Director, Historic Trades & Skills

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation•Williamsburg, VA

6d•$94,800 - $150,000

About The Position

The Director, Historic Trades serves as the senior leader of the Department of Historic Trades and Skills (HTS), providing strategic direction and oversight for the department’s people, programs, operations, and resources. The role advances excellence in training and professional development, leadership, safety, financial management, historic trade practices, interpretation, and guest experience. The Director leads and supports department managers responsible for daily operations across trade shops, skills areas, and sites, establishing priorities, expectations, and standards. The role collaborates across divisions to support communication, coordination, and alignment, and represents HTS to external organizations, professional partners, and donors. The Director promotes high standards of historical accuracy, craftsmanship, interpretation, and guest engagement so that HTS delivers meaningful experiences for guests.

Requirements

Knowledge generally gained through a four-year degree in American history or a subject matter related to a specific discipline.
10 years of previous living history museum experience as an interpreter, teacher, or in a related historical presentation role.
5–7 years of prior leadership or supervisory responsibilities.
Possess a valid Commonwealth of Virginia driver’s license and an acceptable driving record under Colonial Williamsburg Foundation criteria.
Provide a 5-year Motor Vehicle Record prior to employment.
Be at least 21 years of age.
Have no more than 1 moving violation or at-fault accident within 12 months and no more than 2 within 36 months.
Have no serious motor vehicle violations, including excessive speeding, reckless driving, DUI/DWI, or a suspended or revoked license.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in public history, museum studies, or nonprofit studies.
Strong understanding of historic trade practices, traditional craft processes, and the role of skilled trades within a living history or museum environment, with appreciation for historical accuracy, craftsmanship, and interpretive excellence.

Responsibilities

Set the department’s strategic direction and establish long- and short-term priorities for personnel, operations, financial management, training and curriculum, and departmental initiatives.
Direct departmental operations, using effective problem-solving, sound decision-making, and accountability while balancing the needs of staff, guests, and the Foundation.
Lead and develop the management team through clear expectations, regular communication, and consistent support.
Oversee hiring, training, retention, performance management, and succession planning in partnership with managers and Human Resources.
Ensure safe, effective, and consistent operations, including shop and workplace safety, staffing, policies and procedures, historic trade practices, and operational planning.
Manage departmental finances and resources, working with the Associate Vice President of Historic Area Interpretation & Operations on the annual budget, priorities, and investment and development opportunities.
Maintain high standards for interpretation and guest experience by evaluating educational quality, historical accuracy, presentation, accessibility, safety, engagement, and guest enjoyment.
Guide training and curriculum development to reflect current scholarship, effective teaching methodologies, institutional standards, and ongoing evaluation and feedback.
Set expectations for responsible stewardship and use of historic properties, buildings, collections, tools, equipment, and reproduction materials, in collaboration with Preservation Architecture, Curatorial & Collections, and other partners.
Advocate for and steward HTS across the Foundation, building partnerships and integrating HTS expertise, priorities, and resources into institutional initiatives.
Collaborate with Historic Interpretation, Preservation, Curatorial & Collections, Historical Research, School and Group Programs, Development, and other partners to advance shared goals, interpretation, guest experience, and the Foundation’s mission.
Model integrity, collaboration, effective communication, exceptional guest service, and accountability while fostering professionalism, teamwork, continuous learning, and service to others.
Build relationships with external organizations, professional partners, and donors; communicate the significance and impact of the department’s work and cultivate support for its programs and initiatives.