Description

 Museum Director

Full-Time | Reports to: President/CEO of the Holocaust Legacy Foundation

About the Foundation

Founded in 2018 by Jody Kipnis and Todd Ruderman, the Holocaust Legacy Foundation (HLF) is dedicated to honoring and preserving the memory, lessons, and legacy of the Holocaust through educational initiatives, impactful programs, and widespread outreach. In April 2022, HLF purchased a building on Tremont Street on Boston’s historic Freedom Trail to be converted into Boston’s first Holocaust museum and educational center.

About the Museum

The Holocaust Museum Boston (HMB) is a startup institution with a powerful mission: to teach the lasting lessons of the Holocaust and ensure they resonate with future generations. Through innovative exhibits, educational programs, and strategic partnerships, we cultivate empathy, inspire civic engagement, and champion universal human rights. By fostering a deep and evolving understanding of historical atrocities, the museum confronts the persistent dangers of antisemitism, hatred, and bigotry, aiming to create a world where such injustices are unequivocally rejected.

The Museum is a 32,000+ square foot building with approximately 8,000 square feet of permanent exhibition galleries, 1,000 square feet of temporary galleries, an ample, divisible multi-purpose space for events and educational programs, and a small dedicated classroom. As we build this institution and facility from the ground up to enhance our mission, we seek mission-aligned leaders with a bold vision, entrepreneurial spirit, and collaborative mindset to help shape the institution’s foundation and long-term impact.

Position Summary and Responsibilities

The Museum Director will serve as a core member of HMB's executive leadership team, and lead the operational functions of the Holocaust Museum of Boston once it is operational, as well as manage the planning and administration of a prominent new museum in downtown Boston. The Museum Director maintains and elevates professional standards, stewards the Museum’s assets, and cultivates a professional and volunteer leadership team. The Museum Director leads the Museum in fulfilling its mission and achieving its vision.

The Museum Director will ensure the Museum has a long-range strategy and the necessary resources through robust, personal involvement in the institutional advancement programs of the Museum, thereby accomplishing its mission. They will provide leadership in developing innovative programming, organizational alignment, and strategic financial plans with the HLF CEO, Board of Directors, and future Museum staff. Additionally, they will maintain a working knowledge of significant developments, trends, and resources in Holocaust remembrance and education, and aspire to be a thought-leader in the field.

The Museum Director will serve as a prominent, respected, and proactive advocate within both the local Boston community and beyond.

This pivotal role is responsible for the Museum’s philanthropy efforts to achieve its capital campaign, development goals, and will implement strategies to raise awareness of the museum’s mission by nurturing robust partnerships with various stakeholders and community entities throughout the museum’s development.

The ideal candidate for the Museum Director position will embody the organization's vision and values, demonstrating a fervent dedication to eradicating prejudice and bigotry in all its forms. They will possess a profound belief in harnessing Holocaust education as a catalyst for this crucial societal transformation and will boast expertise in the realms of antisemitism and Holocaust education.

Schedule

The position is full-time, exempt, and in-person. This position requires the successful candidate to be physically present to strategize with the CEO of the Foundation, as well as at events and cultivation meetings. This sometimes involves weekend and night events.

Key Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:

Executive Leadership, Board Engagement, and External Affairs

• Alongside the Foundation’s President/CEO, develop and implement a bold vision and strategy for the new museum's development and long-term direction.
• Ensure HLF is strategic, coherent, and compelling in its engagement of supporters, partners, and other key audiences.
• Create and develop mutually beneficial, long-term, and innovative partnerships that focus on both the Museum itself and specific programming.
• Keep the President/CEO fully informed about the condition of the Museum and all environmental factors that influence it.
• Promote the public profile of the Museum and oversee the publicizing and marketing of the Museum’s mission, goals, and programs through targeted community outreach and a strategic multimedia communications approach.
• Establish constructive and collaborative working relationships with other museums, community groups, and the Holocaust remembrance community.
• Represent the Museum to the executive and legislative branches of government, local government, and communities of interest in Boston.
• Represent the Museum at local, regional, and national arts and culture, as well as Holocaust-focused associations and entities.

Program Development and Management

• Ensure that the Museum operates according to the highest professional standards in all its core activities.
• Until a Collections Management or Exhibitions staff is hired, supervise collection management by regularly reviewing the permanent collection and loaned items, overall focus, policies of acquisition, deaccession, and loans, condition of individual works, and adherence to professional standards in storage and registration, to assure the public of the highest quality permanent collection.
• Provide oversight to, and work collectively alongside, curatorial, exhibition, and education staff, as well as subject matter experts, to develop the future temporary exhibition schedule. This will result in a diverse program of contemporary and historic exhibitions that stimulate interest in the Holocaust and themes core to the Museum’s mission.
• Oversee the management of marketing, education programs, and audience development for the Museum.
• Provide oversight to education staff, whose goal is to teach members of all races and cultures the inherent worth and dignity of human life, thereby preventing future genocides, engaging new audiences, and attracting new benefactors.
• Develop an evaluation methodology to monitor programmatic results and develop revised plans as needed.

Revenue Generation

• Partner with the President/CEO to plan and realize clear, short-term, realistic, and long-range income targets and metrics.
• Work with the Foundation’s President/CEO and Board of Directors to successfully oversee the completion of a capital campaign and build a donor base, including grants.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive, integrated strategic development plan with a focus on major giving, institutional donors, trusts and foundations, grants, and corporate partnerships.
• Serve as a partner to the President/CEO and serve as the internal lead for major fundraising events, ensuring they are appropriately involved in major donor work.
• Create quarterly goals and objectives.
• Partner with the President/CEO to develop and implement effective strategies for cultivating and soliciting major, unrestricted gifts.
• Integrate systems to maintain effective communication and engagement with donors and corporate partners through various channels, including events, meetings, teleconferences, and reports.
• Oversee the execution of a capital campaign to facilitate the building of the Museum and an endowment to guarantee the future of the Museum’s educational programs and resources.
• Strategically leverage the time of the President/CEO and a small, dynamic, and passionate Board to meet aggressive fundraising targets; support and develop the capacity of the Board to achieve development goals.
• Assess and further integrate a planned giving strategy for the Museum, targeting legacy gifts that can make a measurable impact on the institution.
• Develop a strategy to generate earned revenue through admissions, temporary exhibits, programs, and event rentals, aligning with the Museum’s operational business plan objectives.

Staff and Operational Management

• Build and manage staff for the future museum, ensuring increasingly impactful programming and reach
• In future years, build and serve as the responsible officers for all staff, with a focus on quality of performance, job satisfaction, and professional development.
• Hire divisional staff and ensure staff are appropriately trained and provided with applicable position KPI’s and priorities.
• Oversee the management of the facility, focusing on cost efficiency while maintaining a high-quality guest experience.
• Serve as a member of the senior management team, collaborating with other functional leaders, as they are hired, for the advancement of the institution.
• Oversee budgets to ensure the proper allocation and use of funds, and manage costs as applicable.
• Provide ongoing opportunities for professional development for all future staff and create individualized career paths.
• Ensure enhanced volunteer engagement through education and skill development.
• Maintain a collegial, cooperative work environment that attracts, retains, and motivates a dedicated staff.

Required Qualifications and Experience

The organization seeks a highly credible, proven, proactive, dynamic, and dedicated leader to provide innovative leadership.

• Proven experience in museum management.
• Strong project management skills, including analysis, planning, prioritization, and attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong success in fundraising, donor relations, and financial management within the nonprofit sector.
• Strong knowledge of cultural heritage preservation, educational programming, and community engagement initiatives.
• Experience in managing a facility with security and guest experience needs in a high-profile location.
• Experience in advocating for museum policies and objectives with stakeholders, government agencies, and community organizations.
• Ability to identify opportunities for innovation and implement changes successfully and expeditiously.
• Strong leadership and management skills, along with the ability to interact positively with all levels of the organization, community, and with business and political leaders.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to innovate and adapt to evolving museum trends and audience expectations.
• Ability to foster a collaborative and inclusive organizational culture, promoting diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) initiatives.
• Direct experience working effectively with boards, senior management teams, and external partners in development initiatives.
• The ability to work effectively in a small, nimble, and focused team.
• Financial and operational acumen, including the drivers of growth, return on investment, and experience in developing and managing budgets.
• Significant technological savvy and experience working within Google Workspace, CRM, and related technologies within a fundraising environment.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills
• Experience with fundraising at other cultural institutions will be valued.

Requirements

Education
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is required. A master’s or advanced degree in Organizational Administration, Cultural History, History, or a related field is preferred.

Background check

HLF is committed to maintaining a safe and secure work environment for our employees and volunteers. As part of our hiring process, all candidates who receive a conditional job offer will undergo a background check. This background check may include, but is not limited to, criminal history, employment verification, education verification, and reference checks.

By applying for this position, you acknowledge and consent to the background check process as part of the hiring process.

Equal Opportunity Employer

HLF is an equal-opportunity employer and welcomes expressions of interest and applications from all individuals, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. We promote diversity, accessibility, and inclusion.

Growth Opportunity

This is a hands-on position at the ground floor of an institution in development. While the title reflects the importance of the role within our organization, we recognize that responsibilities and compensation will continue to evolve as the museum grows. The Education Director will have the opportunity to shape internal systems, influence strategic decisions, and grow with the organization as new staff and infrastructure are added.

Compensation and Salary

The anticipated salary range for this position is $160,000 - $180,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. This role is hands-on and well-suited for a professional who is eager to roll up their sleeves and help build the educational infrastructure of a growing organization. Final compensation will be based on relevant experience and qualifications.

We offer a benefits package that includes health insurance and paid time off. As a growing organization, we are dedicated to supporting the well-being and professional development of our team.