Associate Director of Strategy, Planning and Governance
Organisation:
The British Museum
Salary:
£77,816 p.a.
Type:
Full-Time Position
Location:
London, England
Closing Date:
Tuesday, 8th September 2026
Job Ref No:
Job Description
Associate Director of Strategy, Planning and Governance
Full-time
Permanent contract
On-site daily in Bloomsbury, London
77,816 per annum
About the role
This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of one of the world's leading cultural institutions. As Associate Director of Strategy, Planning and Governance, you will work closely with the Museum's senior leadership team and Board of Trustees to develop and deliver an ambitious organisational strategy that supports long-term transformation and growth.
Leading strategy, business planning and governance across the Museum, you will ensure that priorities are translated into measurable outcomes, performance is effectively monitored, and decision-making processes are transparent, efficient and compliant. Acting as Board Secretary, you will also oversee governance arrangements at the highest level, supporting Trustees and senior stakeholders through a significant period of organisational change and redevelopment.
About you
We are looking for a strategic leader with a strong background in governance, policy, strategy or corporate planning within a complex organisation. Comfortable operating at executive and board level, you have a proven ability to influence senior stakeholders, provide sound advice and navigate competing priorities with confidence and diplomacy.
You combine excellent judgement with outstanding communication skills, producing high-quality reports, papers and briefings that drive effective decision-making. A collaborative and resilient people manager, you enjoy building relationships across diverse teams and are motivated by helping organisations deliver meaningful change and achieve ambitious goals. Experience within the public, charity, cultural or heritage sectors would be advantageous.
Key areas of responsibility
• Lead the development and delivery of the Museum's organisational strategy, ensuring priorities are translated into clear objectives, programmes and measurable outcomes.
• Oversee annual and multi-year business planning, aligning strategic priorities, resources and performance across all directorates.
• Act as Board Secretary, supporting the Board of Trustees and committees through effective governance, planning and decision-making processes.
• Establish and maintain strategic performance reporting, providing insight and assurance to senior leaders and Trustees on progress against objectives.
• Lead and develop governance and information governance teams, ensuring compliance, risk management and organisational accountability remain at the highest standard.
The Masterplan
The British Museum is undertaking its biggest transformation since its founding nearly 300 years ago. This physical and intellectual transformation includes large scale building and gallery transformation, new ways of connecting with audiences and different ways of working. As we look towards this exciting future, we remain guided by the words of our founder Hans Sloane - who dreamed of a museum connecting all arts and sciences, which would be accessible to everyone, everywhere.
Benefits
At the British Museum, we believe our people are at the heart of everything we do and have designed a benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary. Our full list of benefits can be found via the application link, but we’ve outlined some highlights below:
• Free exhibition entry for you and guests, exclusive private views, ICOM and reciprocal museum access.
• Civil Service Pension Scheme defined benefit with 28.97% employer contribution.
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays and 2.5 privilege days (and +5 days after 10 years).
• Learning and development through courses, mentoring and Athena as well as support for professional qualifications.
• Employee Assistance Programme available 24/7 for counselling, wellbeing support and more.
• Enhanced parental leave including maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave.
• Support for carers through Employers for Carers.
• Interest‑free loans including season ticket, rental deposit and bicycle loans.
Our Values
Our values drive everything we do, from how we handle our objects to how we work in our team to fostering a culture where everyone feels heard and empowered:
• Care Deeply
• Embrace the Unknown
• Spark Curiosity
• Value Many Voices
These are a core part of how we recruit. Throughout the application, interview and selection process, we look for examples of how candidates demonstrate these behaviours in their own work and experiences. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with our values and reflect them in your application.
Additional details
If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details.
Right to Work: The British Museum holds a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. Applicants are responsible for determining whether the advertised salary and role meet current UKVI sponsorship requirements and for ensuring they have, or can obtain, the appropriate right to work in the UK. The Museum cannot provide immigration advice, and eligibility should be checked before submitting an application.
The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.
