Development Officer

We are looking for our new Development Officer, who will be responsible for income generation that is sympathetic to our culture and ethos as an innovative, family-feel accredited archive service.

Although the subject of milling has been considered niche, its increasingly recognised place at the centre of global food and energy supplies is changing that perception. This creates so many opportunities waiting for us to seize them, we just need more of the right people to join us and to help propel us forward.

We are looking for someone who is a team player, someone who is motivated to make the most out of any situation in a pragmatic, positive way, and who would take pride in helping the charity to grow.

You will be a passionate advocate for history and heritage, who can convince others of the role of history in understanding and improving our present and our future. Experienced in successfully delivering fundraising activities, your dedication will ensure sustainable growth, so that we can share our rich milling heritage with more people and encourage a revival in preservation and participation in history.

If all of the above sounds like you, and you are looking for the opportunity to make a demonstrable impact on the evolution of an ambitious, start-up style organisation, with no day the same, then we would love to hear from you.

*Some flexible hybrid working is possible, by agreement, after completing induction and training period*

What you will be a part of

The Mills Archive Trust is one of a kind. Founded in 2002, we are the world’s only archive dedicated to preserving the history of milling. Using a lens like milling provides a unique and fascinating insight into a variety of historical events.

We tell the story of how milling has played a central role in humanity’s development, from our ancient origins and up to the present day. Mills are inseparable from humanity’s story – including the history of slavery and the changing roles of women – and yet are disappearing from our landscape at an alarming rate.

As an independent educational charity we generate all income ourselves. The Trust has raised and spent almost £2 million and grown to a team of 5 professionals. Assisted by 20 volunteers, we are custodians for 3 million images, documents and artefacts.

Our website attracts more than 80,000 people each year. Our digital catalogue of 100,000 images and documents has attracted global praise, providing a model for other archives. Our users include enthusiasts, historians, engineers, heritage bodies, academics, and local communities.

We punch above our weight as a small charity, as evidenced by our early success in achieving Accredited Archive Status from the National Archives and our 2019 acceptance of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

You will find a family feel here, many of us have grown into our roles and learned on the job, which provides us with the unrivalled opportunity to make our mark on the charity and gain a wide range of experience and knowledge. We offer opportunities for career advancement and an attractive working environment. There is also the opportunity to discuss some flexibility regarding home working.

We are at an exciting moment in the Trust’s development: now that we have saved so much important material, we want to build on this foundation to reach out and enthuse new audiences.