Job Listing: Executive Director Historic Dumfries

Weems-Botts Museum & Merchant Park-  Historic Dumfries, Virginia

Closes - until filled

Position Title – Executive Director

Apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume, portfolio or bibliography (optional), and two references to info@historicdumfriesva.org 

Summary: Historic Dumfries seeks a strategic-goal and operationally oriented person to serve as Historic Dumfries Executive Director.  Historic Dumfries is the birthplace of Northern Virginia, the home of the Weems-Botts Museum, and a catalyst in founding the United States. This person will market and grow the museum and its programs through grants, outreach education, web, virtual reality, and social media programs and tools.  The ideal person will demonstrate strong leadership, communications, and management competencies; and will possess application of knowledge related to history, cultural anthropology, or museum operations. The selectee will serve a one-year, performance-based contract that may be extended year-to-year, depending on each year’s results.  Applicants are encouraged to submit a portfolio of projects or a bibliography of published or presented articles related to history, museums, business, and other related topics. 

Job Responsibilities:

Relations with HDVI Board of Directors

• Participate with the Board of Directors (BOD) in developing a vision and strategic plan to guide HDVI.
• Plan and develop proposed, prioritized requirements and costs for the annual budget in coordination with the BOD President and the Treasurer.
• Identify, assess, and inform the BOD of internal and external issues that affect HDVI.
• Act as a professional advisor to the BOD on all aspects of HDVI’s activities.
• Draft policies for approval of the BOD and prepare procedures to implement policies, review existing policies on an annual basis and recommend changes to the BOD.
• Work with BOD Secretary and prepare operational reports, supporting material, and recommended actions a minimum of 48 hours prior to scheduled BOD meetings.
• Ensure the BOD and staff understands the terms, conditions and limitations of general liability insurance coverage.

Operational and Program Management

• Develop an operational plan that moves toward achieving HDVI strategic goals
  • Ensuring programs and services align with the mission and reflect BOD priorities.
  • Identifying requirements, funding shortfalls, and investment opportunities
  • Identifying and pursuing funding sources such as grants or sponsorships
  • Identifying and evaluating risks to HDVI members, staff, volunteers, property, finances, and image; and recommending appropriate response
  • Proposing, implementing, and documenting BOD approved policies, ordinances, procedures, and practices
• Manage planning, execution, and evaluation of programs, events, and services; and they meet members, BOD, and sponsors expectations. These shall incorporate
  • A published event calendar consistent and in conjunction with the annual budget execution plan.
  • On site and outreach events, tours, exhibits, and museum education
• Manage day-to-day operation of HDVI to ensure efficient and effective use of HDVI resources. These include, but are not necessarily limited to:
  • Museum and park operating hours for tours, park use, and public inquiries
  • Management, maintenance, and security of buildings, park, and collections.
  • Visitor and park rental programs and activities including operating policies and procedures, staffing, security, safety, visitor control, costs, and funding
  • HDVI office administration, e.g., billing, utilities, general liability insurance, personnel management
  • Manage HDVI buildings and grounds maintenance plan and identify requirements to the Town of Dumfries.
  • Contract execution and completion
  • Grant-funded research and requirements

Financial Planning and Management:

• Execute and report status of approved budget execution plan to BOD at each scheduled and, when required, special meeting. Reports shall
  • employ a consistent insightful business report format; and
  • incorporate meaningful attributes and performance measures such as visitation, program identifier, and project accounting.
• Approve expenditures within the authority delegated by the BOD.
• Supervise and ensure sound fund management, bookkeeping, and accounting procedures are followed, including but not necessarily limited to
  • monitoring the daily cash flow
  • supervising submission of cash reports
  • ensuring HDVI’s financial obligations are met without delay
  • ensuring HDVI complies with legal requirements for taxes and withholding
• Research and identify sources with potential to fund HDVI’s operational and strategic goals, objectives, and requirements. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to
  • developing relationships with foundations, corporations, and individual donors;
  • writing funding proposals, including grants, to organizations aligned with HDVI’s goals;
  • developing plans to raise funds at, for example, events;
  • leading and participating in planned fundraising and development activities.

Communications, Outreach, Community Relations, and Advocacy:

• Establish positive working relationships and collaborative arrangements with community groups, funding sources, civic and public officials, and other organizations to help achieve the goals of HDVI.
• Inform members and the general public, especially the residents of Prince William County, of HDVI programs, events, and other activities through whatever tools and means are appropriate.
• Represent HDVI at governmental meetings and community activities to increase awareness of its purpose and activities including serving as liaison to the Town of Dumfries and PWC.
• Coordinate with other agencies or organizations to solve problems or recommend solutions.
• Develop promotion and marketing plans for HDVI and report progress.
• Correspond officially on behalf of HDVI and jointly with the BOD, when appropriate.
• Present information at public events and respond to inquiries from the public.
• Prepare analytical archaeological and historical reports.
• Prepare materials and displays for public information and education

Personnel and Supervision (Staff and Volunteers):

• Determine staffing requirements for HDVI management and programs.
• Oversee the implementation of BOD-approved human resources policies, procedures, and practices including the development of job descriptions for all staff.
• Maintain a positive, healthy, and safe work environment that complies with law and regulations.
• In collaboration with the BOD, recruit, interview, and select staff (paid and volunteer) who possess appropriate technical and personal competencies to sustain and help further HDVI’s mission.
• Develop and execute staff and volunteer recruitment, orientation, and training programs consistent with projects, programs, resources protection, and public use of a Prince William County (PWC) historic site.
• Prioritize requirements, work, and schedules.
• Monitor and evaluate staff, volunteer, and intern performance.
• Mentor, counsel, and when necessary discipline staff employing appropriate leadership and legal tools.
• Recommend to the BOD when staff should be terminated.
• Ensure personnel, member, donor, and volunteer files are securely stored in compliance with the Privacy Act and other applicable laws and regulations governing privacy or confidentiality.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Mandatory: Bachelor’s or higher degree.  While HDVI prefers a degree in History, Archeology, Museum Education, Anthropology, or a closely related field, it will consider other fields.

Preferred: 2-3 years experience in museum or historical site interpretation and education.  Experience as an intern, adjunct or volunteer staff, or as a trained and qualified historic interpreter may count towards this preference.

Preferred: l-2 years of paid supervisory experience, where position requires understanding of legal labor requirements.

COMPETENCIES

Candidates will be assessed in the following competencies.

• Manage Change: Demonstrate support for innovation and for organizational changes needed to improve the organization’s effectiveness; initiating, sponsoring, and implementing organizational change; helping others to successfully manage organizational change.
• Manage Performance: Take responsibility for one’s own or one’s employees’ performance by setting clear goals and expectations, tracking progress against the goals, ensuring feedback, and addressing performance problems and issues promptly.
• Persuasive Communication: Plan and deliver oral and written communications that make an impact and persuade intended audiences.
• Build Collaborative Relationships: Develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others who can provide information, assistance, and support.
• Strategic Thinking: Analyze the organization’s competitive position by considering market and industry trends, existing and potential customers (internal and external), and strengths and weaknesses as compared to competitors.
• Entrepreneurial Oriented: Look for and seize profitable business opportunities; willing to take calculated risks to achieve business goals.
• Results Oriented: Focus on the desired result of one’s own or the unit’s work, setting challenging goals, focusing effort on the goals, and meeting or exceeding them.

OTHER DESIRED KNOWLEDGE OR SKILLS

HDVI recognizes that few candidates will possess all skills or knowledge.  If the person chosen for this position possesses important strengths, but lacks specific technical knowledge, HDVI may choose to remediate this through training education.

• • American and regional history
  • Principles, practices, and techniques of historical research, education, and interpretation
  • Principles, methods and practices of historical parks or museum management
  • Curatorial practices and procedures
  • Manage and operate interpretation or conservation programs at a historic site

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

HDVI shall request a Criminal History Record Name & Sex Offender Search Request (Form BIUSP-167) per Section 19.2-389 of the Code of Virginia.

U.S. Citizen or provide documentation establishing the identity and eligibility to work in the U.S. per the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act.