Executive Director

Company: McLean County Museum of History
Location: Bloomington
Posted on: February 13, 2020

Job Description:

Description Executive Director, McLean County Museum of History, Bloomington Illinois. The McLean County Museum of History, accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is seeking a focused, enthusiastic leader with a passion for local history as its Executive Director. The person who takes this position will direct the activities of a museum which has just completed a highly successful capital campaign. This project funded the renovation and construction of five core exhibits; funded the establishment of a robust digital infrastructure, including a curator assigned to digital interpretation; funded a new educator position tasked with the presentation of interactive programs to audiences off-site; and enlarged the museum endowment to $8,000,000. A new level of competency has been achieved here. The museum is now a leader in downstate Illinois in the use of digital technology, inclusive educational programming, historical research, and exhibit development. Upon this base, new challenges may be addressed. The successful candidate will lead the museum in developing a new comprehensive long-range plan and will lead the museum to successful reaccreditation by AAM. This will be achieved by working collaboratively with a highly professional, dedicated and diverse staff of seventeen and a volunteer force of 140. The paid staff think museum-wide and are accustomed to working across department boundaries in a highly collaborative environment. This museum staff culture underlies the great success of our nimble and creative approach to goal achievement. Overlooking this work is a dedicated, connected, generous and diverse Board of Directors of the McLean County Historical Society, which does business as The McLean County Museum of History. The Society is an Illinois not-for-profit corporation which was founded in 1892. The Interim Executive Director, who served as Executive Director from 1988 to 2016, will serve to advise and aid the successful candidate during the leadership transition. Salary $75,000 to $95,000 plus benefits. (Numbeo COL index 62.08) To apply send a cover letter with a resume and three references to Robert Watkins, Board President, McLean County Museum of History, 200 N. Main St., Bloomington IL 61701 or via email . Duties and Responsibilities: The primary duty is to lead this first-rate museum with the support of an interdependent staff composed of highly motivated self-starters. This includes oversight and personal involvement in staff management and oversight in volunteer and intern management; financial oversight; fund raising; board interaction; and community representation of the Museum. The position is supported by an eight-hour a week staff member. Reports to the museum board President, and works with the board, to establish sound policies and procedures. Is responsible for hiring and overseeing the training and development of museum employees. Is responsible for day-to-day oversight of the museum departments. Manages the business of the museum including the management of real and personal property owned by the museum. Is responsible for the administration of personnel policies, and benefit programs. Works closely with the Treasurer and the staff to develop annual budgets, approve appropriate expenditures, control expenses, and to monitor results. Is responsible for museum fund solicitation, develops and maintains personal relationships with significant donors. Serves as principle spokesperson for the Society and museum. Maintains relationships and liaisons with elected and senior officials in government, media, and business, as appropriate. Acts as liaison with the County of McLean, ensuring the continual care, maintenance, repair, and preservation of the museum courthouse facility and grounds, in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Preservation. Develops and maintains partnerships, in association with staff, with community organizations, such as the Bloomington-Normal Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Bloomington-Normal Black History Project, local universities and schools. Oversees and maintains our unique relationships with the McLean County Genealogical Society and the Letitia Greene Stevenson Chapter of the NSDAR. Participates in professional organizations, specifically those in the field of museum operations and history. Helps identify, select and educate board members. Attends select museum programs and attends donor events which occur, at times, on weekends and evenings. Performs other duties as assigned by the museum board. Required Knowledge and Experience: College level education, formal training, and/or past job experience relating to nonprofit organizations, museums and public humanities. Has demonstrated through work experience, personal activity or volunteerism a deep commitment to the interpretation and presentation of history and culture in the public sector. Should possess strong management and leadership skills. Able to direct the operations of various departments, and lead individuals with diverse backgrounds and skillsets. Will foster and encourage a collaborative atmosphere enabling the staff to work cohesively as a team. Will collaboratively work with board and staff to achieve museum goals and objectives, and aid and assist staff members in achieving museum goals and objectives. Able to balance multiple projects and operating issues concurrently. Strong verbal communication skills. Able to interact diplomatically with people of all levels of age, status, and education. Good presentation skills. Ability to prepare and oversee the development of grant requests. Strong written communication skillsable to write high quality reports and letters. Strong technical skills. Working knowledge of common programs such as Word, Excel, and Power Point. Some knowledge in contract negotiations and administration, to include insurance, lease, and vendor contracts. Should possess a commitment to continuing education and personal improvement. Constantly exhibits integrity, good citizenship, and a strong work ethic, being an example to others. Familiarity with National Standards and Best Practices for Museums, and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Preservation. The Bloomington/Normal Community Our community features an affordable standard of living coupled with superb opportunities for education, entertainment and first-rate travel connections. Median Gross Rent: $811, which in 2016 ranked B/N among the Top 10 Affordable Places to Live in the U.S. Four accredited institutions of higher learning: Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland College and Lincoln College Highly educated population: 95% of McLean County residents 25 and over are high school graduates or higher: 45% have bachelor's degree or higher which ranks ninth among all U.S. metros. Average Commute Time is 18 minutes Second busiest Amtrak station in Illinois, Central Illinois Regional Airport, and service by three interstate highways Area median Household income in 2019 was $65,543 Access to a variety of arts and leisure amenities: 38 parks in Bloomington, 19 in Normal, and over 2,500 acres of regional parks in McLean County. Constitution Trail is a 45+ miles hard surfaced trail running through the Twin Cities which has been developed for walking, hiking, jogging and biking. Bloomington-Normal also boasts numerous entertainment venues including McLean County Museum of History, Miller Park Zoo, Grossinger Motors Arena, the Art Deco style Normal Theater, the American roots and folk-rock venue Castle Theatre, the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts and more. We are home to the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. Our community is ranked for its quality. Ranked as one of the Top 25 Best Small Places for Business and Careers (Forbes,2015), Bloomington Normal ranks in the top 10 Top College Towns thanks to our quality of life and professional opportunities for students at our two universities and two colleges. (Business Insider, 2017) Digital Capital of Illinois Bloomington was designated as the Digital Capital of Illinois thanks to our high percentage of workers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics - along with our blossoming entrepreneur scene and increasing number of tech startups. (Google, 2015) Outstanding Medical Care Bloomington-Normal is the home of two hospitals which have demonstrated excellence in nursing and patient care as well as innovation in professional nursing. This honor in nursing is paired with the presence of the Mennonite College of Nursing as well as state-of-the-art birthing centers, nationally recognized cardiovascular and stroke care, and innovative health and wellness services. Best Place to Live Downstate Niche Ratings (2016) gives Bloomington-Normal an A or better for public schools, family friendly environment, nightlife, commute, and health. Livability (2016) ranks Bloomington-Normal among the Top 10 Affordable Places to Live in the U.S. Best for Millennial Job Seekers As a member of the Top 50 Best Places for STEM grads, BN makes a point to retain local graduates through workforce development and entrepreneurship programs. Our median age is 32.1 years old, with over 38 percent of the population between the ages of 20 and 44 who are paid an average salary of nearly $62,000. (Nerd Wallet, 2016) Job Information Location: Bloomington, Illinois, United States Job ID: Posted: January 31, 2020 Position Title: Executive Director Company Name: McLean County Museum of History Job Function: Directors/Administrators Entry Level: No

Keywords: McLean County Museum of History, Bloomington , Executive Director, Executive , Bloomington, Illinois