Director

Closing date for applications: Thursday 22 October 2026 at 12pm midday

Location: Bradford

Lead the artistic and strategic direction of a photography organisation championing new work and underrepresented voices.

Impressions Gallery is a charity that helps people to understand the world through photography and acts as an agent for change We are seeking a collaborative, astute and strategic leader to guide Impressions Gallery into its next chapter. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Director will provide strategic and creative leadership for the organisation, working closely with our experienced team and partners to deliver an ambitious programme, strengthen our long-term sustainability and ensure excellence across our work.

Impressions has championed photography for more than fifty years, commissioning and presenting significant new work, supporting emerging practitioners, highlighting underrepresented voices, and helping bring photography to wider audiences. We are seeking a leader who values this history while looking to the future, and with a genuine belief in the role photography can play in creating opportunities and positive social change.

As we develop plans for our next home and explore new ways to present photography, support talent, and connect with audiences, the next Director will have a rare opportunity to shape what Impressions becomes in the years ahead.

Key responsibilities

• Provide strategic and artistic leadership, guiding Impressions through its next phase of organisational development and the transition towards a future home
• Shape an ambitious artistic programme that maintains Impressions’ reputation for curatorial excellence, innovation and sector leadership
• Oversee the successful delivery of Impressions’ exhibitions, touring, talent development, and engagement programmes, and ensure Impressions’ work is accessible, relevant and responsive to diverse audiences and communities
• Build strong relationships with artists, funders, partners and stakeholders, and act as a visible advocate for Impressions and photography locally, nationally and internationally
• Develop strategic partnerships and work closely with the Director of Operations to secure and diversify income to support the organisation’s ambitions and long-term financial resilience
• Work closely with the Board and Director of Operations to ensure effective governance, strategic planning, financial management, risk management and regulatory compliance
• Lead and develop the staff team, fostering a collaborative, inclusive and effective organisational culture
• Champion equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging, ensuring these principles are embedded across programming, partnerships, recruitment, leadership and audience engagement
• Embed environmental sustainability across organisational planning, operations and programme delivery

Skills, experience, knowledge

• Substantial leadership or senior management experience within the arts, cultural or creative sectors
• The ability to develop and communicate a clear organisational vision, and work effectively with the team and Board to deliver strategy and results
• Experience of managing people, and an ability to inspire and lead change
• Experience of developing partnerships, networking, and managing relationships with a wide range of stakeholders
• A proven track record of curating and producing high-quality exhibitions
• Experience of managing audience development and delivering public engagement
• Strong knowledge of contemporary photography and visual culture, current and emerging developments, challenges and opportunities in the sector
• Proven success in financial planning, grant writing and diversifying income generation within an arts context
• Experience of managing public funding and the associated governance and compliance responsibilities
• Excellent listening, communication, negotiation and influencing skills
• Excellent organisational and project management skills
• A strong commitment to inclusion, public engagement and cultural leadership

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the creative industries.

Please make sure that you state in your application that you found this role via Creative Access.