Management

The post will lead the delivery of a major national partnership project exploring the cultural and historical relationship between Scotland and cinema.

V&A Dundee and Screen Scotland (the Strategic Partners) are seeking a Programme Lead who will strategically drive the national partnership opportunities, manage stakeholders and oversee the operational aspects of the project’s development. The post holder will play a pivotal role in shaping partnership agreements and external relationships, acting as the central point of contact between the Strategic Partners, the project’s Creative Consultant and a growing network of partners and collaborators.

Internally, the Programme Lead will work alongside the curatorial and production teams to manage resource, timelines and budget, chair organisation-wide Project Team Meetings and support cross-organisational communications. They will join a small, focused team as the project moves from research and development into operational delivery, and will work with colleagues across the organisation as well as partner organisations, a reference group and external stakeholders.

We welcome applications from individuals currently working within the Scottish screen sector and would be pleased to consider secondment opportunities.

Head of Exhibitions & Design | Full time | 35 hours | Permanent
Full Time Salary: £64,762 – £73,428
Hours: 35 hours per week | Monday – Friday
Location: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh | Hybrid | Occasional national and international travel

National Museums Scotland is one of the leading museum groups in Europe with one of the largest and most diverse collections in the world.

As an organisation our values are Creative, Inclusive, Collaborative and Forward-thinking.

We are looking for an experienced and collaborative leader with a passion for creating exceptional audience experiences to join our Exhibitions & Design team.

Benefits of joining us as our Head of Exhibitions & Design include:

Annually alongside your salary, National Museums Scotland contributes 28.97% of this towards you being a member of the Civil Service Pension Scheme
A generous annual leave of 28.5 days – rising to 33.5 after 5 years, plus an additional 8 paid days public holidays
Free access to national (and international) museums and exhibitions
A range of wellbeing benefits including Employee Assistance Programme 24/7
Access to all the above and more from day one of employment.

About the Head of Exhibitions & Design role:

In this role, you will lead National Museums Scotland’s exhibitions and design activity, working with colleagues across the organisation to create inspiring, audience-focused experiences that bring Scotland’s National Collection to life. Through strategic leadership, creative collaboration and excellent project delivery, you will help shape how millions of visitors engage with our museums, collections and stories.

As Head of Exhibitions & Design at National Museums Scotland you will:

Be responsible for the development, planning and delivery of a strategically driven, engaging and coordinated programme of world class exhibitions and their touring
Take overall responsibility for a programme of investments in our permanent displays coordinating a series of capital investments and refreshment projects.
Be responsible for the delivery of high quality and effective interpretation of visitor content outputs across National Museum Scotland sites.
Lead and maintain high standards of design quality, consistency and coherence across National Museum Scotland sites, including exhibitions, permanent displays, brand development, and communication channels

Skills and experience we’re looking for in our Head of Exhibitions & Design:

Significant experience of managing high profile exhibition and permanent display projects in a museum, visitor attraction or heritage attraction environment
Experience of dealing with a diverse range of people management issues, commensurate with senior manager-level responsibilities
Proven ability to provide strategic leadership and direction for complex exhibition, design and visitor-focused programmes
Ability to champion innovation, creativity and continuous improvement while maintaining organisational standard.
Please be sure to view relevant attachments for this role (available on our Careers Portal: careers.nms.ac.uk) for full details of the position.

The expected closing date for this role is 16/11/2026 (16 NOVEMBER 2026).
The Selection Event is likely to take place either WC 23/11/2026 or W/C 07/12/2026 (7 DECEMBER 2026).

Eden Scott is delighted to be working with the National Trust for Scotland, Scotland’s leading conservation and membership charity. They protect and share places, landscapes and collections of national significance so that they can be enjoyed for generations to come.

Fundraising is central to achieving the charity’s ambitions. In 2025/26, the Fundraising & Philanthropy team raised more than £15 million against a target of £11.9 million. The Trust is finalising a new five-year fundraising strategy to accelerate high-value fundraising, strengthen long-term supporter relationships and embed a culture of philanthropy across the organisation.

This is an opportunity to join a successful and high-performing team, and to help turn an ambitious fundraising strategy into sustained income and organisational impact. Reporting to the Head of Fundraising & Philanthropy, the Deputy Head of Philanthropy will lead an experienced group of fundraising managers, coordinate delivery across a diverse portfolio and connect supporters with some of Scotland’s most significant places, landscapes and collections.

The Head of Fundraising & Philanthropy leads the Trust’s fundraising strategy and sets its strategic direction providing senior operational leadership, translating that strategy into coordinated plans, priorities and measurable results across the fundraising portfolio.

The postholder leads and develops five Fundraising Managers, oversees major campaigns and appeals, and ensures that resources, budgets, data and activity are aligned with the strategy and wider organisational priorities.

Key accountabilities include:

Strategy, performance and organisational leadership:

Support the Head of Fundraising & Philanthropy to implement the fundraising strategy, translating its direction into coordinated annual plans, priorities, targets and performance measures.

People leadership:

Lead, coach and develop five Fundraising Managers, setting clear expectations and holding them accountable for agreed objectives and results.

Supporter experience and fundraising standards:

Lead the development and delivery of a consistent supporter journey that strengthens stewardship, retention and long-term value.

Campaigns and income growth:

Under the strategic leadership of the Head of Fundraising & Philanthropy, direct the planning, delivery and evaluation of major campaigns and appeals to achieve agreed project and income targets.

Financial, data and operational oversight:

Oversee the development and management of income and expenditure budgets, forecasts and recovery plans across the fundraising portfolio.

Stakeholder engagement and representation:

Develop trusted relationships with senior leaders, colleagues and internal stakeholders so that fundraising is integrated into organisational planning and decision-making and represents the National Trust for Scotland at relevant events, conferences and networking opportunities.

Key skills and experience required:

Senior-level experience of leading multidisciplinary fundraising teams and delivering sustained income growth.
A strong track record of translating strategy set by senior leadership into costed plans, priorities, targets and measurable results.
Substantial knowledge of several fundraising disciplines and the ability to lead effectively across a broad portfolio.
Experience of leading complex, high-value campaigns or appeals involving multiple internal stakeholders.
Proven ability to lead, coach and develop experienced managers.

This role offers an excellent competitive salary within a range of £58,132–£63,603 with significant company benefits.

Can be based anywhere across the Central belt of Scotland with occasional travel across Scotland for meetings and events.

Eden Scott is dealing exclusively with the Trust on this vacancy so to be considered for this exciting opportunity, please submit your CV online and for an informal chat or to receive the full role information pack please call Sally on 07776 662506.

Closing date is 5.00pm Monday 9th November 2026 with interviews w/c 16 November 2026