OPPORTUNITY RESOURCES INC.

Transcription

1 OPPORTUNITY RESOURCES INC. Freda Mindlin President 196 East 75 th Street Suite 14H New York, NY TEL: FAX: POSITION DESCRIPTION AND IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE POSITION: CLIENT: LOCATION: Executive Director Anniston Museum Complex Anniston Museum of Natural History Berman Museum of World History Longleaf Botanical Gardens Anniston, Alabama BACKGROUND The Anniston Museum Complex, which includes the Anniston Museum of Natural History, the Berman Museum of World History and the Longleaf Botanical Gardens, is seeking a dynamic leader to be its next Executive Director. She/he will lead the administration, creative development and growth of the three venues. The City of Anniston owns and maintains the Museums buildings and makes a substantial contribution to the Museum Complex operations. With this significant cluster of cultural institutions, Anniston holds a unique cultural position in the region that lies within the northeastern corner of Alabama, close to the Georgia border and an hour and a half from Atlanta. The largest and oldest institution in the Complex is the Anniston Museum of Natural History. It is a Smithsonian Affiliate and is American Alliance of Museums accredited. Founded in 1930, the Museum now encompasses just over 49,000 square feet, including almost 30,000 square feet of exhibit space. The Natural History Museum s Africa Hall holds the extensive wildlife collection that was the genesis of the Anniston museums, amassed by Weatherby Trophy winner (1963) John B. LaGarde, a descendent of one of the two founding families of Anniston. The life-size Stegosaurus skeleton model and the diorama World of Dinosaurs delight the thousands of children who visit the Natural History Museum annually. Other exciting permanent exhibitions include North American Wilderness and Exploration of Alabama. Each of these

2 Page 2 exhibits displays mounted specimens, creating stunning and compelling environments. Ancient Egypt includes two 2,300-year-old mummies; the Regar-Werner ornithology collection forms the nucleus of the remarkable Birds of America exhibition. Smaller displays of fossils, minerals and geological phenomena complement the larger exhibitions. The Museums draw over 75,000 visitors a year from Alabama, Georgia and the entire Southeast region. Though the recent recession has affected tourism everywhere, it is nevertheless estimated that the annual impact of the Museums is more than $20 million on the local economy. Families are among the biggest fans of the Museum and lively educational programs are important to school curricula as well as after-school programs. Summer day camps are well-attended and utilize the three and a quarter miles of nature trails that begin right outside the Museum doors. The Berman Museum of World History, the Natural History Museum s neighbor in Lagarde Park, opened in1996. Farley Berman, a native of Anniston, offered his extraordinary collection to the City if it would provide a building to house it. Colonel Berman had been collecting since childhood, but it was his service in US Army intelligence in North Africa during WWII that whetted his voracious appetite for objects. The Berman Museum houses an eclectic collection of over 6,000 objects organized in four major exhibit areas: North American, with emphasis on the Civil War and including an exceptional collection of Remington bronzes; Deadly Beauty, eight centuries of rare and exotic weaponry and also including unique personal artifacts that once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte; and World Wars I and II with exhibits of weapons and uniforms from both Allied and Axis armies. The fourth exhibition hall, Arts of Asia, displays furniture, ceramics and jade from the Han Dynasty (200 BCE) to the present. It is the gift of the Foo Family. The Berman Museum shares a series of programs with the Natural History Museum. The Museum Complex in its entirety is a major educational resource for the community and the region. The newest addition to the complex, still in its formative stages, is Longleaf Botanical Gardens. Established by the Natural History Museum as a further resource for education and tourism, Longleaf has utilized Museum staff and the hard work and dedication of committed volunteers and gifted gardeners. The site adjacent to the Berman Museum and the Museum of Natural History was deeded to the Museum by the City. The former community center on the acreage is now in the final stages of a renovation and will provide the Botanical Gardens with a revenue-earning rental space for events as well as space for workshops and classes. The Botanical Gardens is a 501(c)(3) corporation under the Museum Complex umbrella. A Master Plan to create a state-of-the-art botanical environment is in preparation. The Museum Complex operates with a budget of $2 million, of which two thirds, including all employee salaries, benefits, property maintenance and in-kind services, comes from the City of Anniston. There is a full- and part-time staff of 21 and a legion of dedicated volunteers, which in 2014, devoted more than 5,000 hours of service to the Museums.

3 Page 3 Each of the three entities has a Board which is responsible for the policies relevant to its particular institution. It will be the responsibility of the Executive Director to distill and summarize all recommendations by the various Boards for consideration by the Complex Board which then makes final recommendations to the City Manager. THE POSITION The Executive Director of the Anniston Museum Complex will be a dynamic leader able to develop, communicate and implement a compelling strategic vision to build and expand upon the organization s past successes. She/he must serve as a catalyst, working with the Museum Complex Board, staff and the City of Anniston to clarify the Museum Complex s current needs and future direction and determine the necessary financial and human resources to address them. Reporting Relationships The Anniston Museum Complex is a municipal cultural institution, whose mission is to provide a diverse community and region with enjoyable and educational programs, special events and exhibitions. The Executive Director is a City employee and serves as Director of Museum Operations of the City of Anniston. She/he will report to, and work closely with the Office of the City Manager and the Chair of the Museum Complex Board. She/he will also work closely with all ad hoc and standing committees of the Museum Complex Board. The Executive Director has seven direct reports: Director, Berman Museum; Museum Curator, Anniston Museum of Natural History; and the Managers of Programs, Marketing, Collections and Facilities, covering the whole Museum Complex. A part-time Botanical Gardens manager has recently been hired. The Executive Director will hire a Development officer as soon as possible following his/her arrival. Overall Responsibilities The Executive Director has full responsibility for the Museum Complex s strategic and financial direction and overall management, including its collections, exhibitions and programs, the physical plant, human resources and natural resources. She/he will be the organization s public face and advocate and will form collegial and collaborative relationship with other cultural institutions, community leaders, City Council members and in general the local and regional populations. In concert with the Museum Complex Board of Directors, the Executive Director will be responsible for developing and leading all fundraising and earned income strategies and activities. In the first six months the Executive Director will focus on becoming familiar with the City of Anniston and the region, and the Museum Complex s history and operations, including its organizational structure, finances, personnel, programs and the status of any existing undertakings.

4 Page 4 She/he will assess the organization s strengths and weaknesses, and at the end of six months will be prepared to recommend to the Board and City Manager short- and long-term initiatives to improve, where needed, operations and to advance its mission. Specific Responsibilities Leadership and Management The Executive Director will: Inspire and lead the Board and staff in carrying out the Museum Complex s mission. Seek out and gain the trust and support of the Board, staff, City leadership and the community. Work with department heads to articulate a coherent programmatic vision that leverages the Museum Complex s strengths and where needed, institute changes in order to grow visitation and visitor enjoyment. Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence and rigorous program evaluations; develop a series of evaluative tools that provide information on the visitor experience in order to enhance the development of future programs. Develop a vision and strategy to further the position of the Museum Complex as a valued and necessary regional resource for education, enlightenment and enjoyment. Work with the Board and staff to formulate an ambitious but achievable long-range plan; galvanize the Board, staff and the City in executing the plan. Take responsibility for the timely implementation of agreed-upon plans and overall activities. Foster a transparent culture; maintain frequent and open communications with Board, staff, volunteers, the City Manager and other stake holders. Ensure that all are aware of the Museum Complex s activities and are on message in all internal and external encounters. Ensure the continued financial viability of the Museum Complex through effective planning, staffing, budgeting and forecasting. Work with the Facilities Manager and the City to ensure the safety, maintenance and improvement of the Museum Complex buildings and grounds. Perform duties with a high level of energy and professionalism and require the same from staff; conduct periodic self and staff evaluations. Serve as chief advisor to the Board in all Museum Complex related matters and ensure its effectiveness in its policy-making, advocacy and funding roles.

5 Page 5 Work with the Board and Museums department heads to formulate and monitor the annual operating budget for the City Finance Department s review and approval. The City Finance Department will provide the Executive Director, City Manager and Museum Complex Board with monthly financial reports. Fundraising, Communications and Marketing The Executive Director will assert leadership in all fundraising plans and activities; execute a multifaceted fundraising program that will build private support; establish productive relationships with individual, corporate and foundation funding sources; aggressively cultivate new sources of support. NOTE: Donors to any of the institutions may claim a tax deduction under IRS Code# 170(c)(1). Work closely with the City Manager to prepare and present the City Council with the required documents and persuasive arguments that will make the case for not only general support from the City, but additional funding to ensure that the Museum Complex embraces the standards of twenty-first century museum practice. Maintain high community visibility and be an active participant at community events as well as at professional meetings locally and nationally. With the marketing manager, develop marketing programs to solidify the Museum Complex s identity, including clear and proactive messaging and branding; enhance the overall visibility of the organization regionally and nationally. With the Museum Complex s Board and City Manager, determine the appropriate time for moving forward with a capital campaign and proposals for the Longleaf Botanical Gardens. QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS The successful candidate will possess many of the following: At least 10 years of experience in progressively senior positions, preferably at a museum or other cultural/educational institution with comparable budget responsibility and complexity to the Anniston Museum Complex. An advanced degree in a relevant field is required. Experience working with a Municipal cultural entity is a plus. In addition, she/he will be thoroughly committed to the Anniston Museum Complex and have a record of achievement or demonstrate capabilities in executive leadership, fundraising, managerial and business acumen. Other attributes must include: Talent for building trust and confidence among a broad range of constituencies Ability to work effectively with a complex governance structure

6 Page 6 LOCATION Excellence in organizational management with the ability to create a team environment in which accountability is expected Success working with Boards of Directors Knowledge of the art of leading and following and when each should be employed Outstanding written and verbal communications skills Strong marketing and public relations skills with the ability to engage a wide range of cultures Diplomacy and political savvy Commitment to quality programs and program evaluation Passion, integrity, positive attitude, outgoing personality and self-directed A roll-up-your-sleeves work ethic and a sense of humor Anniston is the largest town in Calhoun County and its county seat. Nestled in the beautiful foothills of the Appalachians in Northeast Alabama, the metropolitan area consisting of Anniston, the nearby towns of Oxford, Jacksonville, and the surrounding suburbs, has a population of 118,500. Anniston is a friendly and hospitable community with a fascinating history, spectacular natural surroundings and proximity to major metropolitan areas: 90 miles from Atlanta and 60 miles from Birmingham. Anniston s progressive local leaders are committed today to enhancing and carefully developing the town s historic foundations, from its original tree plantings to Victorian-era neighborhoods. Many original industrial and commercial buildings and homes are designated National Historic Landmarks. The 10,000-acre site of the former McClellan military base in Anniston has been repurposed as a planned mixed-use community which will incorporate residential, commercial, retail, education, research and technology development. At present, 900 people live in McClellan and 3,000 work for 20 employers there. The Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge protects 6,000 acres of endangered longleaf pine forest ecosystem on the former base. Cost of living in Anniston and the surrounding towns is low. The area has a wide array of outdoor educational and recreational opportunities from the Talladega National Forest, to scenic drives, popular river canoeing routes, birding, hiking, swimming and the famed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The recent addition of the Chief Ladiga Trail and the Coldwater Mountain Trail has drawn regional and international cycling enthusiasts for the year-round opportunities and for the races held periodically in Anniston.

7 Page 7 Jacksonville State University, with nearly 9,000 students, is highly ranked in computer science and business administration. The University s main campus is 12 miles from Anniston. A satellite campus is in the McClellan community in Anniston. Calhoun County is served by three hospitals. The Atlanta airport, an international flight hub, is an hour and a half drive from Anniston. Birmingham also has a major airport. The City of Anniston operates a small municipal airport servicing private aviation. Although Alabama s summers are among the warmest in the country, the Blue Ridge keeps the northeastern part of the state cooler and less humid. The winter season brings colder temperatures but little or no snow. Address all inquiries and recommendations in confidence to executive search team: Freda Mindlin or Nancy Kaufman Opportunity Resources Inc. 196 E. 75th St., Ste. 14H New York, NY search@opportunityresources.net