Chief Executive

The Cheltenham Trust

Chief Executive

Salary: Circa £100,000 depending on experience

Location: Cheltenham

Closing Date: Sunday 1 st December

The Cheltenham Trust manages some of the most historic and iconic venues in Cheltenham, Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham Town Hall, The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum, Leisure at Cheltenham and the Prince of Wales stadium.

As the guardian of much of the town's heritage and the lead provider of culture, heritage, sport, and leisure, the trust has a major role in sustaining these significant venues, actively supporting the local and visitor economy, and helping to improve the health and wellbeing of the local community.

The trust is unique given its diverse services and its approach to carefully blending culture, community, and commercial activities for the benefit of residents in the town and surrounding areas, plus the large numbers of visitors to the "festival town".

This is an exhilarating time to join the trust, as we refresh the organisation's mission and vision, and develop a new strategic plan. We have recently refurbished The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum to create a new community art gallery, vibrant arts café, artist studios, and newly refurbished galleries. Work is currently underway to complete the next phase of refurbishment that will transform the Victorian wing of the museum to create new and accessible galleries promoting the story of Cheltenham and bringing more of its rich history to life for everyone to enjoy. The new galleries will open in Spring 2025.

In recent years the trust has faced challenges such as the pandemic, cost of living crisis, and enforced closures for structural repairs. Despite this backdrop, annual turnover has grown from £4.2m to an expected £7.3m, while the trust has evolved into a dynamic, innovative, and commercially adept organisation. However, the financial headwinds remain strong and, along with many other organisations delivering similar services across the country, achieving financial breakeven remains challenging. We are seeking a CEO who will lead the trust to long-term financial sustainability and growth and maximise the many exciting opportunities ahead.

The Cheltenham Trust is a growing and developing organisation with a committed team of staff, trustees, and volunteers. This role is a truly exciting opportunity to help develop our people and services to meet the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The development of a high-performing executive team through coaching and mentoring will be an important element of the new CEO's role.

This is an exciting and pivotal moment for our incoming CEO to shape the future direction of the trust.

If you are passionate about helping us achieve our ambitions, please click on Apply below to find out more.

Having reviewed the full details, should you wish to have a further confidential conversation to find out more about any of these roles please contact Michelle Sander or Elizabeth Theobald ,

The Cheltenham Trust is committed to embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion.