The Castine Historical Society (CHS) 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 town’s high school, and the Samuel P. Grindle House, built c. 1850. The Abbott School serves as exhibit and program space, and the Grindle House contains offices, a researcher’s 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 to a 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 grandmother’s 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 Castine’s 400-year history.
  • Lead the rebranding of CHS to better reflect all the town’s 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 CHS’s collections, housed in a state-of-the-art storage facility.
• Lead an institution that is committed to diversity, values everyone's story, and uses Castine's 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.

Responsibilities

Vision and Leadership

Provide visionary leadership and strong administrative oversight for all aspects of CHS’s 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 plan’s 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 CHS’s 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 CHS’s 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 abilityto oversee programs with creativity, professionalism, and sustainability.
• Guide and support Board and committee members and other volunteers.

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

• Bachelor’s degree in history, art history, museum studies/management, non-profit management or equivalent required. Master’s 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 understandCastine’s roleinlocal, regional, state, and national history.
• Demonstrated leadership and visioning skills
  • Experience casting a vision and cultivating buy-in.
  • Track record of developing and implementing strategic plans.
  • Experience in reimagining and rebranding an institution.
• Demonstrated management skills 
  • Track record of successfully leading and inspiring staff, and and Board.
  • History of sound financial management of a nonprofit organization.
  • A strong work ethic with a high degree of energy. 
  • Strong organizational skills; the abilitytobalanceseveralprioritiessimultaneously.
  • Knowledge of best practices and trends in the museum field.
• Demonstrated fundraising skills 
  • Ability to plan and lead a comprehensive organizational fundraising strategy. 
  • Skilled at grantwritingand donor cultivation.
  • Experience with and/or management of a capital campaign.
• Outstanding communication skills. 
  • Demonstrated ability, desire, and commitment to engage and partner with people and organizations from a culturally diverse landscape.
  • Strong social skills.  Enjoys being in the community, fostering goodwill and community spirit.
  • Skilled at written and verbal communication. Able to share CHS’s vision with a variety of constituents. 
  • Willingness to understand and embrace technology.
• Experience in overseeing the development, implementation, and evaluation of a variety of exhibits and educational programs.
  • Experience in overseeing the collaborative development and installation of exhibits.
  • Ability to lead a team to plan, implement, and evaluate dynamic public history programs for adults and youth.
  • Experience with project management and construction.

Compensation

The salary for the position is $75,000 - $90,000, commensurate with experience, plus benefits, including 100% paid for ACA compliant health insurance.

For more information or to apply for the position

• For a complete job description, contact Executive Search Consultant Gail Nessell Colglazier at gncolglazier@gmail.com. 
• Apply via email with cover letter, résumé, and names and contact information for three professional references to gncolglazier@gmail.com.  References will not be contacted without prior permission of the applicant, and all applications are confidential. 
• Inquires and nominations are welcome. Please send questions or names of potential candidates to gncolglazier@gmail.com. 
  
• Application deadline: July 1, 2024. 
  

CHS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religious affiliation, marital status, national origin, or sexual orientation/identity.

Research shows that women and people from underrepresented groups often apply for jobs only if they meet all of the qualifications. CHS understands that it is unlikely that someone will meet all the requirements, so if you can check off most of the boxes, we encourage you to apply.