Executive Director

JOB SUMMARY

The Thomasville History Center in Thomasville, Georgia, is seeking an experienced museum professional to serve as the Director of this medium-sized organization with a $500,000 annual operating budget and four full-time staff. The Director is responsible for all aspects of the institution and oversees everything from day-to-day operations to comprehensive long-range planning. The ideal candidate will be an innovative, experienced museum professional who is a collaborative leader, an articulate communicator, and a proven development professional. This position reports directly to the Board of Directors.

In existence since 1952, the Thomasville History Center is in Southwest Georgia in the heart of the Red Hills Region, an area known for its rich history, rolling hills, and red clay soils. Thomasville is a thriving, vibrant community of multi-generational families and civic minded people. The community repeatedly appears on lists of best places to live, work, and visit. The Thomasville History Center’s four-plus acres of land encompass two campuses, including thirteen historic structures and a collection of over 500,000 items covering the history of the region.

The Thomasville History Center enjoys tremendous community support. The organization maintains extensive regional partnerships that exist to meet its mission to “connect the Red Hills’ past with its present to inspire and enrich current and future generations.”

The Director will lead the Thomasville History Center in the implementation of a recently completed Strategic Plan through which the organization will play a larger and more prominent role in the community and the Red Hills region. In addition, the organization’s resources hold enormous potential for the future as the Thomasville History Center’s Board, staff, funders, volunteers and partners will provide the Director with countless ways to move the institution forward.

PRIMARY DUTIES:

Development
The Director is the primary fundraiser and is responsible for all development related work such as cultivating donor relationships, securing and administering grants, building new financial partnerships and managing the Fund Development Committee.

Marketing
The Director is responsible for overseeing marketing efforts, promoting the Thomasville History Center’s brand and public awareness in the community and the Red Hills region. Community engagement and educational opportunities that attract a broad range of audiences are key to these marketing efforts.

 Fiscal Management
The Director is responsible for drafting and managing the annual budget and has primary responsibility for managing all fiscal needs including managing investments, tax reporting, and organizational regulatory responsibilities.

Board Relations
The Director works closely with the Thomasville History Center’s 11-member board to create the vision and set the direction of the organization. The Director chairs the Board Development Committee and manages board communications, meetings, and development.

Strategic Planning
The Director oversees and manages all planning related needs, including working together with the staff and Board to meet and exceed the goals of the current strategic plan as well as updating strategic initiatives in the future.

Human Resources
The Director is responsible for managing and directing the Thomasville History Center’s staff, ensuring professionalism, communication, and teamwork across the organization.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• An advanced degree in History, Museum Studies, or other relevant field or research area is preferred. A Bachelor’s degree with five or more years of senior level management experience in a comparable field may substitute for the advanced degree.
• Five or more years of demonstrated senior level management experience in a fast paced, small to medium sized non-profit organization, including financial and personnel management
• Demonstrated ability to engage a variety of audiences in ways that generate excitement and promote the well-being of the Thomasville History Center
• Track record of successful collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders
• Cultural sensitivity and diplomacy, emotional intelligence, and commitment to the highest standards of professionalism
• Proven financial management with success in managing budgets and facilities
• Familiarity with social media platforms, email programs, customer management databases, basic accounting, and graphic design
• Applied knowledge of professional museum principles, practices, and procedures and current issues in the field of museum education, including knowledge of research tools and methodology
• Excellent communication (speaking, writing, presentation, and listening) skills and an ability to effectively communicate within all levels of the staff, as well as with external audiences such as vendors and contractors
• Demonstrated organizational planning, problem-solving, and collaboration
• Effective interpersonal skills, judgement and discretion

BENEFITS

• Three (3) weeks of paid vacation
• Seven (7) paid holidays
• Simple IRA, maximum 3 percent match
• Employee health plan, employer covers 90 percent of premium
• Dental, vision, disability and life insurance plans available, employee paid

COMPENSATION

• $65,000 to $75,000 per year, commensurate with qualifications and prior experience

Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume to historycenterresume@gmail.com