Director of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH) was opened in 1860 and houses the University’s extensive scientific holdings in natural history, which are used for research, teaching, and public engagement with science. The Museum is ‘Designated’ by Arts Council England as having collections of national and international importance, and these comprise more than 7 million specimens that are second in importance only to the national collections. The Museum is one of the most popular science museums in the UK with over 800,000 visitors per year, including over 40,000 school visitors, and is the second most visited university museum globally (behind Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum).

Following the retirement of Professor Paul Smith in September 2024, the University of Oxford is now seeking to appoint a new Director for OUMNH. The Directorship is associated with a professorial fellowship at Kellogg College. The Director is responsible for taking forward the Museum’s strategic priorities in public engagement, in research, and in the curation of its 7m+ collection items. In addition to being one of the UK’s most important natural history collections, OUMNH is a department of the University of Oxford and a key part of the University’s Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM). As such, the Director will be expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to the University’s core missions of education, research, and public engagement. The role involves strategic leadership of the Museum and the setting and delivery of the strategy, policies and goals for the future in line with the overall direction agreed by the Board of Visitors of the Museum, in alignment with the Strategic Framework of GLAM. The Director will also be expected to set an agenda for growing income from across public and commercial funding sources, with an increased focus on philanthropic fundraising.

Candidates for the position should possess well-developed leadership and management skills, strong organisational and financial acumen, and the ability to develop and deliver a compelling vision and strategy for the Museum. The successful candidate will have an outstanding track record in museums, with experience of balancing the needs of large-scale collection management and research, and the opportunities for broad public access and education.

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact:

Dr Graham Little (grahamlittle@mcleanpartnership.com).

All enquiries will be treated in strict confidence; they will not form part of the selection decision. Further information, including the role description, selection criteria and details of how to apply, is available in the candidate brochure.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon GMT on Monday 6th January 2025.

Applications should be submitted via email to OUMNH@mcleanpartnership.com and should consist of a CV and supporting statement.

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