Mid-America Air Museum Director [City of Liberal, KS]

Description

The City of Liberal, KS is seeking a qualified individual to fill the role as the Mid-America Air Museum Director.  This position manages the Mid-America Air Museum operations, which include collections management, exhibitions, programs, education, visitor services, facilities management and fundraising. The Director is responsible for policymaking, fundraising, grant writing, development, implementation of long-range goals, and the supervision of museum staff and volunteers.  The Director is to supervise the staff and is responsible for instituting the professional practices of the museum.  The Director secures and monitors grant funds, develops major fund raising activities and coordinates with the Mid-America Air Museum Foundation for their financial support. Work is performed with considerable independence.  The Director oversees a full-time and volunteer staff.

The City of Liberal offers a highly competative employment package for quallified candidates, including competative pay, excellent benefits, retirement options, paid leave including holiday and personal leave and much much more.

Requirements

ACCEPTABLE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:

Five years of professional museum experience, including at least one year as the manager of a small museum or a section of a large museum, one year of supervisory experience, and a Bachelor’s degree in Museum Management, Avionics, Aerospace or a related field. Other combinations of education and experience, which meet the minimum qualifications, may be substituted.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Attends various museum Advisory Board and Foundation meetings to maintain contact with the membership and obtain input into the planning process for the museum.
• Develops short and long-range plans and objectives for the staff; recommends innovative and creative ideas to the museum Advisory Board.
• Develops proposed annual operating budget with appropriate staff input and directs the financial and membership activities of the museum.
• Manages and supervises the professional, technical, and clerical staff of the museum; establishes sound communications structures; establishes work priorities; gives daily advice and consultation as needed through appropriate personnel; performs annual performance reviews of staff answering directly to this position.
• Supervises the accessioning, cataloging, indexing and storing of aircraft or other avionic materials;
• Oversees the development and coordination of guided museum tours for adults and schools and educational programs, lectures and workshops;
• Secures financial support for museum events and daily operations;
• Develops and implements publicity and marketing strategies for the museum;
• Oversees the development and implementation of an inventory system for the museum’s collections;
• Provides technical information to other professionals about the museum’s history;
• Supervises the design and preparation of museum exhibits and displays;
• Supervises the museum volunteer program;
• Prepares budgets, written reports and forms related to museum operations;
• Performs bookkeeping functions for museum operations;
• Provides technical information and lectures to classes and visitors concerning early aviation, Mid America Air Museum History and avionic theories.
• Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality customer service.
• Oversees and has general management responsibilities over the Museum’s Gift Shop.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge of:

• Professional principles, materials, practices and methods of museum management.
• Museum practices and methods, including the proper methods of storing and processing a variety of aircraft and the general care of properties in an air museum.
• Accessioning, cataloging and indexing.
• Museum exhibitions methods and practices, including the proper method of developing, planning and implementing museum exhibits.
• Management and supervisory practices necessary for the operation of a museum.
• Considerable knowledge of museum budgeting and financial principles and practices.

Ability to:

• Perform a broad range of supervisory responsibilities over others.
• Install and design exhibits.
• Develop exhibit-related educational programs.
• Be tactful and courteous with the public, and deal with sensitive issues related to museum collections.
• Produce written documents using proper sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar.
• Present the museum as a scientific, educational and civic asset to the community.
• Communicate orally by phone or in a one-to-one or group setting.
• Work cooperatively with others.
• Work safely without presenting a direct threat to self or others.