V&A Dundee

Programme Director

Job Reference DAVAN
Closing Date Friday 27 Jan 2023

V&A Dundee is Scotland’s design museum, and our mission is to inspire and empower through design.

We have a shared vision of a future where everyone is inspired through design, recognising its far-reaching impact in our lives. We champion design and designers and want to share the infinite possibilities they bring as catalysts of creativity and change. Since opening in 2018, the museum has become an integral part of its home city, the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design. This designation recognises Dundee’s rich design heritage, its contemporary design sector, and its commitment to create a thriving, well-designed city for all. It connects Dundee to a global network of places and peers who celebrate and embed design.

The Programme Director plays a critical leadership role at V&A Dundee in delivering our new mission, vision, aims and priorities, including a new dynamic programme model, underpinned by a business plan that sets out our ambitions over the next five years. Key to delivering this is a talent for developing strong collaborations, partnerships and networks. We are looking for an exceptional candidate to lead our programme. Someone who can build on our work to date to develop and deliver an inspiring and innovative programme that generates joy, sparks curiosity, deepens our civic reach and champions design and designers. The successful candidate will understand the pivotal role that museums play in terms of their cultural, civic, social and economic influence, and their unique role in leading social change. They will be a creative, dynamic, collaborative and experienced leader with a deep passion and knowledge of design and museums.

This exciting appointment comes as we look to our 5th birthday in 2023 and beyond, as we seek to deepen our role and reach in Dundee, in Scotland, as part of the V&A family and across the world. At V&A Dundee, programme is defined in broad terms, comprising major ticketed exhibitions, a free offer of changing exhibitions and displays, Scottish Design Galleries, learning, UNESCO City of Design, a creative public programme of talks and events, V&A Dundee’s innovative Design for Business programme, as well as our design research programme.

V&A Dundee particularly welcomes interest from people who bring characteristics or come from backgrounds that are historically underrepresented at executive level.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to V&A Dundee on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit www.saxbam.com/appointments using reference DAVAN. Alternatively telephone +44 (0)20 7227 0880 (during office hours). Applications should be received by noon on Friday 27th January 2023.

We champion design and designers and want to share the infinite possibilities they bring as catalysts of creativity and change.