Volunteer Gallery Manager - The Historic Lifeboat Collection, Chatham

RNLI heritage is defined as the story of our people and service since 1824.  In order to protect and preserve our history, the heritage team collect and care for objects and archives and make these accessible through our museums to the public.

The RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection at The Historic Dockyard, Chatham; is the UK’s largest collection of historic lifeboats, which together have saved hundreds of lives off the coasts of the UK and Republic of Ireland; where the public can discover their stories, and those of their fearless crews. From an 1897 pulling and sailing lifeboat, to the familiar Arun class and Blue Peter inflatable inshore lifeboats, it’s a showcase of how lifeboats have evolved over the past century.

The role of Gallery Manager is to coordinate the activity of the RNLI volunteer teams at Chatham and ensure a smooth liaison with The Historic Dockyard and the RNLI Public Engagement Team. You’ll also be thinking of new ways to engage our audience, helping to develop display and interpretation in the gallery and working with the RNLI to deliver our strategy for the collection.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an enthusiastic individual who is willing to give some time to get to know the collection of the RNLI and help protect and preserve its heritage.  You may already have experience in this area or be looking to gain some new skills; if you are interested we would love to hear from you. 

In getting involved in this opportunity you will be contributing towards raising awareness of the RNLI and supporting saving lives at sea.

Safeguarding

The RNLI is committed to safeguarding; protecting a person’s health, wellbeing, and human rights, enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment and have a zero-tolerance approach. The suitability of all prospective employees and volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. This will include relevant criminal record checks being carried out dependent on the eligibility of the role. (England & Wales; DBS check, Scotland; Disclosure Scotland PVG, Northern Ireland; Access NI, Republic of Ireland; Garda Vetting; International, International Child Protection Certificate process).

Diversity at the RNLI

Our staff and volunteers have been saving lives at sea without prejudice for 200 years. We respect and value diversity of background, skills and perspectives within our teams, and consider it essential to help us deliver a world-class lifesaving service. We are an inclusive organisation and welcome applications from everyone. In addition to having the skills needed for the role, we also look for applicants who share our commitment to living our RNLI values (trustworthy, courageous, selfless, and dependable), and helping us work towards Our Vision: To save Every One.