Appointment of a Chair and two Directors to the Board of the Northern Ireland Museums Council

1. The Chair of the NIMC Board requires a time commitment of approximately 12-14 days per annum, with the Director positions requiring a time commitment of at least 4 days and no more than 8 days per annum. The Chair and Director positions are unpaid. However travel and subsistence allowances are payable in line with NI Civil Service rates.

2. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland (CPANI) Code of Practice.

3. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, CPANI requires political activity of appointees to be published as contained in their biographies:

Biographical details:

Mrs Nora Douds (Chair)

Mrs Douds has a superb track record in consultancy and is an exceptional leader in the hospitality industry. After 16 years of directing multiple businesses in the residential and hotel spaces, she now works across several sectors as a Consultant: with clients including leading national hotel chains, family-owned hospitality groups and local councils. She currently acts as advisor to the board of directors of two local businesses providing strategic direction and supporting the delivery of key inward investment to the hotel sector in NI. She is an advocate for local businesses and provides mentorship to a range of Councils across Northern Ireland from Fermanagh to the Causeway Coast. She has relevant board experience, and her understanding of the customer journey will enable her to give advice on the objective of audience development and diversification for the NIMC. She does not hold any other public appointments and has not undertaken any political activity in the last five years.

Ms Kelly Robinson (Director)

Ms Robinson is a Civic Fellow at Ulster University and a Visiting Research Fellow, Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation, at Queen's University Belfast with a focus on tackling social and economic inequalities. Until March 2020 she was a Board Member of NI Police Fund, where she was the Chair of its Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, with experience of accounts, risk management, strategic planning, and governance. She is a Member of the Institute of Risk Management and she also brings a range of community development skills and experience to the Board.  She does not hold any other public appointments and has not undertaken any political activity in the last five years.

Ms Nuala Toman (Director)

Ms Toman is the Project Manager for Future Screens NI where she is responsible for the development and delivery of its Economic Investment Strategy. She has experience in a range of senior roles of developing strategic plans and budgets, and dealing with public finance. She has experience with community development, skills of which she will bring to the Board, for example as Chair of Breastival and Member of the Women’s Budget Group. She is a political member on the Education Authority Board from 1 April 2015.  This has a time commitment of 4 days per month and remuneration of £8,800 per year. In the last 5 years she has undertaken political activity for the Sinn Fein Party.

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