Museums & Historical Societies, Non-profit
Salary Range
The Castine Historical Society (CHS), on the scenic Maine coast, invites talented, enthusiastic museum professionals with a passion for local history to apply for the position of Executive Director.
The ideal candidate will also have strong exhibit, communication, organizational, and fundraising skills, the desire to serve as the public face of an organization, and the ability to lead CHS as it expands and rebrands for the future.
CHS was incorporated in 1966 and owns two buildings, the Abbott School, built in 1859 as the towns high school, and the adjacent Samuel P.
Grindle House, built c.
1850.
The Abbott School serves as exhibit and program space, and the Grindle House contains offices, a researchers reading room, a small exhibit space, and a state-of-the-art collections storage facility.
A planned renovation of the Abbott School will make it ADA compliant and provide space for a permanent exhibit on the history of Castine.
Thanks toa healthy, well-managed endowment, CHS is open to visitors seasonally free of charge, and most operating expenses are covered.
The Opportunity
Lead an organization that is financially stable, has a plan for the future, is poised for growth, and is eager to spread its wings and fly.
CHS is a gem among local history museums and historical societies.
It consistently punches above its weight and definitely is not your grandmothers historical society.
Work with an engaged and talented board to lead a capital campaign to renovate the Abbott School and create a dynamic and expansive new permanent exhibit on Castines 400-year history.
Lead the rebranding of CHS to better reflect all the towns history and engage all the people living in the community.
Lead and inspire a dedicated and talented group of staff and volunteers.Partner with an engaged and hardworking Board
Care for, expand, and be inspired by CHSs collections, housed in a state-of-the-art storage facility.
Lead an institution that is committed to diversity, values everyones story, and uses Castines history to explore social justice issues.
Partner with other cultural organizations in Castine and the region to create programs and events for a variety of audiences.
Enjoy life in a beautiful coastal community where other people go for vacation.
Castine is busy with vacationers and seasonal residents in spring, summer and fall, and quieter in winter.
Be part of a welcoming community where the spirit of cooperation is alive and well.
Experience life in one of the top dozen best U.S.
states to live in.
Responsibilities
Vision and Leadership
Provide visionary leadership and strong administrative oversight for all aspects of CHSs operations.
Set the strategic direction for CHS in collaboration with the Board, staff, and community stakeholders.
With Board and community stakeholders, develop a new name and brand for CHS.
With the Board, develop, implement, and monitor the Strategic Plan, and develop annual staff work plans that align with and meet the plans yearly goals.
Collaborate with the Board to achieve good governance.
Work with them to grow and diversify the Board through recruitment and onboarding of new members and professional development opportunities for Board members.
Ensure full and transparent communication with the Board.
Attend all Board and committee meetings and maintain a strong working relationship with the Board and its committees.
Development and Financial Management
In partnership with the Board and appropriate committees, ensure that CHS is financially stable.
Plan and lead a comprehensive fundraising strategy that includes annual and long-term goals to expand fundraising and earned revenue to support existing and new activities and long-term financial goals.
With the Board Chair and Treasurer, develop the annual operating budget.
Administer the budget, monitor income and expenses, assure that input from staff and committee chairs is integrated into budgetary assumptions.
Provide the Board with regular financial reports.
With the Board and volunteers, plan and implement an annual fundraiser.
Write and administer grants.
With the Board and appropriate consultants, plan and implement a capital campaign for renovations of the Abbott School and creation of a new permanent exhibit.
Buildings and Grounds
Ensure that the building exterior and interior and the collections are well cared for and maintained.
Develop familiarity with CHSs buildings and collections and their preservation and conservation needs.
Assure that the collections are properly cared for.
With the chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, oversee the maintenance and preservation of CHSs two historic buildings.
Human Resources
Oversee a small and talented staff and an engaged group of volunteers.
Implement best human resources practices, including onboarding, policies, benefits administration, professional development, and performance management.
Lead, inspire, and support the staff of museum professionals so they have the skills and expertise to oversee programs with creativity, professionalism, and sustainability.
Guide and support Board and committee members and other volunteers in their work.
Exhibits and Programs
Lead the Exhibits and Education committees to create compelling, culturally relevant, and innovative exhibitions and programs that share the diverse history of Castine with a variety of audiences.
In consultation with the Exhibits Committee, guest curators, and appropriate community partners, develop and install a program of changing exhibits.
In consultation with the Education Committee, plan, implement, and evaluate dynamic public history programs for diverse audiences.
Lead a team of committee members, consultants, and community partners to develop a new permanent exhibit on the diverse history of Castine.
Lead the Education Committee and volunteer Docent Coordinator to oversee an active docent program.
Explore opportunities for expanding the collection to better tell the varied stories of Castine and its people.
Community Engagement, Public Relations, and Marketing
Provide a high degree of visibility and serve as the representative of CHS in the community.
Build new and strengthen existing community partnerships to engage individuals and organizations from diverse backgrounds.
Work with community partners to introduce new audiences to CHS.
Coordinate and implement all public relations, marketing, and communications, including newsletters, website, social media accounts, advertisements, and other marketing materials.
Qualifications
Bachelors degree in history, art history, museum studies/management, non-profit management or equivalent required.
Masters degree preferred.
Minimum of 3 5 years successful leadership of a historical society, historic house or site, museum, or similar leadership experience.
Experience as a director of a similar organization, or a second-in-command or department head at a larger institution.
Enthusiasm for local history.
Eager to learn and understand Castines role in local, regional, state, and national history.
Demonstrated leadership and visioning skills
Experience casting a vision and cultivating buy-in.
Track record of developing a.