Director

Peridot Partners; Compton; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading arts organization in Compton seeks an inspiring Director to lead the Watts Gallery Trust. The ideal candidate will drive strategic leadership, focusing on financial sustainability and community engagement. With a rich history and commitment to art for all, the role requires creative vision and exceptional management skills. This position offers the chance to shape a vibrant cultural destination for generations. Interested candidates should apply by submitting a CV and statement by the specified deadline.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Flexible working arrangements

Supportive community environment

Qualifications

• Proven track record of empathetic leadership and transformation.
• Ability to develop a sustainable operational strategy.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for Watts Gallery Trust.
• Collaborate with board and staff to drive financial sustainability.
• Engage with communities to expand audience reach.

Skills

Leadership

Creative vision

Commercial acumen

Community engagement

Strategic thinking

Education

Experience in cultural or arts management

Job description

Champion art, craft, making and learning as Director of the Watts Gallery Trust. Shape this unique cultural destination and community hub, to deliver a creative and sustainable future.

Image credit: Libby Whyte

Who we are

Founded by Mary Watts over 120 years ago, Watts Gallery , managed by Watts Gallery Trust, is dedicated to the life and work of Victorian artists and social activists, George Frederic Watts and Mary Seton Watts. Set within an 18-acre estate, the Gallery showcases an exceptional collection of paintings, sculpture and works on paper, alongside a dynamic programme of exhibitions, events and learning activities.

At the heart of the site is the historic gallery building, opened in 1904 to make art accessible to all — a vision that continues today through our inclusive, community-focused mission.

Visitors can also explore the nearby home and studios of George and Mary Watts at Limnerslease, as well as the extraordinary Watts Chapel, designed by Mary Watts and built with local villagers, embodying the founders’ belief in the power of art to inspire, uplift and drive social change.

Watts Gallery has a unique sense of place and the opportunity to re‑position itself as a centre for both traditional and contemporary arts and crafts, bringing artists, creatives and communities together in the spirit of the site’s original vision.

About the role

Watts Gallery seeks an inspiring, creative and entrepreneurial Director to provide strategic leadership and operational management across its unique multi‑site estate.

Working collaboratively with the board of trustees, staff and volunteers, the Director will provide clear and focused leadership to shape a bold, creative and resilient future for Watts Gallery.

With a focus on driving financial sustainability, accentuating our point of difference and developing current and new audiences, our next Director will be an enabling, proactive and sensitively progressive leader with a can‑do and creative approach.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking an experienced leader, capable of driving empathetic modernisation and change and who brings the vision, creative energy and commercial aptitude to safeguard the future of Watts Gallery Trust for generations to come.

Reporting to the Chair of Trustees, the Director will lead the Trust to new heights, building on the successful transformation of the estate and drive future projects to further establish Watts Gallery as a pre‑eminent cultural destination. The successful candidate will combine vision and creative energy with outstanding management and business acumen and will be given the space and mandate to rethink structures, priorities and ways of working at this pivotal time.

The role requires an individual with the ability to develop an organisational strategy which delivers financial security through authentically connecting the vision of the founders with the needs of communities and creatives today.

The Director is also a Director of the Artist’s Studio Museum Network, connecting over 150 artists’ studio museums worldwide.

This is an opportunity to truly deliver ‘art for all’, and most importantly, ‘by all’.

To view the role description and person specification, please go to the ‘How to Apply’ tab above, fill in your details and download the job description and person specification. For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners.

If you would like to know more about this role please contact David Hingley

Thank you so much for your interest in Watts Gallery Trust.

Founded in 1904 as the flowering of an extraordinary artistic and socially pioneering partnership, Watts Gallery proudly upholds the legacy of its founders, George Frederic and Mary Seton Watts and their enduring conviction that art can and does inspire and transform lives.

G F Watts was celebrated as one of the most influential artists of his generation. He created powerful and evocative works that continue to resonate today. Mary Watts, an innovative artist and designer, established the Potters’ Arts Guild at Compton, fostering creativity and craftsmanship amongst the women of the local community.

As we approach the next chapter with the appointment of a new Director, the board and senior leadership team remain dedicated to achieving long‑term financial sustainability, deepening our work with local communities and safeguarding the future of Watts Gallery Trust for generations to come. However, our finances have yet to recover from the impact of the pandemic and it is recognised that fresh thinking is needed if Watts is to fulfil its potential.

Our 120‑year history is a testament to the vision and values that guide us, inspiring us to look ahead with ambition, creativity and resolve.

We invite you to consider how your expertise and belief in the power of art can help us shape a vibrant and inclusive future.

Sarah King
Chair of the Board of Trustees

About Watts Gallery

Our vision

To be a creative home for our local community.

Our mission

Art for All by All.

Our values

• Nurturing creativity
• Inclusive community
• A place to inspire

Founded by Mary Watts over 120 years ago, Watts Gallery is set on a beautiful 18-acre site in the Surrey Hills on the outskirts of Guildford. It is home to an impressive collection of art. The site hosts an ever‑evolving programme of exhibitions and an increasingly important range of art and craft workshops and events. Visitors can explore Limnerslease, the founders’ home and studios; the extraordinary Grade I listed Watts Chapel designed by Mary Watts, gardens and woodland play areas and Watts Gallery itself, which features the historic, sculpture and temporary exhibition galleries and the De Morgan collection.

More than its paintings, sculpture and pottery, Watts is about the art of ideas. G F and Mary Watts sought to use their art to tackle issues such as animal cruelty, women’s rights and disadvantage. In that same spirit, our work also extends far beyond the gallery walls to deliver a dynamic and inclusive engagement programme, reaching communities in need regionally, in partnership with schools, prisons and community groups. Everything we do reflects our founders’ belief in the transformational power of the arts and their commitment to social progress.

The Trust also leads the Artist’s Studio Museum Network, connecting over 150 artists’ studio museums worldwide. Our ambitions are closely aligned with leading cultural strategies, including Arts Council England’s Let’s Create and the Surprising Surrey initiative, reinforcing our dedication to creativity, excellence and community impact.

The Trust benefits from a support network of over 200 amazing volunteers and supporters across a variety of roles, including, of course, our trustees and advisers — and it employs the equivalent of 48 full‑time staff.

We understand that different members of the community have different access needs and have made some modifications to the way we do business to accommodate people from diverse communities and abilities.

As a historic site there are limitations with our built architecture. However, limited accommodations can be made to allow for better accessibility.

Our accessibility provisions include:

• Accessibility dogs are welcome.
• Interviews can be held in meeting rooms that support hearing loops.
• Papers and materials can be presented in different formats.
• A sign language interpreter can be accessed for interviews.
• Working patterns and locations can be adjusted.

Applicants with a disability are invited to contact us in confidence at any point during the recruitment process to discuss steps that could be taken to overcome operational difficulties presented by the role, or if any adjustments or support are required regarding the recruitment process.

For further information or to organise a conversation, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners.

To access a full job description and application details,
please fill out the form below.

To formally apply, please submit a CV and supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.

Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.

Please ensure that your application is emailed to [e-mail] , inserting “Application: Watts Gallery—Director” into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2‑3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.

As a sector‑leading executive search consultancy, we know the importance of creating recruitment processes that are fair, inclusive, and free from bias. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a process that values differences.

If you require any job information in an alternative format (e.g. large print), please let us know. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.

Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.

Timetable

Closing date: 9 a.m. Wednesday 18th February 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: By Wednesday 25th February 2026
First stage interviews (Virtual): Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd March 2026
Second stage interviews (In person): Wednesday 11th March 2026

Peridot and Watts Gallery are committed to promoting equality and diversity. To help us raise awareness and support a culture that is diverse and recognises and develops the potential of all, we need to appreciate the profile of candidates who apply for positions. We will send you an equality monitoring survey at the point of receiving your application and at the time of placement. This ensures that our processes remain inclusive and equitable throughout and provides us with important data to help us showcase our impact.

The information will be treated confidentially and anonymously and will help us to support our commitment to fair recruitment practice. All information provided will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with anyone, in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 launched on 25 May 2018.

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