Project Manager

The Project

The West Highland Museum, one of Scotland’s most treasured independent museums, is embarking on an ambitious redevelopment programme that will transform how we preserve, interpret, and share the history and culture of the West Highlands. We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead this landmark project and help shape the museum’s next century.

About the Museum

Founded in 1922, the West Highland Museum is renowned for its collections relating to Jacobite history, Highland life, and the unique cultural heritage of Lochaber. Our redevelopment will enhance our historic building, improve accessibility, expand exhibition spaces, provide an accessible, green, outdoor space, and create a more welcoming environment for local communities and visitors from around the world.

About the Role

The museum is undertaking a comprehensive redevelopment to modernise its visitor experience, improve accessibility, expand exhibition capacity, and future‑proof the building. The Project Manager will lead the end‑to‑end delivery of this capital project, ensuring it is completed on time, on budget, and to the required quality standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Project leadership — Oversee the full lifecycle of the redevelopment, initially from design to readiness for delivery.
• Heritage‑sensitive planning — Ensure all works respect the museum’s historic building and collections. Our buildings are Grade B listed.
• Stakeholder engagement — Work with local communities, funders, Highland Council, and heritage bodies.
• Budget and funding oversight — Manage financial reporting for a multi‑million‑pound project supported by public and charitable funding.
• Procurement and contract management — Lead tendering processes and ensure compliance with procurement standards.
• Construction coordination — Liaise with contractors to ensure safe, high‑quality delivery in a live heritage environment.
• Reporting and governance — Provide regular updates to the Board of Trustees and key funders.

About You

We are looking for someone who brings:

• Experience delivering capital projects, ideally in museums, heritage, or historic buildings
• Strong understanding of conservation‑led design, building regulations, and CDM requirements
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• A collaborative approach to working with local communities and cultural partners
• Proven ability to manage complex stakeholder groups
• A proactive, solutions‑focused mindset
• Experience working with architects, engineers, and specialist heritage consultants

Why This Role Matters

This redevelopment will secure the future of the West Highland Museum for generations to come. You will play a pivotal role in preserving the stories, objects, and traditions that define the West Highlands — while helping create a renewed, accessible museum for the 21st century.

Evaluation criteria

• All tenders will be evaluated using a two-stage process to assess the most economically advantageous tender on the basis of quality and price using a percentage score
• Initial evaluation to ensure all the required response information has been provided – pass/fail
• An award analysis based on the Quality & Price submissions Interview
• We will be inviting the consultants with the 3 highest scoring tenders to attend interviews. Attendees will be asked to present their approach, making reference to examples/case studies to illustrate reasoning. Adjustments may be made to the ‘Approach’ quality score based on performance at presentation

Scoring methodology

• Quality – Quality submissions will be scored using a 10 point scoring range. A score of 70 is then allocated to the highest scoring submission and the quality scores of other submissions are calculated as a percentage difference in relation to the best one.
• Price – the lowest fee bid is allocated a score of 30 with other bids calculated as a percentage difference in relation to the lowest. Note that fee bids received that are considered to be abnormally low (according to Scottish Government Construction Procurement Guidance) will be rejected.
• The quality and price score are added together to give a total score. The successful tender is the one with the highest compliant total score.

How to Apply

• Please submit an Expression of Interest by email to pete@westhighlandmuseum.org.uk including your full contact details (name, company (if applicable) email, telephone and address).
• The Invitation to Tender will be issued via email.
• We will be happy to answer any questions you have on the requirements of the role during the clarification period. Questions should be emailed to the address above. Please do not phone in questions. Email answers will be circulated to all those who have expressed an interest in tendering.
• Tender returns should be emailed to the above address – including two separate pdf documents (Quality & Fee) as described above – by the deadline of 12 noon, Friday 24 July. Please allow sufficient time to upload documents and email well in advance of the deadline. No late submissions can be accepted.
• Your submission documents will be downloaded and you will receive an email confirming receipt.
• The quality submission document will be opened by our Evaluation Panel and scoring assessed. Price submission documents will then be opened and overall scores calculated.
• The tenders with the three highest scores will be invited for interview, to be held in Fort William on Tuesday 11 August.
• On completion of the evaluation process, final overall scoring will be assessed. The highest scoring Tender will be appointed.