Job Listing: Virginia Beach History Museums Director

Name of Organization – City of Virginia Beach Cultural Affairs Department 

Closes – Open until filled; first review of applications – 2/22/25 

Title –  Virginia Beach History Museums Director

Compensation –  $61,011.10 starting salary with a max of $94,567.21. Benefits include medical, dental, retirement, paid holidays and vacation. 

Type – This is a full-time exempt position classified as an A12 on the City of Virginia Beach Administrative Pay Plan: Administrative Pay Plan Effective September 23, 2024 

Apply –  Must apply through the City of Virginia Beach Employment website: https://virginiabeach.gov/careers - a direct link to this specific job is found here: Position Description 

All applicants must submit a cover letter and resume or vitae in addition to completing the online application. All employees may be expected to work hours in excess of their normally scheduled hours in response to short-term needs and/or City-wide emergencies.

Summary – The City of Virginia Beach Cultural Affairs Department seeks a detail-oriented museums professional with demonstrated commitment to and expertise in historic sites, to lead its History Museums Division.

This position is responsible for the management, preservation and historical interpretation of four of the region’s most significant historic sites and museums: Francis Land House, Lynnhaven House and Colonial Education Center, Thoroughgood House and Education Center and the Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School Museum at the Renaissance Academy. These sites are collectively known as the Virginia Beach History Museums (VBHM).

With the 2023 Virginia Beach Historic Houses Interpretive Plan as a guide, the selected candidate will lead a small team of museums professionals, working together to engage stakeholders, historians, educators, and the general public to ensure the museums and grounds are treasured and visited by people of all ages for generations to come. 

This position is a member of the Cultural Affairs Department leadership team, and is supervised by the department deputy director. The selected candidate will also work closely with the department director, various city departments, citizen stakeholders, and leaders of key partner organizations.

Responsibilities – 

• Create a welcoming, friendly and professional environment, and serve as an advocate for and representative of VBHM and the Cultural Affairs Department in the community while promoting the department’s mission, programs and services.
• Consistently engage with the 2023 Virginia Beach Historic Houses Interpretive Plan to evaluate timeline for priorities, oversee implementation of recommendations, and identify any potential modifications to the plan.
• Prepare, administer and monitor division’s operating and capital budgets, inclusive of revenue and expense forecasting. Prepare operating and analytical financial reports, performance measures and recommendations to establish long- and short-range goals and objectives. Maintain detailed financial records.
• Recommend, hire, train, direct, supervise, monitor and evaluate staff; oversee and lead work of staff in operations, education and collections, and work closely and collaboratively with all members of program and events team.
• With a goal of increasing revenue and use of the sites, work with members of programming and events team to collectively develop annual plan for revenue generating events on the sites, which is then presented to department director for final approval.
• Review and evaluate all associated school and public on-site and off-site programs and activities, as well as all tour scripts.
• Work in conjunction with the Public Works Department to develop and manage all capital projects associated with seven City-owned historic properties, including the three VBHM houses, as well as Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum at deWitt Cottage, Ferry Plantation, Virginia Beach Surf and Rescue Museums and Whitehurst-Buffington House.
• Research, document and interpret the department’s historic houses and museums, grounds, and associated building and their collections and furnishings.
• Represent the museums, the department and the city to the media and external constituencies, as well as through daily work with other city departments.
• Effectively establish relationships with and ongoing connection to community organizations, such as the Friends of the Virginia Beach Historic Houses, Council of Garden Clubs, Historic Preservation Commission, Virginia Beach Beautification Commission, Virginia Beach Historic Houses Foundation, Princess Anne County Training School-Union Kempsville High School Alumni and Friends Association, area garden clubs, civic leagues and historic organizations to strengthen and enhance the history museums and mission through collaboration and partnerships.
• Exhibit an extraordinary level of customer service by understanding the mission, programs and operations of both the museums and the department, and display willingness to assist clients, colleagues and stakeholders.

Qualifications – Bachelor’s degree in historic sites administration, museum studies/administration, history, public history, historic preservation, education, public administration, nonprofit management or other closely related field, plus five (5) years’ progressively responsible related experience providing the required knowledge, skills and abilities OR and equivalent combination of education (above high school level) and/or experience equivalent to nine (9) years in the fields utilizing the knowledge, skills and abilities associated with this position. 

Preferences –

• Experience in a supervisory or managerial position at an historic site or history museum
• Experience working within nonprofit organizations and with boards and volunteers.
• Experience working in or with government organizations.
• Experience with historic museums interpretations, developing operating budgets (including forecasting revenue and expenditures), and managing restoration projects of historic structures.
• Experience managing staff and volunteers, developing educational or public programming, and working with diverse stakeholders.
• Master’s degree in historic sites administration, public history, public administration, museum studies, nonprofit management or other closely related field.
• Ability to manage competing deadlines and priorities while working efficiently, both autonomously and with a team.
• Exhibit a high attention to detail, while maintaining a proactive, collaborative and enthusiastic work style.
• Success in working in partnership with a cadre of staff and volunteers of diverse personalities, education levels, talents and interests.
• Exceptional communication skills, including verbal and written.
• Demonstrated ability to set clear expectations and have regular follow ups to ensure compliance.
• Skill in anticipating needs, defining problems, collecting data, discerning facts and drawing valid conclusions in service to the organization’s mission.

About – As part of the City of Virginia Beach municipal government, the Virginia Beach History Museums is a division of the city’s Cultural Affairs Department. The department’s mission is the engage residents and visitors through meaningful arts, heritage and cultural experiences to connect and strengthen communities. For more information about VBHM, please visit VBMuseums.org: Homepage.