Preston Park Museum and Grounds Manager

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Tees Valley is seeking a dynamic leader to manage Preston Park Museum and Grounds. The role requires a proven track record in managing visitor attractions, excellent stakeholder engagement skills, and a passion for cultural development. The successful candidate will lead a newly refurbished facility, driving strategic initiatives to enhance visitor experiences and community engagement. A competitive salary and generous benefits package are included.

Benefits

Competitive salary up to £57,088

27 days annual leave

Generous pension scheme

Learning and development opportunities

Car lease scheme

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• Proven track record of managing a high-quality visitor attraction.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and partnership-building skills.
• Excellent communication abilities, both written and verbal.

Responsibilities

• Manage Preston Park Museum and Grounds ensuring high-quality visitor experience.
• Collaborate with teams to host nationally significant exhibitions.
• Drive vision and strategy for the site.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Strategic thinking

Health and safety knowledge

Commercial mindset

Passion for culture

Job description

Overview

Are you a supportive, compassionate, enthusiastic and experienced leader, with a proven track record of managing high-profile visitor attractions and delivering exceptional customer experiences?

Do you have the ambition and strategic vision to elevate Preston Park Museum and Grounds into one of the North East’s premier cultural destinations, offering a high-quality, contemporary museum experience?

Look no further – this is the opportunity for you! You will join us at an exciting and seminal moment as Preston Park Museum and Grounds has recently undergone a multimillion-pound refurbishment which has transformed the Museum offer and wider park facilities. This is your opportunity to manage a brand-new, purpose-built 500m² exhibition space and work collaboratively with the team to host nationally significant exhibitions.

We have a reputation and commitment to culture, an essential component to inspiring people to lead richer and more active lives, as well as playing a significant role in our economic, place, education, health and wellbeing priorities for the Borough.

We are looking for a highly experienced professional who is driven and self-motivated and who will provide senior management capacity in proactively driving the vision and strategy for Preston Park Museum and Grounds.

What we are looking for

• A proven track record of managing a high-quality visitor attraction.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and partnership-building skills.
• Excellent communication abilities, both written and verbal.
• Strategic thinking and creativity in developing cohesive plans.
• A sound understanding of health and safety systems within complex visitor environments.
• A commercial mindset, with a proven ability to deliver growth and maximise visitor engagement.
• A passion for expanding arts, culture, and heritage within our Borough.

For more detailed information about the role, please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification included in the Supporting Documents section.

Our Values

We are:

One Team – working together across the Council and with partners.

Community Focused – putting communities at the heart of everything we do.

Inclusive – embracing diversity as our strength.

Ambitious – striving to achieve our best every day.

Accountable – delivering on our promises.

These values underpin everything we do and shape the way we work with each other and our communities.

Why Join Us?

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council prides itself on being a great place to work where staff are trusted, valued and supported to make a positive contribution at work.

We offer an excellent total reward package, including:

• A competitive salary of up to £57,088
• 27 days annual leave per year rising to 32 with 5 years service (plus bank holidays). Ability to purchase additional leave is also available.
• Generous Pension Scheme through the LGPS with ability to pay extra and plan for retirement.
• Access to a number of other employee benefits including learning & development opportunities, a car lease scheme, discounts at high street and online retailers, an employee assistance programme and physiotherapy services.

For more information about working for Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, please visit the Careers section on our website: https://www.stockton.gov.uk/careers

If you would like an informal discussion about the post, please contact

Tara Connor, Assistant Director Culture, Libraries and Events at [e-mail] or Reuben Kench, Director of Community Services, Environment and Culture at [e-mail]

We are intending to interview week commencing 10 November 2025

Guidance for applicants

You must ensure that anything submitted in your application is factually accurate. Plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. Whilst we accept candidates may use AI tools within job applications; submissions must be truthful and relevant to your own experience.

Please note that all communication regarding your application for this post will be sent to the email address that you have registered with North East Jobs, including your invite to interview if you are short-listed. Please check your email after the closing date for notification from the [e-mail]. All communication will also appear in the My Messages section of your North East Jobs account.