Appointment of a Chair to the Board of Historic Environment Scotland

ROLE SUMMARY

Historic Environment Scotland plays a lead role in securing the delivery of the Strategy for Scotland’s Historic Environment – “Our Past Our Future”. We are responsible for protecting and promoting some of the nation’s fabulous heritage assets, like Edinburgh Castle. We also look after some of Scotland’s outstanding collections and archives. But at Historic Environment Scotland, we do so much more – as a regulator, as a grant provider, as a research organisation and as an expert heritage adviser across a wide range of subjects.

We are looking for a Chair with the proven experience and authority to lead the Board through a period of significant change. The successful candidate will have driven internal culture change, may have faced turnaround challenges, should have an instinct for opportunities in the heritage sector and will have the warmth and energy to engage both the Board and the wider heritage and culture community. 

The Board is responsible for determining the overall vision, strategic aims and objectives of Historic Environment Scotland, in accordance with the statutory duties and within the policy and resource framework agreed with Scottish Ministers.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Chair of the Board has particular responsibility for: 

Leadership and Strategy 

• Providing strategic leadership, considering long-term vision and setting appropriate goals for HES, leading through a period of transformational change.   

• Chairing the HES Board meetings in a manner that facilitates constructive discussion, managing conflict and negotiating compromise when required. 

• Championing HES’s overall mission and strategic direction in a changing and politically sensitive environment. 

• Leading the HES Board while remaining resilient to the challenges ahead, particularly in the context of financial challenges. 

• Ensuring that the Board, in reaching decisions, takes proper account of its statutory duties, and the policy and resource framework agreed with Scottish Ministers. 

• Ensuring effective corporate governance, and that the principles of public life and public accountability are followed. 

• Maintaining progress in delivering on HES’s priorities. 

• Advising Scottish Ministers of the needs of HES when Board member vacancies arise, with a view to ensuring a proper balance of relevant skills, knowledge and diversity. 

 

Collaboration 

• Representing HES publicly in an ambassadorial role. 
• Communicating the vision and representing the views of HES to diverse audiences 
• including government, the media, a range of sectors and other stakeholders 
• Influencing and engaging key stakeholders in the political, cultural, private and other relevant arenas.   
• Supporting the growth and diversification of income streams. 
• Governance and Organisational Performance 
• Ensuring that HES operates in accordance with the Scottish Government’s National 

 

Performance Framework 

• Being responsible for ensuring that HES operates in accordance with its scheme of administration including chairing Board meetings and ensuring that all HES Board 

• Committees function in line with expectations for effective governance processes. 

• Ensuring that all new members of the HES Board are fully briefed on the terms of their appointment and on their duties, rights and responsibilities, and that they receive appropriate induction training.

• Conducting and assessing appraisals of the performance of individual Board members on an annual basis. 

• Acting as line manager of the Chief Executive including setting objectives and conducting appraisals of the performance of the Chief Executive.

 

For further information regarding this appointment, please contact Holly Gadd, Board and Executive Support Coordinator, Historic Environment Scotland at holly.gadd@hes.scot 

and/or

Download information pack about the role and the board, and How to Apply found in the Applicant Information Pack