Heritage, Arts & Culture Charity Recruitment

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Connecting exceptional people with cultural purpose

Charisma supports your organisation to secure people who can who safeguard our heritage and celebrate the vibrancy of the arts

Heritage, arts and culture

Over the past two decades we’ve partnered with numerous organisations in the heritage, arts and culture sector, including national museums and world-famous visitor attractions, to smaller and agile heritage organisations and art centres.

Our Executive Director, Katherine Anderson-Scott, leads this area of our consultancy. Katherine brings rich, first-hand experience, having previously worked in a senior leadership role in an arts charity dedicated to engaging young people in the performing arts, which was housed in a grade II listed heritage asset. Katherine also serves as a trustee for heritage organisation, the Suffolk Preservation Society.

Working with a recruiter who has first-hand experience in this area of the sector means partnering with someone who truly understands the balance between creative vision, public benefit, governance, funding realities and audience development. Katherine knows what it takes to operate within purpose-led, often complex environments, navigating trustees, funders, conservation demands, commercial pressures and community impact, and this insight translates into better outcomes.

If you partner with Charisma, we will represent your role with credibility, speak authentically to candidates, and assess not just technical capability but cultural alignment, motivation and resilience.

Katherine understands the rhythms of cultural organisations, the realities of scale and resource, and the personal commitment required to succeed in these roles. The result is a more targeted search campaign, stronger shortlists, and appointments who don't just fit the job description, but are genuinely equipped to protect, champion and develop your organisation's mission.

With a track record of placements including:

British Motor Museum - CEO
Hampshire Cultural Trust - Director of Development
The Tank Museum - Head of Curatorial Services
The Salisbury Museum - Chair of Trustees
Anvil Arts – Trustees and Deputy CEO
St Anne's Limeshouse – Campaign Director
Imperial War Museums - Director of Finance and Resources, and Interim Assistant Director Marketing and Communications
Zoological Society of East Anglia – Interim CEO
Marwell Zoo – CEO
Whitchurch Silk Mill – Chair of Trustees
Society of Genealogists – CEO
Royal Museums Greenwich – Fundraisers x8
RAF Museum – Head of Projects
English Touring Opera - Head of Development
Bridport Museum Trust – Chair of Trustees
Rich Mix – Head of Finance
New Forest Heritage Trust – Chair of Trustees

If you are looking to secure your next heritage or arts leader or discuss wider team recruitment, please get in touch.

Case studies

The Tank Museum

British Motor Museum

The Salisbury Museum

Anvil Arts

Why Charisma?

Sector expertise

With more than 20 years of sector specific experience, we bring an unparalleled understanding of the unique challenges, complexities, and opportunities within the charity and not for profit landscape. Every member of our consultant team has first-hand experience working in the sector, enabling them to apply their extensive subject matter expertise and authentic insight to every partnership.

Extensive network

Our highly experienced Talent Managers deliver proactive, precision-driven talent acquisition by combining expert headhunting with the reach of our national candidate database. Leveraging our extensive networks, we cast the net far wider than traditional recruitment methods, enabling us to identify, approach, and engage high calibre talent, including those not actively looking for new opportunities.

Candidate care

We prioritise the candidate journey, ensuring personalised support and communication, and a positive experience, regardless of the outcome of their application.

Senior led recruitment

You will have direct access to your lead Consultant, ensuring you receive personalised and responsive support at every stage of the recruitment process. Your assignment will be handled by an experienced specialist, and never passed down to a junior researcher, so you benefit from consistent expertise, informed decision making, and a high quality service throughout.

Ethical recruitment practices

We are committed to honest, transparent recruitment. We only put forward candidates who are a genuine fit for your organisation and the role. Our recruitment processes are built to uphold our own values while fully aligning with yours, ensuring every stage reflects a shared commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Outcomes focused

We have been doing this since 2002, and we are proud to maintain an 84% repeat and recommendation client portfolio and have a 100% success rate placing exclusive appointments.