Job Listing: Manager of Museum Operations and Interpretation

Washington Heritage Museums – Fredericksburg, VA

Title –Manager of Museum Operations and Interpretation

Compensation – $42,000/year plus benefits (paid time off, holidays, and the option to participate in a SIMPLE IRA program.)

Type – Full-time, salaried, exempt

Apply – please submit an application, cover letter, and resume via email to employment@washingtonheritagemuseums.org

Summary – Join the team at Washington Heritage Museums!  Our mission is to preserve our historic properties in Fredericksburg, Virginia and to interpret them through inclusive narratives that inspire an engaging and enduring understanding of the Washington family.

Responsibilities –  Manage all aspects of Washington Heritage Museums’ sites (Mary Washington House, Mary Washington Monument and Caretaker’s Lodge, Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop, Rising Sun Tavern and St. James’ House), consistent with museum best practices. Serve as an advocate of Washington Heritage Museums (WHM), and articulately speak about the WHM Mission and Vision Statements; how they are supported by donations and memberships, and; how each property connects within the organization. Closely collaborate with WHM Board committees through accurate and timely reporting and discussion of all aspects of work. Maintain confidentiality regarding donor records, employee private personal information, and sensitive organizational information. (e.g. internal working documents, financial documents, initial research documents)

Building and collections management

• Ensure that museum assets are maintained and secure.
• Conduct and report on monthly inspections of building(s), grounds, and collections at each site, in accordance with a determined schedule.
• Coordinate routine maintenance and report larger repair projects to the Executive Director for consideration and implementation.
• Ensure the completion of housekeeping tasks, and that each property is consistently clean. Provide direction and a calendar of events to the Garden Manager to ensure the grounds are maintained to ensure a safe and pleasant visitor experience.

Research, Interpretation, and Education

• Be familiar with all museum sites’ interpretive tours.
• Research the history of the sites, on an occasional basis, using verifiable sources.
• Update the museum interpretation when documented and relevant information becomes available.
• Expand the existing education offerings for each property, with emphasis on visitors of all ages.

Programs and Events:

• Develop a full-year program and event calendar for all sites that is reflective of the WHM Mission and Vision Statements.
• Plan and coordinate programs and events. Develop collaborations and/or engage WHM staff or outside speakers or presenters as appropriate.
• Prepare a projected expense-and-revenue budget for programs and events for the approval of the Executive Director.
• Prepare an assessment report for each program and event and submit it for evaluation to the Executive Director.
• Responds to requests for site rentals, ensuring staffing is available for the event date and time, and that the site is properly prepared.
• Responds to requests for school and group tours.
• Communicates to site staff to ensure that they are prepared to accommodate groups; are aware of early openings or late closings; and that there are no scheduling conflicts.
• Apply for and secure appropriate Virginia ABC licensing, when necessary, and ensure compliance with all applicable laws for events where alcohol is served.

Community Engagement

• Attend and represent WHM at meetings and conferences which promote museum activities and assist in the improvement of WHM operations.
• Provide content to the social media, website, and online WHM presence coordinator.
• Research and respond to reviews on TripAdvisor, Facebook, Google, etc.
• Share all postings and responses with WHM employees to provide feedback on the visitors’ experience.

Staff Management

• Hire, train and supervise site interpreters.
• Conduct performance evaluations of staff, including their knowledge and presentation of the interpretive material, on a regular basis.
• Recognize the positive performance of individual staff personnel.
• Counsel, discipline, and dismiss staff when necessary.
• Train all museum staff in daily administrative tasks including, but not limited to: Opening and closing procedures, use of the point-of-sale system, promotion of membership, phone etiquette, daily housekeeping tasks, admissions reporting, timesheets, etc.
• Work with site interpreters to ensure that all tours, both group and individual, receive excellent customer service.
• Develop the monthly interpreter schedule and conduct staff meetings on at least a quarterly basis.
• Regularly communicate with staff between staff meetings.
• Coordinate continuing education/training opportunities for site interpreters.
• Conduct periodic inspection of interpreters’ costumes to ensure they are clean, serviceable, and reflect the period of significance for each site.
• Work with Museum Store Buyer and Volunteer Coordinator to ensure the museum store is operated in accordance with WHM Mission and Vision Statements.
• Apprise the Museum Store of group tours so that they may have additional volunteers, if necessary.
• Coordinate with the Executive Director to update HR files of interpreters, interns, and other subordinated personnel.
• Provide direction and supervision for interns as necessary.

Reporting

Accurately prepare and timely submit: (1) weekly admissions and cash deposit reports for each property; (2) the biweekly interpreter payroll; (3) the monthly site-visitation report; (4) the reconciliation of monthly credit card statement.

Other

Perform other duties that may be assigned by the Executive Director.

Qualifications – BA in History, Historic Preservation, Museum Studies or related fields preferred and/or Experience: Experience in various aspects of historic-site work preferred. Experience in staff or volunteer management preferred. Proficiency in Microsoft Office products

About – Washington Heritage Museums is a 501(c)3 established in 2012 to assume ownership and management of four 18th-century house museums in downtown Fredericksburg: Mary Washington House, Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop, Rising Sun Tavern, and St. James' House. The first three museums are open year-round, offering guided tours for individuals and groups with historic interpreters.  St. James’ House serves as the organization’s headquarters and business office and opens its doors for tours on selected weeks in the spring and fall.  In 2023, WHM acquired the Mary Washington Monument and Caretaker’s Lodge site by deed of gift from the City of Fredericksburg.

An active organization of several hundred members located throughout Virginia and across the nation, Washington Heritage Museums is dedicated to growing the support that will ensure the relevance of these legacies for generations to come. We are vigorously committed to a new era of health and relevance for these architectural and cultural treasures with historical importance both locally and nationally.