The WARGM Charitable Foundation (the Foundation) owns and is responsible for the Waltham Abbey site which was the home of explosives production for over 300 years and a secret MOD Research Centre from 1945. In 1991 the Ministry of Defence decommissioned the site, and handed to the newly created WARGM Charitable Foundation, with a small endowment. The site reopened as a visitor attraction in 2001. The Foundation is responsible for managing the endowment, the day-to-day operation of the site as a visitor attraction, the conservation of the historic structures and for developing a strategy to secure its long-term future. The Foundation has 2 main objectives, to conserve and maintain the historic buildings and monuments and to make them accessible to as diverse an audience as possible. 

Following the recent appointment of a new CEO and the launch of a new name, brand, and 25‑year strategy, Gunpowder Mills is entering a pivotal new phase in its development. Over the coming decade, the Foundation will transform the site into a self-sustaining, mixed‑use estate in which an engaging visitor offer is supported by income from carefully managed commercial uses. It is in this context that the Board of the WARGM Charitable Foundation is seeking a new Chair of Trustees. The Chair will provide strategic leadership to an engaged and expert Board, working closely with the CEO to deliver a long‑term vision that secures the financial future of the Gunpowder Mills and safeguards the integrity of its endowment and charitable assets. They will lead the Board in overseeing a complex programme of heritage conservation, capital projects, and commercial initiatives, ensuring robust governance, financial oversight, and risk management as the organisation evolves into a multi‑use site by 2031. The incoming Chair will act as a visible advocate for the Gunpowder Mills, representing the organisation locally and nationally and championing its heritage to broaden audiences, particularly among schools and learning partners. They will bring the confidence and credibility to cultivate relationships with funders, partners, and commercial operators and draw on well developed professional networks. Above all they will share a genuine passion for connecting people with this extraordinary landscape, guiding the Gunpowder Mills into its next chapter as a thriving mixed use heritage site.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to the Gunpowder Mills Lee Valley on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit roles.saxbam.com using reference PBBSRB. Alternatively email Belinda.beck@saxbam.com. Applications should be received by noon on Friday 10^th April 2026.