Appointment of a Chair to the Board of Historic Environment Scotland

ROLE SUMMARY

Historic Environment Scotland plays a lead role in securing the delivery of the Strategy for Scotland’s Historic Environment – “Our Past Our Future”. We are responsible for protecting and promoting some of the nation’s fabulous heritage assets, like Edinburgh Castle. We also look after some of Scotland’s outstanding collections and archives. But at Historic Environment Scotland, we do so much more – as a regulator, as a grant provider, as a research organisation and as an expert heritage adviser across a wide range of subjects.

We are looking for a Chair with the proven experience and authority to lead the Board through a period of significant change. The successful candidate will have driven internal culture change, may have faced turnaround challenges, should have an instinct for opportunities in the heritage sector and will have the warmth and energy to engage both the Board and the wider heritage and culture community.

The Board is responsible for determining the overall vision, strategic aims and objec ti ves of Historic Environment Scotland, in accordance with the statutory du ti es and within the policy and resource framework agreed with Sco tti sh Ministers.

ROLE CRITERIA

Before you start your application please download the Application Information Pack

Skills/Experience Required

Priority criterion

Strategic vision and leadership.

Essential criteria

• Experience of promoting and embedding a positive and inclusive culture.

• Leading change in an organisation with a dispersed and diverse workforce.

• Relationship management, collaboration and influence.

Ability to demonstrate understanding of the governance role of a board.

REMUNERATION AND TIME COMMITMENT

Remuneration for this appointment is £408 per day. Reasonable travel and subsistence, childcare and carer receipted expenses incurred will be reimbursed. This role is non-pensionable.

The average time commitment is approximately four days per month, however, we expect that the time commitment will be greater for the first six to twelve months of this appointment and will be six to eight days per month.

How to Apply

• Download and save the ’Applicant Information Pack’.

• Click ‘Apply Now’ on the advert.

• Complete the personal information and conflict of interest questions.

• Add evidence in each box relating to priority criteria, and essential criteria 1 to 4, noting the word counts for each section.

• Add evidence against the box relating to your Tailored Career/Life History.

Follow the instructions and click submit.

Please note that you will not be able to update your answers or suppor ti ng documents once the online applica ti on is submitted. Late applica ti ons will not be accepted by the selec ti on panel.

Public appointments are made by Scottish Ministers. The appointments process is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner you can find out more about the Commissioner here: Public appointments | Ethical Standards Commissioner

EQUALITY STATEMENT

Scottish Ministers value highly the benefits of diverse Public Body Boards. People from all walks of life are encouraged to apply for public appointments.

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Find out more about public appointments here: Public appointments - gov.scot (

If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the appointments process or further support with your application, please contact the Public Appointments Team by email at ***email_hidden*** .

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

The closing date for applications is 17.00 on Wednesday 23 July 2026.