Baltic wields axe among top staff

Jun 24 2009 by David Whetstone, The Journal

Senior jobs have been sacrificed to make Gateshead’s Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art less top heavy, as David Whetstone reports.

A STAFF reorganisation at Baltic has seen the departure of Andrew Lovett, number two to director Godfrey Worsdale, and a reduction in the number of senior positions at Gateshead’s Centre for Contemporary Art.

While the number of posts at director level has been reduced from five to two, nine more junior staff positions are being advertised.

A Baltic spokeswoman said the moves represented a redistribution of expenditure on salaries rather than an increase in the payroll.

Mr Worsdale, who was appointed as Baltic’s fourth director last August, said: “We are currently in the process of rectifying some gaps within Baltic’s staff team and consolidating some temporary positions.

“When I arrived at Baltic late last year I took time to speak to each staff member individually and it was apparent that the organisation was in need of a slightly more balanced structure.

“This reorganisation has been designed to address that need.”

The number of director-level posts rose to five under Mr Worsdale’s predecessor, Peter Doroshenko, who left under a cloud at the end of 2007 after being criticised by staff for a heavy-handed management style.

The reorganisation sees the top tier of management reduced to two with Claire Byers, formerly director of public affairs, promoted to deputy director.