Head of Audiences 67,236 pa

National Trust Group; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An environmental heritage charity in the UK is looking for a senior leader to oversee a ten-year audience development strategy. The role involves leading insight teams and developing partnerships to enhance engagement. The ideal candidate should have experience in audience-led approaches and managing diverse teams. The position offers a salary of circa £70,000 and the ability to work flexibly across various National Trust sites.

Benefits

Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary

Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest, and your children (under 18)

Season ticket loan

EV car lease scheme

Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships and shopping discount codes

Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme

Responsibilities

• Lead the organisational approach to being audience-led.
• Accountable for a ten-year audience development strategy.
• Develop external partnerships and relationships.
• Champion audience-led practices across the Trust.
• Ensure innovation in audience insight and commissioning.

Skills

Understanding of latest practice and technology in audience insight and audience-led approaches

Experience inspiring change and leading for innovation

Dynamic and engaging communicator

Managing a complex agenda with multiple conflicting priorities

Leading, coaching, and motivating a large, diverse geographically dispersed team

Experience turning insight into action through audience-led commissioning of work

Management of large budgets

Job description

In line with our redeployment policy, we'll prioritise applications from employees who are under formal notice of redundancy.

You’ll lead our organisational approach to being audience‑led, a key factor to the success of our new strategy. Your team of specialists and commissioners will source and develop actionable data and ensure our work is focused on the people we serve. Working as a senior leader in the organisation, you’ll be a critical voice in our decision making and resource allocation. You’ll be accountable for a ten‑year audience development strategy, setting milestones that guide all our work. You’ll develop external partnerships and relationships that underpin our approach and ensure we are innovative and future‑focused. You’ll oversee a step change in the impact we have on people and their relationships with us, supporting our Growth, Access and Inspire ambitions.

Salary: circa £70,000 dependant on skills and experience.

What it's like to work here

The Communications & Fundraising directorate is the part of the National Trust where we do marketing, brand, communications, campaigns, fundraising, public engagement and audience development. We design work that grows the National Trust's reach and impact, so we can serve more people and communities than ever before, through creative and impactful campaigns, experiences and content. In the coming years we'll engage millions more in our cause at every level of society, activating people and growing our strength as a fundraising and movement‑building force.

As this is a national role, there is flexibility on your contractual place of work. Our hybrid working policy means you can balance office and home working with site visits and meetings at other National Trust places. We’ll talk about this in more detail at interview, but you should expect to be at a National Trust site for 40–60% of your working week.

What you'll be doing

You’ll be the trusted voice in the organisation on audience and galvanise teams across the Trust to become audience‑led. You’ll work with our strategic portfolio boards and senior leaders to commission audience‑facing work that makes our strategic intent real and relevant. You'll lead the setup of a new team of insight leads and commissions managers, working with senior leaders to ensure our approach to developing work for audiences is efficient and effective. You’ll champion being audience‑led, working through a community of practice to embed this fundamental shift to our practice through compelling leadership. You’ll challenge and stretch our practice, working with external partners and providers. You will ensure our work in audience insight and commissioning is keeping‑or setting‑pace, leading for innovation.

Who we're looking for

Applications from redeemployees are assessed against the minimum criteria for the role. In your application, please provide details of how you meet the minimum criteria below:

• Understanding of the latest practice and technology in audience insight and audience‑led approaches
• Experience inspiring change and leading for innovation
• Dynamic and engaging communicator
• Managing a complex agenda with multiple conflicting priorities
• Leading, coaching and motivating a large, diverse geographically dispersed team
• Experience turning insight into action through audience‑led commissioning of work
• Management of large budgets

Additional criteria for all other applicants:

• Commissioning partners and providers
• Inclusive approach and a demonstrable commitment to equity
• Strong influencing and advocacy skills to the most senior organisational level

The package

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary
• Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
• Season ticket loan
• EV car lease scheme
• Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts
• Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.

National Trust place

Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon, SN2 2NA

Documents

Head of Audiences - Grade 3 (1).pdf

Requirements

Compliance. Eligibility to Work in the UK

Additional information

Closing Date: 25 January 2026

To apply for this vacancy simply click the 'apply' button in the top right hand side of the page.

If you need any help with your application, i.e. due to technical difficulties, please call us on 0370 240 0274 or email us at [e-mail]

If you require an adjustment to the application process, for example due to disability or medical condition, please call us on 0370 240 0274 or email us at [e-mail] and we'll support you as best as we can. For examples of how, please see our supporting you page.

Equal Opportunities Statement

The National Trust celebrates diversity and is committed to creating a fair and equal society, free from discrimination. You can read more about our commitment to inclusion and diversity here .

Safeguarding Statement

The National Trust is committed to a safe recruitment processes to help the organisation attract and appoint the right staff/volunteer for the role and responsibilities as set out in the vacancy advert. We will not accept applicants who are not suitable to work with children, young people or adults at risk. If you have any questions around your suitability for this vacancy, please contact the people service centre.

Please note we reserve the right to close this advert early and therefore we encourage you to apply for this position early.