Open City searches for Jane Priestman successor

Priestman, who led the organisation through its transformation from Open House into Open City and is a qualified interior designer, has worked as general manager for architecture and design with BAA and as director of architecture, design and environment with British Rail.

She remains the chairwoman of the Design Council’s Design for Patient Dignity initiative and will still be a consultant for Open City.

The Open City board of trustees is looking to take Priestman’s work forward and says it is seeking a successor who can take the organisation ‘through a challenging economic climate in the lead up to Open City’s 20^th anniversary in 2012’.

A spokeswoman says that, like Priestman, the successful candidate could come from a design background. ‘We’re fairly flexible about their background, as long as they’re passionate about architecture and the built environment. They could be from a design, media, art, or business background,’ she says.

The job description states that the successful applicant will work closely with the director to ‘offer strategic support and act as a figurehead for the organisation’. Applications must be submitted by 27 September.