Description

Chief Cultural & Executive Officer (CCEO)

The Historic Jamaa Birth Village Cultural Heritage Center: African Indigenous Midwifery Museum & Library Research Institute (AIMM & AIM LRI)

Ferguson, Missouri

About Us

The African Indigenous Midwifery Museum & Library Research Institute (AIMM & AIM LRI), housed within The Historic Jamaa Birth Village Cultural Heritage Center, is the world’s first institution dedicated to preserving and interpreting the histories, practices, and knowledge systems of African and African diasporic midwives. Opening October 24, 2025, the Museum and LRI will become a pioneering site of scholarship, cultural reclamation, and global dialogue, where ancestral legacies meet contemporary movements for reproductive justice.

This work emerges from ten years of Jamaa Birth Village, Missouri’s first Black-led midwifery clinic, which has evolved into a cultural heritage institution that is reshaping how midwifery, maternal health, and African Indigenous traditions are remembered, studied, and lived.

The Role

We are seeking a founding Chief Cultural & Executive Officer (CCEO) to guide this new institution through its formative years and establish its presence as a leader in the cultural and scholarly landscape. This is a rare opportunity to shape a museum and research institute from its inception, setting vision, building infrastructure, and charting a global course for African Indigenous midwifery scholarship and public history.

The CCEO will steward collections, exhibitions, and archives; expand the museum’s reach across academic and community networks; and lead strategic, fiscal, and organizational growth. They will be equally at home engaging scholars and curators, birthworkers and community elders, and funders and policymakers, bringing these worlds into dialogue through rigorous cultural leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Serve as the executive leader, shaping the identity, priorities, and global reputation of AIMM & AIM LRI.
Oversee and expand collections, ensuring their preservation with cultural and scholarly integrity.
Develop exhibitions and programs that integrate historical, cultural, and anthropological scholarship with lived community narratives.
Advance scholarly partnerships with universities, research centers, and global archives.
Lead strategic planning, governance, and fiscal management for a new and growing institution.
Cultivate fundraising opportunities across philanthropy, grants, and donor networks.
Recruit and support staff, fostering a collaborative and culturally grounded work environment.
Represent the Museum at national and international convenings, shaping public and academic discourse.
Engage deeply with local communities, ensuring accessibility and relevance while expanding global visibility.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s or Doctorate strongly preferred in African or African American Studies, Global Studies, Museum Studies, Cultural Heritage, Anthropology, Library/Archival Science, Public History, or related fields.
At least 7 years of progressively responsible leadership in the cultural heritage, museum, or nonprofit sector.
Demonstrated ability to launch or significantly expand an organization, program, or initiative.
Proven expertise in cultural stewardship, collections care, and scholarly interpretation.
Fundraising success with foundations, major donors, and/or government agencies.
Experience engaging African and diasporic communities in cultural or heritage projects.
Strong communication skills across academic, community, and philanthropic audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

Demonstrated scholarship in African Indigenous or diasporic knowledge systems.
Background in maternal health, midwifery history, or reproductive justice.
Record of publication, curation, or research leadership.
Bilingual/multilingual capacity, especially in African or diasporic languages.
Compensation & Benefits

Salary: $95,000 – $115,000 annually, commensurate with experience.
Benefits include health stipend, retirement plan (403b), relocation assistance, and 2 months of paid annual sabbatical (1 winter, 1 summer), plus extended holiday breaks.

Location

The CCEO will be based in Ferguson, Missouri, within the greater St. Louis region, a city with a rich legacy of cultural institutions, expansive green spaces like Forest Park, and deep historical resonance. Relocation assistance is available.

A uniquely supportive environment where leadership is both scholarly and ancestral, administrative and visionary.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Early applications encouraged.

Please submit:

CV/resume
Cover letter outlining your leadership philosophy and vision for shaping a new museum
Send materials to: [email protected]

Or apply directly to this posting.

More info: www.jamaabirthvillage.org

Requirements

Qualifications (Required)

7+ years of progressive leadership experience in the cultural heritage, museum, or archival sector.
Proven nonprofit leadership experience, including budgeting, fundraising, capital campaigns and staff supervision.
Bachelor’s degree required (African or African American Studies, Global Studies, Museum Studies, Library Science, Maternal & Child Health, or related field).
Experience developing exhibitions, educational programs, and/or public scholarship.
Strong record of advancing equity, cultural preservation, and social justice in organizational leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

Advanced degree (Master’s or Doctorate) in a relevant field (e.g., African/African American Studies, Museum Studies, Global Studies, Maternal & Child Health).
Experience working directly in maternal health, midwifery, or reproductive justice sectors.
Global experience in cultural preservation, international partnerships, or diaspora studies.
Demonstrated success in grant writing, fundraising, and cultivating donors.
Bilingual or multilingual abilities (especially African or Afro-diasporic languages).