Chief Technical Officer

The Chief Technical Officer (CTO) is the strategic lead for the Retro Computer Museum's technical infrastructure, preservation of retro hardware (heritage assets), and digital development. The CTO is responsible for the strategic and operational management of the museum's technical assets, infrastructure, and preservation initiatives, ensuring that the museum's unique collection of vintage hardware and software remains functional, accessible, and preserved for future generations, while leading the technical direction of the charity in alignment with, and in furtherance of, the museum's charitable objects.

2.1 Hardware Preservation and Maintenance

• Lead, oversee and be accountable for the preservation, repair, restoration and preventative maintenance of the museum's heritage assets (retro computing and gaming hardware), including but not limited to Sinclair Spectrum, Commodore 64, Atari, Nintendo, Sega, and PlayStation hardware.

• Direct the maintenance of rare and specialist items, such as Virtuality VR systems and prototype hardware (e.g., CD1200).

• Maintain and protect rare items (including Virtuality VR systems) ensuring appropriate handling, documentation, spares planning, and safe public operation.

• Ensure all hardware on the museum floor is maintained to a high standard for interactive public use, with a clear objective that all systems remain playable for the public during opening hours (subject to reasonable maintenance downtime).

• Develop and implement protocols for the safe operation of original hardware using modern power solutions where appropriate.

2.2 Collection and Software Management

• Oversee the museum's colossal software library, including cataloguing, condition tracking, and prioritisation for repair, dumping/imaging, and preservation.

• Supervise the cataloguing and digital archiving of the museum's extensive software library.

• Develop strategies for long-term data preservation and the migration of software from degrading physical media to stable digital formats.

• Manage the acquisition of new technical assets and advise the Board on the technical significance of potential donations.

2.3 Technical Infrastructure and Operations

• Manage the museum's internal IT networks, servers, and website infrastructure (retrocomputermuseum.co.uk).

• Implement robust cybersecurity measures and data protection protocols in compliance with UK GDPR.

• Oversee the technical aspects of museum events, external shows, and mobile displays.

2.4 Strategic Leadership and Governance

• Provide technical reports to the Board of Trustees on a monthly basis, evidencing how technical activity supports and honours the museum's charitable objects.

• Assist in the drafting of technical grant applications and funding bids.

• Manage the technical budget, ensuring cost-effective procurement of components, tools, and specialised equipment.

• Ensure all technical activities comply with Health and Safety regulations, including PAT testing and risk assessments for public-facing hardware.

2.5 Volunteer and Team Management

• Manage, lead, and mentor technical volunteers, including recruitment support, scheduling, task allocation, training, supervision, and maintaining safe working practices.

• Foster a collaborative environment that encourages the sharing of specialised technical knowledge., * Independent Oversight: The CTO shall report directly to the Board of Trustees (excluding any connected persons). To ensure objective oversight, the CTO will not hold a seat on the Board of Trustees concurrently with their employment.

Do you have experience in Soldering?, * Deep knowledge of retro computing systems and platforms, including (without limitation) Sinclair (e.g., Spectrum), Commodore (e.g., C64/Amiga), Atari (e.g., 2600/ST), and broader console ecosystems (e.g., Nintendo, Sega, PlayStation).

• Demonstrable expertise in the repair and maintenance of microcomputers and gaming consoles from the 1970s to the present day.

• Experience in technical hardware preservation, including restoration, preventative conservation, safe operation planning, documentation, and long-term maintenance of legacy and rare systems.

• Proficiency in component-level repair, including soldering, PCB tracing, and CRT maintenance.

• Proven leadership experience (including managing teams and/or volunteers) in a technical environment.

• In-depth knowledge of legacy operating systems, file formats, and emulation technologies.

3.2 Desirable Skills

• Experience working within the UK Charity sector and understanding of Charity Commission compliance.

• Background in museum curation or heritage preservation.

• Strong public speaking skills for educational demonstrations and media appearances.

Pulled from the full job description

• Free parking
• On-site parking, Remuneration benchmarking (value for money): The remuneration for this post is £42,000 per annum. This figure has been benchmarked against comparable technical leadership roles within the UK charity and heritage sectors and is considered to represent value for money and to be in the best interests of the charity, having regard to the responsibilities of the role and the need to preserve and operate the museum's heritage assets for public benefit.