We care for Dr Jenner’s House, the Berkeley former home of pioneering country doctor Edward Jenner. It was from here that Jenner told the world about the world’s first vaccination, starting a ...
Trustee with experience of Built Heritage, Conservation and Capital Projects
Practical details
Volunteering • Organisation role
Contact person
Jonathan Steel
#123003
Scan me or visit www.govolunteerglos.org/o/Dr-Jenners-House/opportunities/Trustee-with-experience-of-Built-Heritage-Conservation-and-Capital-Projects/123003 to join
We are seeking a Trustee to strengthen the Board's built heritage and conservation expertise, enabling us to be an informed client throughout our restoration.
Trustee Role Description
Built Heritage, Conservation and Capital Projects
Organisation: The Jenner Trust / Dr Jenner’s House, Museum and Garden
Role title: Trustee — Built Heritage, Conservation and Capital Projects
Location: Berkeley, Gloucestershire, with meetings both online and on site
Time commitment: Board meetings every other month, plus monthly Project Steering Group meetings during the current project phase
About Dr Jenner’s House
Dr Jenner’s House, Museum and Garden is one of the most significant heritage sites in the history of public health. From this house in Berkeley, Edward Jenner developed and shared vaccination: a local story with global impact.
The Trust is entering an important new phase. With support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we are progressing plans for the conservation, repair and renewal of the site, alongside improvements to interpretation, access, visitor experience, business resilience and public engagement.
This is an exciting moment to join the Board as the Trust develops an ambitious programme of work to care for the historic buildings, strengthen the museum, and secure the long-term future of this internationally important heritage site.
Why we are recruiting
The Trust is entering an important period of conservation, repair and renewal, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. As the project develops, we are looking to strengthen the Board’s built heritage and conservation expertise.
We are seeking a trustee who can help the Board act as an informed client, ask the right questions, and provide constructive oversight as we work with architects, conservation specialists, surveyors, interpretation consultants and other professional advisers.
This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of a nationally and internationally significant heritage site at a pivotal moment in its development.
The role
As a trustee, you will share collective responsibility for the governance and strategic direction of the charity. Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the charity carries out its purposes for public benefit, complies with its governing document and the law, acts in the charity’s best interests, manages resources responsibly, and remains accountable.
In addition, this trustee will bring specialist insight into the care, repair and development of historic buildings and heritage places.
The successful candidate will also be invited to join the Project Steering Group for the conservation project, helping the Trust maintain strong oversight as the project develops and as we begin working with the design team during the current phase.
This role is not intended to replace the work of appointed professional advisers. Rather, it will help the Board understand, scrutinise and support that work, ensuring that decisions are well-informed, proportionate and aligned with the Trust’s charitable objectives.
Key responsibilities
The trustee will:
- Support the Board in understanding issues relating to the conservation, repair, maintenance and development of Dr Jenner’s House, the Temple of Vaccinia, the garden and associated historic structures.
- Help the Trust act as an effective client when working with architects, conservation specialists, surveyors, interpretation consultants, contractors and other professional advisers.
- Contribute to the Project Steering Group, offering informed challenge and support as the conservation project moves forward.
- Help ensure that decisions balance conservation, access, visitor experience, sustainability, affordability and long-term maintenance.
- Support the Trust in identifying risks, dependencies and opportunities within capital works and conservation planning.
- Assist the Board in reviewing relevant project documents, professional advice, reports, briefs and proposals.
- Help ensure that the Trust’s built heritage work supports the wider organisational vision: restoring and renewing Dr Jenner’s House as a locally rooted heritage site with a globally significant story.
- Champion good governance, proportionate decision-making and clear boundaries between trustee oversight and professional delivery.
We are particularly interested in people with experience in one or more of the following areas
- Architecture, especially conservation architecture or work with listed buildings.
- Building conservation, historic fabric repair or heritage construction.
- Chartered building surveying, historic building surveying or quinquennial-style inspection work.
- Capital project governance, especially within museums, heritage sites, charities or publicly funded projects.
- Working with professional teams on conservation or restoration projects.
- Understanding of listed building consent, planning, building regulations, access, maintenance planning or heritage risk management.
- Experience of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England, local authority conservation processes or similar heritage funding and project environments would be helpful, but is not essential.
Person specification
We are looking for someone who can bring:
- A commitment to the purposes and public benefit of Dr Jenner’s House.
- A thoughtful and pragmatic approach to caring for historic buildings.
- The ability to ask constructive questions and offer proportionate advice.
- An understanding of the pressures and opportunities facing small heritage charities.
- Good judgement, integrity and willingness to work collectively with other trustees, staff, volunteers and advisers.
- An appreciation of the importance of access, inclusion and public engagement within heritage settings.
- The confidence to contribute specialist knowledge without becoming the project manager or professional adviser.
- A willingness to support an open, collaborative and respectful Board culture.
Desirable but not essential
- Professional accreditation or membership, for example RIBA, ARB, RICS, IHBC, AABC, CARE, CIOB or a related professional body.
- Experience of working with museums, heritage attractions, gardens, historic houses or community heritage organisations.
- Experience of accessibility improvements in historic environments.
- Experience of project boards, steering groups, grant-funded capital projects or conservation management planning.
- Knowledge of Gloucestershire, the South West heritage sector, or relevant regional professional networks.
Time commitment
The Board currently meets every other month. Meetings are usually held online three times a year and on site at Dr Jenner’s House in Berkeley three times a year.
The successful candidate would also be invited to join the Project Steering Group, which currently meets monthly online. There may be additional meetings or site-based discussions as the Trust begins working with the design team during the current phase of the project.
The role will also involve some preparation time for meetings, occasional review of project documents, and occasional site visits or conversations with staff, trustees and professional advisers.
A realistic expectation would be around one to two meetings per month during active project periods, with some additional reading and preparation between meetings.
What the trustee will gain
This is a rare opportunity to help shape the future of a nationally and internationally significant heritage site at a pivotal moment in its development.
The trustee will join the Trust as it develops an ambitious programme of conservation, interpretation, access and organisational renewal. They will have the opportunity to contribute to a live heritage project, work alongside experienced professionals, and help safeguard a place whose story continues to resonate globally.
Eligibility and expectations
Trustees must be eligible to act as charity trustees and will be expected to act in accordance with the Trust’s governing document, charity law, and the collective decisions of the Board.
The role is voluntary. Trustees are expected to prepare for and attend meetings, contribute constructively, maintain confidentiality where required, declare conflicts of interest, and act in the best interests of the charity.
Because the Trust will be appointing and working with professional consultants and contractors, any potential conflicts of interest will need to be declared and managed carefully.
Recruitment process
The Trust is committed to an open recruitment process. We welcome interest from people with a range of professional backgrounds and lived experience, and we are keen to strengthen the diversity, skills and resilience of the Board.
Applicants are invited to submit a short expression of interest outlining their relevant experience and why they would like to support Dr Jenner’s House, together with a CV.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an informal conversation with trustees and the Museum Director.
To express interest, please contact:
Jonathan Steel, Chair of the Jenner Trust,
Related to
About Dr Jenner's House
We care for Dr Jenner’s House, the Berkeley former home of pioneering country doctor Edward Jenner. It was from here that Jenner told the world about the world’s first vaccination, starting a revolution in the way we think about protecting ourselves and others. Now we open Jenner’s beautiful house to visitors, groups and schools so that we can tell the human story of vaccination and inspire the next generation of vaccine scientists.
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