serious governance responsibilities and obligations, both as trustees of a registered charity and as directors of a Company Limited by Guarantee.  As well as reading our  ‘BS Trustee Role Description and Person Specification’ we also urge prospective candidates to read ‘The Essential Trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do guide’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-cc3

Please also read Arts Council England’s information for trustees at:  https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/governance-working-investment-principles which sets out what is expected of a National Portfolio Organisation in the coming years.  As a trustee, you will be responsible for ensuring that the Brontë Society fulfils its obligations as a portfolio organisation and continues to meet ACE’s funding requirements.
 
Your commitment

The minimum expectation is that a Brontë Society trustee will attend or take part in approximately six evening board meetings a year plus the Annual General Meeting. This commitment will include the time required to read relevant meeting papers and will involve a regular time commitment equivalent to a day or two each month. We also attend and contribute to an annual ‘Strategic Away Day’ with the BPM Senior Leadership Team. Meetings are usually held online and where possible, are arranged around the availability of trustees. The Brontë Society Board also has several sub-committees and working parties which rely on trustees volunteering for them.  We encourage trustees, where possible, to commit extra time to the Society by joining supplementary committees, working parties or to undertaking training outside meetings.

Roles on the Board are voluntary and trustees may not receive any financial reward.  However, reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including travel and accommodation costs for physical meeting attendance where applicable, are payable.  
 
Application Process

Applications are now being sought to fill vacancies on the BS Board from October 2024 and a requirement of our Articles of Association is that all trustee vacancies are openly advertised.  

As the Brontë Society is also proud to be a membership organisation, our Articles of Association also require that any person seeking to join the Board must be, at the time of their appointment or election, a financial member of the Society.

All applications from persons seeking nomination are firstly submitted to a Brontë Society Board sub-committee (the Nominations Committee) which will consider all potential candidates against the ‘BS Trustee Role Description and Person Specification’ guide (available from the ‘downloads’ tab on this webpage). A shortlist of the candidates, who best meet those requirements will then be submitted to the Board prior to their names being placed on the ballot paper.

All interested candidates are asked to download and complete a ‘BS Trustee Candidate Application Form’ (available from the ‘downloads’ tab on this webpage)

Application Forms should be forwarded to  trustees@bronte.org.uk Alternatively, please post your form marked 'BS Trustee Application 2024' to the Governance Coordinator, Brontë Parsonage Museum, Haworth, Keighley BD22 8DR. All applications must reach the Brontë Society no later than Friday 21 June 2024. 

The Brontë Society is an equal opportunities employer.  Please help us to monitor how we are doing in this respect by completing and submitting the anonymous ‘BS Trustee Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form’ (available from the ‘downloads tab on this webpage). 

If you require any of the documentation in a different format (eg printed/large type) please let us know. We can also accept video or audio applications that are accompanied by referee details.
  
If you require any further information, please email  trustees@bronte.org.uk marking your email ‘BS Trustee Application 2024’

VACANCIES & OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteering Opportunities

Gain work experience and build your CV
Apply and share your knowledge
Improve wellbeing and keep active
Learn new skills 
Meet new people
Fulfil volunteering hours for Duke of Edinburgh award (16 years+)