Museum Executive Director
Job Description
Description
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Join to apply for the Museum Executive Director role at Stony Plain & Parkland Pioneer Museum
The Stony Plain and Parkland Pioneer Museum is currently recruiting for the position ofExecutive Director —a unique opportunity to lead a vibrant rural museum with deep roots in Alberta’s heritage. Since opening in 1992, the Museum has served as a vital cultural, historical, and educational hub for the communities of Stony Plain and Parkland County.
Spanning 14 acres and featuring 28 heritage buildings, the Museum houses over 12,000 artifacts that reflect the rich stories of local settlers, Indigenous peoples, and immigrant communities. Powered by a dedicated team of volunteers, the Museum brings history to life through artifact restoration, building preservation, engaging tours, and lively community events.
Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director oversees all aspects of museum operations—from strategic planning and financial management to programming, marketing, and collections care. The successful candidate will be a collaborative leader with a strong sense of community, a talent for relationship-building, and a heart for history.
The Executive Director will provide strategic leadership and oversee the daily operations of the museum, ensuring a supportive and collaborative culture for both staff and volunteers. As the public face of the organization, the Executive Director will actively engage with local governments, community stakeholders, donors, and the wider public to strengthen relationships and build community partnerships. This role involves managing the museum’s finances, leading fundraising and grant-writing efforts, and ensuring financial sustainability. The Executive Director will also oversee collections care, curatorial planning, and public programming that reflect the diverse heritage of the region. Working closely with the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will support governance, contribute to policy development, and help shape the museum’s long-term strategic vision.
The ideal candidate will have education or equivalent experience in nonprofit management, business, museum studies, or a related field. They will bring demonstrated leadership in managing staff and volunteers, along with a strong background in financial oversight, grant writing, and fundraising. Exceptional communication, public speaking, and interpersonal skills are essential. Familiarity with museum operations, artifact care, and Alberta Museum Association standards is preferred, though the willingness to complete relevant training will also be considered.
Salary Range: $75,000 – $90,000 per annum.
Telephone inquiries regarding this position can be made to (780) 963 – 1234.
To apply:Applications can be sent to include the following information, a cover letter, a current CV, contact information and at least three references.
Position Overview
The Museum Executive Director oversees the daily operations of the Stony Plain and Parkland Pioneer Museum Society, including administration, finances, marketing, programming, and overall museum services. Reporting to the Board of Directors, they also handle curatorial work related to the museum’s collection and exhibitions.
This role provides leadership in preserving and promoting the area’s heritage, recognizing the contributions of local settlers, immigrant communities, and Indigenous peoples. The Executive Director manages and recruits the museum’s strong volunteer base and builds relationships with local governments such as the Town of Stony Plain and Parkland County.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership and Strategy
- embracing and articulating the vision, mission, unique value proposition, marketing and overall strategy and direction of the organization.
- articulating and demonstrating enthusiasm and optimism and a bold vision in order to sustain the base of support.
- embracing and appreciating the multiple skills and contributions made by the volunteer support base, while providing guidance to this most valuable resource.
- recommending Museum staffing requirements, job functions and compensation.
- hiring paid staff (full or part-time), which includes recruitment, retention, management, performance evaluation, development and compliance with society rules and policies.
- building alignment across the organization, including staff and volunteers, and where misalignment is identified, taking the necessary corrective action.
- developing a positive, friendly and caring culture for volunteers and staff.
- Overseeing management, maintenance, and capital projects for the property, facilities/grounds, and artifact collections of the Museum.
- engaging outside expert advice as necessary.
- working with staff and volunteers, developing strategies to optimize their use.
- working in collaboration with the Board, staff and volunteers to oversee the curation and installation of all Museum exhibits, and the development and coordination of public programs
Community Engagement and Public Relations
- serving as chief Museum spokesperson: leads and coordinates museum outreach and serves as an ambassador to the community, partners, and stakeholders.
- developing and maintaining strong relationships with local governments, especially the Town of Stony Plain and Parkland County, the provincial government, the overall region as well as peers, donors, and industry associations, the media and others.
- developing and cultivating strong relationships with donors, funders, and develops and nurtures partnerships for the Museum.
- exploring new relationships that add value to the Museum and community that could include academic institutions
- communicating regularly with stakeholders via reports, mailings and newsletters.
- representing the Stony Plain and Parkland Pioneer Museum through presentations and attendance at professional meetings; development of professional contacts and participation in community boards or committees.
- Directing and overseeing the development of marketing plans and initiatives.
- working closely with staff, volunteers and the Board to create effective communications plans to raise the profile of the Museum. through innovative media initiatives.
Fundraising and Financial Management
- raising funds by effectively persuading people and organizations to contribute
- recognizing and appreciating the many external contacts the Museum society has and engaging with them to garner support and contributions.
- searching for and obtaining applicable grants provided by governments and/or other sources
- developing an annual budget, working with the Treasurer, and managing the Museum’s operations within the budget constraints, including setting monthly operational goals and being able to articulate that to the Board.
Board Development
- working in partnership with the Board, and for the Board.
- developing a five-year plan for Museum operations, and a long-range strategic plan.
- assisting the Board in its operations, administration, planning and information dissemination.
- implementing Museum Board policies and procedures.
- supporting the Board in the execution of specific programs and events.
- working to build alignment while maintaining role clarity (division of labour between the Board and the ED).
- implementing new Board policies and revisions
- acting as the curator, responsible for the management and protection of the Museum artifacts, which are held in the public trust.
- overseeing the integration of Museum collections, exhibitions, and educational programs.
- ensuring artifacts are identified, catalogued, utilizing appropriate software, and stored or displayed following Museum policies.
- following Museum policies on accepting or declining artifacts or if there are other mitigating situations.
- coordinating/collaborating with schools, organizations and businesses to create programming that meets community needs.
- ensuring the Museum follows Alberta Museum Association guidelines in protecting, restoring and storing artifacts.
Compliance and Best Practices
- ensuring the Museum stays in compliance with all laws and regulations, and ensures the society is meeting the highest standards possible.
- understanding the legal frameworks of creating and running a non-profit organization.
Qualifications and Experience
- Education and/or training in business, financial or project management training, or equivalent experience, in leading and managing a museum or other non-profit organizations.
- Alberta Museum Association training course (or equivalent) for managing a museum, or ability to obtain.
- Experience in the museum profession and museum operations is an asset.
- Experience in management of staff and volunteers
- Experience developing and implementing strategic plans in concert with the Board.
- Strong financial and business management experience related to not-for-profit organizations including budget development and short-and-long term planning.
- Experience in interfacing and building relationships with all levels of government and business.
- Experience in building marketing plans to increase awareness and promoting the organization
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Knowledge of museum professions and basic operational aspects of museums.
- Demonstrated ability to develop a positive, friendly and caring culture for volunteers and staff.
- Ability to provide strong leadership, vision and strategic direction.
- Skilled in mentorship, development, and management of teams (volunteers and staff)
- Strong financial management skills, with experience in grant writing, budgeting, monitoring grant expenditures and financial planning.
- Excellent time-management skills, with proven ability to prioritize and delegate tasks.
- Exceptional oral/written communication skills, with proven success in grant writing and public speaking.
- Where appropriate, participate with staff and volunteers on a hands-on basis, such as event set-up and take-down and maintenance.
- Working knowledge of Alberta Occupation Health and Safety Standards.
Seniority level
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Seniority level
Executive
Employment type
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Employment type
Full-time
Job function
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Job function
Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology
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Industries
Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
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Company
Stony Plain & Parkland Pioneer Museum
Location
Stony Plain
Country
Canada
Salary
125.000
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