The Museum of Scottish Lighthouses (MoSL) is seeking new members to join the museum’s Board of Trustees as they embark on an exciting period of redevelopment and upgrade.
We are developing a new gallery to display our large lighthouse lenses. The new lens gallery will provide an enhanced experience for visitors as well upgraded facilities for the care of the museum’s nationally important collection. Together the improvements, will be good for visitors, the local community and the economy of the surrounding area. MoSL is a registered charity operated as a company limited by guarantee and the Board of Directors of the company, including the Chair, are also Trustees of the charity.
The Trustees play a vital role, providing their experience and skills to help and support the Museum team to deliver a world class visitor attraction, preserve an important part of Scotland’s Industrial Heritage and to bring tangible benefit to the people of Fraserburgh. Under the leadership of the Chair, the Board of Trustees is responsible for setting the strategy and policies of the Museum, providing guidance and support to the Museum Manager and staff.
About the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses
The home of MoSL is the bustling fishing port of Fraserburgh on the North East corner of Aberdeenshire. The museum consists of two distinct sites, a purpose-built museum building with exhibition areas and retail facilities and the Kinnaird Head Lighthouse. The lighthouse was the very first on mainland Scotland (1787) to be established by the Northern Lighthouse Board and is unique as it built within the 16th Century Kinnaird Head Castle. The Castle and the adjacent Wine Tower are two of the best preserved structures of the ancient “nine castles of the knuckle” situated along the Buchan coast. MoSL tells not only the great story of the Northern Lighthouse Board, the engineers who built the lights and the keepers who tended them but also the story of the castle itself on its journey from a defensive home, to become a lighthouse and ultimately an important museum.
MoSL holds in its care a nationally significant accredited and recognised collection associated with the history of lighthouses and the lighthouse keepers' way of life in Scotland. It tells the story of Stevenson family of engineers and has qualified museum professionals amongst the staff. The museum is a member of the organisation Go Industrial which aims to ensure that Scotland's amazing industrial heritage continues to play an important role in our rich culture, and serves to inspire the future whilst safeguarding the past. MoSL is literally a beacon for tourism within the area, playing a vital role within the local community by providing employment and opportunity for those who would otherwise find it challenging to enter into the workplace. The museum team pride themselves on being a welcoming and inclusive place to visit and work and MoSL was the first museum in Scotland to gain an Autism Awareness Award for the Museum. The aim is to make the museum more accessible to those on the autism spectrum and to enable them to feel welcome and comfortable when visiting the museum.
About the Role
The Trustees have overall responsibility for the organisation and act as its governing body. Trustees are legally responsible for directing the affairs of MoSL and ensuring it is solvent, well run, and delivering on its charitable objectives.
There are currently seven trustees of which one is nominated by the Northern Lighthouse Board and two nominated by Aberdeenshire Council. The Board of Trustees normally meet four times a year, including the Annual General Meeting. Two meetings are held on-line with two being held in person at the Museum in Fraserburgh. However, it may be necessary to convene additional meetings as business dictates. Board meetings are a mixture of virtual, hybrid and in-person using an accessible ground floor room at MoSL. Trustees are not paid, but in exceptional circumstances reasonable expenses may be reimbursed. The Trustees are asked to commit to a minimum three-year term on the Board, with the option of serving for further a further term to maximum of two terms.
More information about the museum can be found at The Museum of Scottish Lighthouses Website.
The responsibilities of being a Trustee are set out in a document issued by the Office of the Scottish Charities Register (OSCR).
About You
Essential:
- Possess a good understanding of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of a trustee.
- Able to work collaboratively within a team and be open minded about new ideas.
- Be an inclusive thinker, always ready to reach out to ensure equality and inclusivity of planned actions.
- Be committed to the vision of MoSL in its next phase of sustainable development and in promoting the best interests of staff, visitors and the community.
- Be legally eligible to stand as a registered Company Director and Charity Trustee.
Desirable:
- Have a good understanding of the charitable and/or museum sector, with a knowledge of how they function and operate.
- Have experience of working for in the Heritage sector, local authority, city council or similar body at a senior level, or engaging with them as an organisational stakeholder.
- Have previous experience as a Trustee of another Charity.
Additional Skills:
In order to be able to directly support the work of MoSL Trustees will preferably
bring skills in one or more of the following areas:
- Museum and Galleries, Heritage Sector
- Community Education
- Human Resources
- Public Relations
- Event Management
- Fundraising
- Project Management
If you would like to informally discuss the role, please contact: the chair of the board Stuart McDonald, [email protected]. A conversation with another Trustee or the Museum Manager is also possible, as is a short visit to see the Museum.
How to Apply
To apply for this role, please submit a covering letter by email to [email protected] expressing your interest in the role and your reasons for applying before the role deadline on 6 February 2026 at 12PM.
It is important to also describe how your skills and experience will help you fulfil the responsibilities of the role and reach its potential. Please also include a current CV.
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview which conducted virtually. The interview will be with the Nomination Committee which will be formed of three Trustees. The interviews will likely take place the first week of March 2026.
The successful candidate will then be invited to attend the next Board Meeting on the 23 April 2026 in Fraserburgh, with a view to formally starting the role at that meeting.