Executive Director [The Rockwell Museum, Corning, NY]

Description

Position Announcement

Executive Director

Rockwell Museum, Corning, New York

The Rockwell Museum, an AAM accredited institution now celebrating its 40th year of operation, is seeking a creative, collaborative, and innovative leader to guide the museum in its next phase of development.  The museum’s present Executive Director will retire in the near future.  Under her leadership, the museum has become a true community asset in the small upstate New York town of Corning, the world headquarters of Corning Incorporated and home to the renowned Corning Museum of Glass.  The Rockwell features a stellar collection of American art from the 19th century to the present with a strong emphasis on art of the American West.  In recent years, the museum engaged in a thorough and comprehensive strategic planning process designed to position the museum for even greater success in the future.

Recently named a Smithsonian Affiliate, the Rockwell Museum tells the story of the American experience through a display of stunning art about America.  The Rockwell emphasizes education as a key component of its mission. The museum presents a wide range of educational services and programs, often in collaboration with local schools and other organizations, along with musical performances, lectures, and other community events.  Housed in the restored 19th Century Old City Hall building, the Rockwell Museum originally grew out of collections assembled by founding collectors, Robert and Hertha Rockwell.

For more information on the museum, visit www.rockwellmuseum.org.

Position Summary

Provides overall leadership for the museum. Responsible for organizational strategy and financial, legal and ethical well-being.  Gives direction to the staff and guidance to the President of the Board of Trustees regarding financial, programmatic, collections and management issues. Ensures that policies are carried out to maintain professional standards.

Qualifications

• The personality of prospective candidates will be a key factor in selecting the next Executive Director.  While experience and specific skill sets will certainly be taken into account, the ability of the candidates to mesh well with the existing staff and Board of Trustees will be a prime consideration.

• Museum management experience will be a definite plus for candidates, but a museum background is not necessary to be considered for the position.  Candidates with other professional backgrounds, such as arts organizations and non-profit entities, may be equally qualified.  Candidates from the private or business sector could also be considered.

• Candidates should have an appreciation for the collections of the museum, but need not have a background or experience in art history.

• The collaborative style of leadership fostered by the present Executive Director has positioned the museum to succeed and the atmosphere created by that style should continue.

• Candidates should have an appreciation for the unique relationship between the museum and its chief benefactor, Corning Incorporated. One of the primary roles of the new Executive Director will be to nurture that relationship through close and regular contact with the company’s liaison with the museum.  The new Executive Director will be the museum’s chief advocate with the company and will be expected to work well within the Corning corporate culture.

• Candidates should have the skills necessary to be a community leader.  They should be at ease in front of a wide variety of audiences and be willing to represent the museum on the local, regional and national levels.

• Candidates should be strategic thinkers who will collaborate with the staff in creating programs and services that will appeal to wide audiences.

• Candidates should have a record of success in fund raising and donor cultivation.

•  Candidates should have a minimum five years experience at an executive level; demonstrated experience in museum management and/or non-profit organizations preferred.

• Candidates should possess strong knowledge of financial management; and demonstrated experience in creating and managing budgets.

• In addition to management experience, candidates should have a history of effectively working with governing boards.

• Bachelor’s degree required, master’s preferred.

• Ability and willingness to travel.

Responsibilities

• Ensures that the museum is in full compliance with all laws and regulations.

• Ensures financial stability and growth; with senior staff, develops and administers the museum’s annual budget.

• Manages and assists staff in developing policies and procedures, creating educational services, activities, and programs, building and presenting the permanent collection, and special exhibitions.

• Serves as spokesperson for the museum and actively represents the Museum in the community.

• Develops targeted fundraising programs and actively participates in the development of major donors for the museum.

• Ensures the development and implementation of an aggressive marketing plan, including programs to promote and increase attendance.

• Participates in the community and serves on boards as appropriate.

• Supervises senior management of the museum.

• Oversees and manages all capital improvements and other major projects.

• Represents the museum in the Museums West consortium and other related associations as appropriate.

The museum offers a competitive salary and a generous benefits package.

Corning, New York

Corning is a small historic and artistic city in Steuben County, in the geographic region of New York State known as the Southern Tier. Most famous for its glassmaking past and present, the town of Corning welcomes more than half a million people every year from all over the world. Visitors and residents enjoy Corning’s rich culture and history and the beauty of its surroundings in the Finger Lakes wine-making region.

The historic Gaffer District is Corning’s restored downtown, where the annual GlassFest as well as music festivals, parades and a regular farmers markets take place. The Rockwell Museum and Corning Incorporated’s headquarters are located in the Gaffer District as is the Corning Museum of Glass.

Corning’s population is 10,200. The town is a ninety-minute drive from the academic and cultural resources of Rochester and Syracuse. Cornell University and Ithaca College are located in Ithaca, New York, 45 miles from Corning. The Clemens Center in nearby Elmira hosts touring Broadway shows and other major entertainment. Elmira is also home to the Arnot Art Museum.

The Corning-Painted Post public school system is nationally recognized for its excellence. Corning’s per-student public school expenditure is 30% higher than the national average and its student-to-teacher ratio is 14 to 1. There are several private and parochial schools in and near Corning including the Alternative School for Math and Science, a high-performing small middle school.

Corning’s cost of living is 22% lower than the national average and is also significantly lower than New York State’s average.

Corning is served by the Elmira/Corning regional airport, 20 minutes away, with daily Delta non-stop service to Detroit and daily American non-stop service to Philadelphia. Larger airports are in Rochester and Syracuse.

Candidates should send a cover letter and resume to Michael W. Duty, principle of Michael Duty Fine Art, LLC at michael@michaeldutyfineart.com.