Director of the Historic Resources and Museums Program

City of Raleigh North Carolina•Raleigh, NC

About The Position

The Director of the Historic Resources and Museums Program leads the City of Raleigh’s Historic Resources and Museums Program within the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department. The role directs the City’s historic resources portfolio, including historic sites, museums, attractions, public spaces, major events, complex projects, historic artifacts, trolley tours, and event venues. The Director supervises professional staff, oversees a large operating budget, and provides management support to City advisory boards, commissions, and committees. The program stewards and programs the City’s cultural, museum, and historic resources. Its facilities and operations include the Borden Building, City of Raleigh Museum, Fred Fletcher Amphitheater and Stone Circle at Fletcher Park, Latta University Historic Park, Moore Square, Mordecai Historic Park, Dr. M.T. Pope House Museum, Pullen Amusement, Historic Raleigh Trolleys, John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Park, and Tucker House. The program also manages a collection of more than 30,800 fine and decorative historic objects. It is organized into Administration; Historic Attractions; Historic Sites; Museums; and the African American Cultural Resources Unit. The Director is responsible for financial, facility, operational, and programmatic decisions across assigned sites and program areas. The role oversees staff, budgets, projects, grants, arts and cultural programs, communications, community engagement, and relationships with City departments, advisory bodies, external stakeholders, and nonprofit partners. The position ensures programming aligns with organizational goals and City initiatives, and provides strategies, collaboration approaches, and technical expertise to support agency objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Art, Art History, Historic Preservation, History, Museum Studies, or a related field, and 7 to 9 years of experience in art history, historic preservation, museum management, or a related field; an equivalent combination of training and/or experience may be substituted.
Valid North Carolina Class C Driver’s License with a satisfactory driving record, or ability to obtain one within 60 days of hire.
Knowledge of grant management.
Knowledge of federal, state, and local laws specific to cultural resource management, historic preservation, cultural repatriation, and patrimony.
Knowledge of community engagement best practices.
Knowledge of modern office practices and procedures, including standard office equipment and word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications.
Knowledge of supervisory principles, practices, and techniques.
Skill in developing and managing complex projects and collaborations.
Skill in financial management, accounting, budget development, and tracking.
Ability to manage professional staff and oversee a large team of program staff, teaching artists, and technical contributors.
Ability to develop and maintain positive relationships and work collaboratively within the department, across City departments, and with external arts agencies and Raleigh’s arts community.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Historic Preservation, History, Museum Studies, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Supervise, manage, and evaluate assigned employees; prioritize and assign work; oversee schedules and time away; facilitate training and development; address employee concerns; counsel or discipline as appropriate; complete performance appraisals; make or recommend hiring salary and salary-change decisions; and liaise between employees and management.
Direct Raleigh’s historic resources portfolio, including historic sites, museums, and attractions, and make financial, facility, operational, and programmatic decisions.
Manage projects, programs, and operations, including annual grants, multi-year hybrid funding lease agreements, funding programs for artists and organizations, the public art program, the percent for art program, and the municipal art collection.
Oversee communications, community engagement planning, and events; set communication priorities and respond to community and media inquiries.
Work directly with the City Council-appointed Historic Resources and Museums Advisory Board.
Serve as a liaison with City departments and external stakeholders, and provide management support to City advisory boards, commissions, committees, private 501(c)(3) boards, and other stakeholders.
Work with the Friends of the City of Raleigh Museums, an independent 501(c)(3) organization that fundraises for the Museum.
Review projects and provide related guidance, direction, and education.
Oversee grant programs that support development of cultural resources in the community.
Administer arts and cultural services support agreements, contracts, and memoranda of understanding with outside agencies.
Prepare and administer an assigned budget and assist with capital improvement and bond programs.
Manage revenues and expenses and make recommendations concerning the delivery of cultural programs, facilities, and materials.
Oversee programming across assigned sites and program areas to align with organizational goals and City initiatives, and develop strategies and collaboration approaches to achieve agency goals and objectives.