Director of Education and Guest Experiences [Gunston Hall]

Gunston Hall is pleased to announce an exciting new opportunity for a passionate and action oriented leader to transform the guest experience at an unparalleled historic site on scenic Mason Neck in Fairfax County, Virginia.  Having recently embraced a new mission statement calling on us to stimulate the continuing public exploration of democratic ideals as first presented by George Mason in the 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights, we are seeking an innovative and entrepreneurial leader with the vision, energy, and ability to inspire, create, and achieve the implementation of diverse, accessible, audience oriented, and impactful guest experiences both on-site at Gunston Hall and beyond.

The ideal candidate will possess a compelling vision for maximizing the power and potential of historic places, an enthusiastic passion for collaboratively inventing and implementing meaningful experiences, a creative spirit which embraces the power of possibility, an open mind which finds inspiration everywhere, a sincere desire to understand and meet community needs, a dedicated commitment to exceptional service, and a strong belief in the importance of ongoing personal and professional development.

If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind opportunity to lead and collaboratively participate in the transformation of a one-of-a-kind historic site, then this job is for you. If you are looking to create an innovative and diverse portfolio of impactful experiences through the exploration of compelling, diverse, and relevant stories and ideas, then we encourage you to apply. If you are looking to join a growing team of passionate individuals with a shared commitment to fulfilling our mission in ways of direct value and benefit to those we serve, then we look forward to hearing from you. Finally, if you believe that an exploration of Gunston Hall and the ideas represented in George Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights offers an opportunity to facilitate the expression of beliefs, the understanding of diverse viewpoints, the shared participation in civil discourse, and the collective action essential for a tolerant, peaceful, and democratic society, then please consider this opportunity as one allowing you to take action on these beliefs in far-reaching ways.

Description of Duties:

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Education and Guest Experiences is a senior leadership position responsible for creating and implementing a dynamic mix of authentic educational experiences providing value, impact, and benefit to a diverse audience and community. This responsibility includes establishing Gunston Hall as a national and international resource for the study and interpretation of the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the pivotal role of George Mason as its author.

The Director of Education and Guest Experiences is also responsible for facilitating exceptional guest services for all those served by Gunston Hall. In fulfilling this responsibility, the Director of Education and Guest Experiences will function as the organization’s primary guest advocate and ambassador. Inclusive of this function is responsibility for leading all guest oriented aspects of organizational operations and working closing with other departments to ensure service is consistent and coordinated. Evaluating the guest experience and measuring the successful achievement of service standards is also a critical responsibility of this position.

Finally, the Director of Education and Guest Experiences is responsible for actively leading and supporting the overall advancement of the organization including mission fulfillment, strategic plan implementation, team development, and the achievement of organizational sustainability and excellence.

This position is a full-time, salaried, and classified as exempt. Compensation will be based on qualifications. Performance will be evaluated based on the achievement of collaboratively determined team and personal goals specific to the requirements of the position.

Gunston Hall, the home of George Mason, aspires to utilize fully its physical and scholarly resources to stimulate the continuing public exploration of democratic ideals as first presented by George Mason in the 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights.  Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and a National Historic Landmark, Gunston Hall was built by George Mason from 1755-1759. Today, the site includes Gunston Hall; reconstructed outbuildings; a visitor center, museum, event facility, and museum shop; and 550 acres of diverse landscape situated along the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia.  For more information, please visitwww.gunstonhall.org.

In line with organizational objectives, values, and standards of excellence, we are seeking an individual possessing the following:

• Demonstrated and successful leadership in a diverse and vibrant setting.
• Demonstrated and successful experience designing, implementing, and evaluating impactful educational experiences for a diverse audience.
• Exemplary communication skills and a commitment to effective communication in a team environment.
• Experience creating, supporting, and sustaining an environment in which a unified team works for organizational excellence.
• Experience providing and supporting exemplary guest service.
• Proven ability developing and achieving goals, planning and managing projects, implementing budgets and business plans, and meeting targeted deadlines.
• A commitment to leading and supporting entrepreneurial and innovative initiatives.
• Exceptional organizational skills.
• A positive attitude, energetic personality, motivational spirit, and creatively open mind.
• A commitment to excellence.

Qualifications for this position include:

• A Master’s Degree in history, museum studies, public history, education or comparable field is preferred.
• Progressive, relevant experience and demonstrated success in creating and implementing impactful educational experiences or a comparable combination of education and experience is preferred.
• Progressive, relevant experience and demonstrated success facilitating and providing exceptional guest services or a comparable combination of education and experience is preferred.
• Knowledge and experience specific to cultural organizations, museums, and / or historic sites is beneficial.
• A passion for George Mason, Gunston Hall, The Virginia Declaration of Rights, history, historic sites, storytelling, and associated themes and topics is beneficial.
• Must be available to work weekends, holidays and/or evenings as needed.
• Must be able to travel out of town as needed.