Job profile: manager (heritage sector)

Overview

All heritage activities and organisations need accounting and administrative support to take care of their business activity.

Full Description

Responsibilities

All heritage activities and organisations need accounting and administrative support to take care of their business activity. The work covers areas such as accountancy, fundraising, publicity, organising exhibitions, customer care and management of people and buildings. Directors and Managers play a key role in helping organisations to achieve their goals, through managing resources (such as people, money, materials) and work activities.

Managers/Directors provide this support for organisations such as galleries, museums, visitor centres as well as heritage bodies and institutions both at national and local level. Often the smaller the organisation the more the manager will need to have specific knowledge of the historic and cultural values support the institution

Managers' work varies considerably depending on the type and size of the organisation. For a small museum or heritage centre, they may be responsible for the whole day-to-day running of all aspects of the venue or organisation. For a large body, such as a National Trust regional office, they may need to understand the work of several departments, such as policy, personnel or finance, but may not be directly responsible for this sort of work. They might also specialise in one area, such overseeing the provision of information to the public.

Although the day-to-day work activities of individual managers vary, all are involved in managing people. This can be a demanding part of the job, as a manager may have to balance the needs of an individual against those of the organisation.

Skills associated with this job

Work activities

  • dealing with the stakeholders, ranging from the general public to business and commercial concerns, in person and by telephone
  • overseeing the observance of statutory and legal duties and compliance, and such other activities as fall within the remit (from cleaning contracts to funding packages and strategic planning)
  • forward planning, including the development of viable plans, budgets and resources
  • business analysis
  • fixing dates and venues and an overall programme of activity for the organisation, such as exhibitions, an educational programme or restoration and conservation time
  • promotion and publicity
  • finding out about funds from funding bodies, developing suitable packages and applying for funds.
  • creating internal policies for the heritage activities
  • organising education and training, or allocating grants and funding
  • processing grant applications and payments, manage venues and events and liaise with heritage organisations and local authorities
  • report writing
  • project development
People-management activities may include some or all of the following:
  • recruiting and training new staff
  • coaching, mentoring and developing members of the team
  • conducting performance reviews/appraisals
  • arranging and chairing meetings with team members
  • setting, and monitoring the achievement of, specific targets
  • team-building and resolving conflicts within the team
  • taking part in grievance and disciplinary procedures.
Managers may also have additional responsibilities, including:
  • overseeing the work of the section or organization and production or delivery of a service or product
  • controlling and monitoring budgets and other resources
  • marketing products and services to staff as well as customers
  • producing management reports.

Knowledge

  • knowledge of the organisation, product or service
  • knowledge of culture underpinning it
  • knowledge of people management policies and employment law
  • knowledge of health and safety issues
  • knowledge of the market for the product or service environment
  • understanding of grants and funding.

Skills

  • computer skills, such as word processing, spreadsheets and databases
  • work well with all kinds of people, both as part of a team and as a leader
  • excellent communication skills both verbal and written, including report writing
  • problem-solving skills
  • to be flexible and able to handle different kinds of work
  • Able to coordinate resources to provide a product or service
  • Able to devise 'forward planning' strategies
  • able to motivate and encourage others
  • decisive and able to work well under pressure
  • able to work on own initiative
  • effective at forward planning, prioritising, monitoring and reviewing
  • numerate and able to analyse and interpret information in a range of formats
  • able to resolve conflicts swiftly
  • persuasive in order to influence people
  • the ability to delegate when appropriate
  • good at problem-solving, multi-tasking and thinking laterally

Behaviours and personal qualities

  • command respect and trust both as partner and leader
  • an interest in the cultural history in general, or a particular aspect of it
  • be motivated by achieving set goals or targets
  • enjoy taking responsibility.
  • keep calm under pressure
  • creative flair
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