President [Chester County Historical Society, West Chester, PA]

Description

CHESTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

WEST CHESTER, PA

http://www.chestercohistorical.org/

The next President of the Chester County Historical Society (CCHS) will lead a well-respected, healthy regional history museum with a renowned collection and focused, exciting plans.  CCHS, founded in 1893, tells the story of Chester County, population 500,000, which is 45 minutes southwest of Philadelphia.  CCHS holds a superb collection of 80,000 examples of local Pennsylvania furniture, decorative arts and objects from the Pre-Contact and Colonial eras to today, plus a treasure-house library/archives of 20,000 volumes, 500,000 manuscripts and 80,000 photographs (http://www.chestercohistorical.org/collections  and Chester County A to Z).

CCHS produces a major temporary exhibit annually (http://www.chestercohistorical.org/exhibits), such as this year’s The Sixties! The Age of Aquarius in Chester County, plus one or two small shows each year.  A hands-on activities gallery is popular with families and children.  Educational programs such as National History Day and the History Connections program for students, senior centers and scouts reached over 3,500 schoolchildren and teachers in 2015; and lectures, symposia, and the lively History on Tap series held at local breweries round out the offerings. (http://www.chestercohistorical.org/public-programs).  Today, 150 special events are held throughout the year, including the April antiques show, which netted $105,000 last year.  Weddings and other facility rentals provide additional income (http://www.chestercohistorical.org/calendar).  About 250 volunteers — with a dedicated core of over 30 regularly in the museum and library — contributed more than 16,000 hours in FY2015.

The Presidency provides the opportunity to lead a $2-million annual-budget museum with a $10-million endowment, a highly professional approach, a knowledgeable, dedicated staff of 20 and a board of 20.  The new President will implement a forward-looking strategic plan that encompasses a completely new permanent exhibit opening in 2017, new programming, and greater community engagement.  S/he will also have a strong mandate to fundraise, run CCHS in a businesslike manner and maintain its current fiscal health.

The position is for an experienced leader.  The Board seeks candidates with a passion for local history combined with success in fundraising for programs and sustainability.  The position is open to candidates who currently direct a museum or who are deputy directors, curators, or education/engagement directors or other department heads, with leadership and administrative experience and a belief in and ability to communicate the value and relevance of history to people of all ages and backgrounds, and to patrons, collectors, and foundations.

The position is open due to the untimely passing of much-admired President Rob Lukens in 2015.  Since his illness and passing, momentum has been ably maintained by a triumvirate of senior staff led by the Interim President, who is also Vice President for Development.

Chester County is a very attractive location and provides an opportunity to live in a beautiful, historic and affluent county, ranging from urban to farmland.  West Chester is located halfway between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware, the home of Winterthur.  Chester County alone offers 100 historical organizations, providing opportunities for collaborations and expert peers.  The County is full of history buffs, and its local historical figures – from William Penn in 1682 to abolitionists, women’s rights activists, and a female steel-mill owner — and its many captivating stories – from the Battle of Brandywine in the American Revolution and the first mass-production of penicillin to the arrival of new immigrant groups today — provide wide-ranging themes for interpretation and topics to engage people in the diverse heritages of the region.  West Chester University is located only blocks from CCHS and offers concerts, lectures and theatre.  Outdoor recreation opportunities range from nearby Longwood Gardens to biking to kayaking.  (http://www.brandywinevalley.com/attractions/view-all).  West Chester was founded in 1799 and has a diverse and growing economy.  Housing options provide a range of life styles from townhouses in a walkable city to farms in the country.  Museums and performing arts venues for theatre and ballet are also found throughout the Brandywine Valley, including the Brandywine River Museum and the Hagley Museum.  (http://www.thebrandywine.com/fun/).

Philadelphia, the 5th largest city in the U.S., is notable for its rich history, many American Revolutionary sites, and its major museums, universities, as well as performing arts and sports venues (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60795-Activities-Philadelphia_Pennsylvania.html, Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, www.discoverphl.com/, and Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, www.greaterphilachamber.com/).  The cities of New York, Baltimore and Washington are all within a 2-hour drive.

Requirements

THE CCHS PRESIDENCY

The key factors for the President’s success are two-fold.  First, s/he must be able to inspirationally and credibly communicate the mission, vision, and goals of CCHS, along with the value and relevance of the history of Chester County to staff, members, the public, and donors.  Second, s/he must enthusiastically lead the charge to garner the resources needed to achieve the goals, not only for the major new installation of the permanent galleries and other projects and programs, but also for continued sustainability and balanced budgets.  If these two key factors are in place, CCHS’s major goals will be accomplished.

The museum is on a strong path.  Since 2012, CCHS has been fiscally healthy and moving forward with exciting programs and plans.  The next leader should maintain the current forward momentum and sound finances.  The board and staff are united on the need to continue in a businesslike manner with strong fundraising and balanced budgets, but there is plenty of room to envision, in today’s rapidly changing world, the next decade of transformation at CCHS.

THE PRESIDENCY OFFERS EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING TO:

1. Continue the forward momentum of a goal-oriented and successful institution.
2. Bring to fruition, open, and capitalize on the momentum of the first major reinstallation and reinterpretation of the permanent collection in over 20 years.  The virtually museum-wide exhibit will feature up-to-date, relevant themes and incorporate the latest methods of interpretation.  Opening in 2017, it will also include new visible storage.  The whole institution has come together to focus on this important $3.7-million project, and already $2.8 million has been raised.
3. Lead a respected, 123-year-old institution with professional practices and high museum standards; a top-caliber, deep collection; and a strong reputation for scholarship.
4. Be a resource and inspirational leader for a talented staff of professionals.
5. Safeguard the continued success of an institution that has become financially stable, has developed diverse revenue streams and maintains a balanced budget.
6. Complete the funding campaign for the permanent exhibit, already well along towards its goal, and obtain resources for programming and new initiatives.
7. Engage in the regional community – speaking to groups, serving on local boards, learning and meeting community needs and interests, and forming rewarding friendships and partnerships.
8. Change and enrich people’s lives through exposure to CCHS and History.
9. Bring in new and younger audiences and enhance engagement of diverse community groups.  Increase visitation (now 32,000 annually) and membership (now at 1,137 members), and especially, attract younger adults and families.
10. Provide enhanced public-programming leadership, since the staff does not include an Education Director at the moment.  Maintain successful programming, but also establish more frequent and wider public programming, especially for adult audiences.
11. Complete the museum’s transition to the digital age and its plans for greater access to the collections.
12. Oversee the research and publications that spring from the collection and temporary exhibitions.
13. Amplify your knowledge of, or learn the fascinating, rich history of Chester County and the region.
14. Direct a mid-sized museum — small enough to know everyone and to make a difference but large enough to have the staff and resources to accomplish goals.
15. Work in West Chester and Chester County, a sophisticated community filled with history buffs, historic places, and a plenitude of cultural and educational offerings.  Enjoy a small-city atmosphere and a more affordable cost of living.
16. Stay for a significant tenure.  Make a mark and leave a legacy.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Leadership abilities and mission-related enthusiasm

1. Minimum of five years of successful leadership experience in the museum and/or historical-society profession, for example, in a director, deputy-director, curator, education-director, department-head or management position
2. A background that demonstrates value for historic artifacts/records as well as appreciation of a region’s people and history.  Passion for and experience with local history helpful, along with eagerness to learn Chester County’s history
3. B.A. in American history, public history, preservation, decorative arts, museum studies or related field, with advanced degree preferred
4. Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills
   1. Inspirational communicator and engaging public speaker who can make history relevant and appealing, especially to contemporary audiences
   2. Can inspire, teach, and motivate staff, volunteers, members, board members, collectors, civic officials, foundations, donors, and a wide public
   3. Gifted at meeting people, building relationships, and being the public face of the organization
   4. Skilled  in written communications
5. Knowledge and experience to sustain a nonprofit organization and ability to grasp all aspects of a multifaceted organization.  Well-rounded leader preferred who has the whole package, that is, love of history, vision, fundraising ability and practical business sense
   1. Big-picture mentality; can advance a whole museum and coordinate all of the facets, projects and departments of the organization
6. Successful experience in gaining leadership trust and confidence among the board, staff, and local community
7. Experience developing and implementing programs and exhibits, with commitment to welcoming new and more diverse audiences
8. Knowledge of museum standards and ethics, best practices, trends and technologies, in order to oversee the mission-related side of CCHS and to ensure substance and professionalism in all endeavors
9. Commitment to Chester County, demonstrated either by professional experience in the region or by the desire and proven ability to quickly learn the region’s history, the organization, and area resources
10. Professional networks in the field, regionally and nationally
11. Experience in a mid-size museum desirable
12. Can commit to CCHS for an extended tenure (such as five years or more) to ensure continuity and to evolve the institution over the short and long term

Management and administrative skills

1. Experience in implementing an organizational or departmental strategic plan.  Commitment to carrying out CCHS’s plans, particularly the new permanent installation of the galleries
2. Project-management experience.  Ability to envision a project and grow and shape it and bring people on board, along with the persistence and practical skills to push it along and see it executed
3. Business sense to oversee and manage budgets and use financial statements to deliver positive results
4. Assumes leadership accountability.  Will set priorities and resolve conflicts
5. Experience managing staff, especially effective, committed and forthright professionals
   1. Team-oriented.  Can lead all the departments and staff to work together to fulfill the mission and sustain the organization
   2. Good listener, open to new ideas.  Embraces and leads a collaborative culture that encourages all to participate and be heard
6. Practical, a problem-solver.  Can work hands-on in a smaller organization
7. Marketing instincts.  A sense of what will “sell” museum projects and increase visitation
8. Experience working successfully with a board (or board committee) and with volunteers

Fundraising experience and track record

1. Successful fundraising experience in previous roles, preferably including donor cultivation and solicitation, major gifts, and capital or project campaigns
2. Proven ability for successful fundraising for exhibits, programs and collections and also for the sustainability of the enterprise
3. Ability to engage new members and donors and to steward current relationships

CCHS offers competitive compensation, commensurate with experience, plus benefits.

For further details, visit http://museumsearchandreference.com/open-searches/

HOW TO APPLY

Nominations welcome.  Apply in confidence: Email cover letter, résumé (Word document preferred), salary requirement, and names of 3 references with contact information by March 14, 2016 to retained search firm: Marilyn Hoffman, Museum Search & Reference, SearchandRef@museum-search.com.  References will not be contacted without prior permission of the applicant.  EOE.  For non-discriminatory policies, see: http://www.chestercohistorical.org/hiring-internships.