Transformation Manager - The Chester House Estate

North Northamptonshire Council; Wellingborough; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Chester House Estate, operated by North Northamptonshire Council, is seeking a creative, commercially minded leader to drive its long-term future. Reporting to the Head of Culture, Tourism and Heritage, you will lead the 5-Year Master Plan, establish a charitable Trust and social enterprise, and develop a robust business model with a strong funding strategy.

Your role will coordinate governance, finance and partnerships across heritage, education and community sectors, ensuring delivery

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading organisational change or development, ideally in heritage, culture, tourism, charity or public sector.
• Strong business-planning and financial skills, including building and interrogating financial models and budgets.
• Track record of generating income through fundraising, grants, sponsorship and/or commercial development.
• Understanding of charitable structures, trading subsidiaries / CICs and governance.
• Experience building partnerships and engaging stakeholders, including senior leaders and funders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the 5-Year Master Plan for the estate, setting vision, capital investment priorities and programming.
• Drive governance reforms, including establishing a charitable Trust and linked social enterprise.
• Develop and maintain the estate's business plan and five-year financial model.
• Grow income through fundraising, grants, sponsorship, membership and partnerships.
• Coordinate partnerships across heritage, education, commercial and community sectors.
• Manage funded programmes and oversee consultants supporting implementation.

Skills

Leadership

Business planning

Financial modelling

Fundraising

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic thinking

Project management

Communication

Education

Graduate qualification or equivalent experience

Tools

PRINCE2

APM

MSP

Job description

The Chester House Estate is one of North Northamptonshire’s most significant heritage destinations. It sits within a scheduled ancient monument and brings together Roman, Saxon and medieval archaeology, historic listed buildings, the Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre (ARC) and extensive grounds.

Since opening in 2021, the estate has grown into a nationally award-winning destination. Its learning programme is accredited, the ARC is respected across the sector, and its calendar of weddings, events, festivals and community activity has made it a much-loved part of local life.

We are now planning for the estate’s long-term future, and this new role will lead that next chapter. Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, an independent governance review has set out how Chester House can grow with greater flexibility and impact. The Council will keep ownership and oversight while an independent charitable Trust and a linked social enterprise are developed over time.

Reporting to the Head of Culture, Tourism and Heritage, you will:

• lead the 5-Year Master Plan for the estate, setting the vision, capital investment priorities and programming for the years ahead
• take the governance review’s recommendations into practical delivery, including setting up the Trust and social enterprise
• develop the business plan and five-year financial model, building on the estate’s strong income growth
• grow income through fundraising, grants, sponsorship, membership and commercial partnerships
• build partnerships across the heritage, education, commercial and community sectors
• manage the Heritage Fund-supported programme and coordinate the specialist consultants supporting it

This is a strategic, hands-on role for a creative and commercially astute leader. You will have experience of leading change, strong business-planning and financial skills, a track record of generating income, and the ability to build confidence with teams, partners, funders and elected members.

What will you be doing?

You will lead the next chapter of The Chester House Estate. You’ll build on everything achieved in its first five years and turn it into a long-term future, while protecting the estate’s heritage and public value. Your work will cover five main areas.

Leading the next phase

• Lead delivery of the estate’s development programme, maintaining a clear plan, milestones and risk management, and reporting progress to the project board and Head of Service.
• Drive the phased hybrid / parallel governance model through its defined decision gateways, making sure each decision is well evidenced and properly prepared.
• Progress the establishment of the charitable Trust and linked social enterprise, coordinating specialist legal and governance advice and the staffing and asset-ownership workstreams. Staff will remain employed by the Council.
• Provide Council-side project management of the commissioned consultancy work supporting the transition.

Business planning and finance

• Develop and maintain the estate’s business plan and five-year financial model with Council finance colleagues.
• Test options and scenarios to inform decisions, including the financial implications of the new governance model.
• Build on the estate’s strong income growth to secure its long-term financial sustainability.

Shaping the estate’s future

• Lead the commissioning and delivery of the 5-Year Master Plan. It will set out the strategic vision, capital investment priorities and phasing, income ambitions, heritage and community programming, audience development and key milestones.
• Make sure the Master Plan is co-produced with partners and stakeholders and builds on the visioning work already completed.

Income, audiences and partnerships

• Develop and deliver an income-generation strategy covering fundraising, grants, sponsorship, membership and commercial partnerships, setting and achieving income targets.
• Grow audiences and build strategic partnerships across the heritage, education, commercial and community sectors.
• Build on existing partnerships, including the University of Leicester and Creating Tomorrow College, and develop new relationships with funders, sponsors and investors.

People, programme and reporting

• Manage The National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported programme and other grant-funded activity, including budgets, reporting, acknowledgement, evaluation and financial monitoring.
• Provide leadership and coordination across the estate’s teams and with consultants, keeping strategic priorities on track alongside day-to-day operations.
• Prepare high-quality papers, options and recommendations for the project board, senior officers and elected members.
• Act as an ambassador for The Chester House Estate and North Northamptonshire’s heritage at local, regional and national level.
• Work within all Council policies, including procurement, subsidy control, financial and governance requirements, health and safety, safeguarding and GDPR.

About you

You will be a creative, commercially minded leader who can turn a good plan into real delivery. You’ll be at home with a financial model and a funder report, and just as comfortable walking the site with the team or making the case to councillors. Most of all, you’ll be excited by the chance to shape the long-term future of a much-loved heritage site.

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

• proven experience of leading organisational change or development, ideally in heritage, culture, tourism, charity or the public sector
• strong business-planning and financial skills, including building and interrogating financial models and budgets
• a track record of generating income through fundraising, grants, sponsorship and/or commercial development
• an understanding of charitable structures, trading subsidiaries / CICs and governance
• experience of building partnerships and engaging stakeholders, including senior leaders and funders
• the ability to work independently and manage a complex, multi-strand programme to time and budget
• excellent communication, influencing and report-writing skills, and the confidence to bring teams, senior officers and stakeholders with you
• strategic thinking combined with practical, hands‑on delivery
• a relevant graduate qualification or equivalent experience, and a commitment to continuing professional development

It would be great if you also have:

• knowledge of the heritage and cultural sector and its funding landscape, including The National Lottery Heritage Fund
• familiarity with local authority settings, procurement and subsidy control
• experience of setting up or developing a charitable trust or social enterprise
• experience of developing master plans or strategic plans for heritage, cultural or visitor attraction sites
• a project or programme management qualification, such as PRINCE2, APM or MSP