Job Posting: Executive Director
About the York-Sunbury Historical Society Ltd. & Fredericton Region Museum:

The York-Sunbury Historical Society is seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic Executive Director to support Society activities and manage all operational aspects of the Fredericton Region Museum. The position requires a creative, responsible, and reliable candidate with demonstrated education, work, or volunteer experience in museum management. This includes knowledge in museum principles and practice, collections management, caring for museum collections, public programming, community engagement, museum education, curatorship,
financial management, grantsmanship, and fundraising. The Fredericton Region Museum is operated by the York Sunbury Historical Society Ltd., a local non-profit charitable organization that was established in 1932. It boasts a rich collection of over 40,000 artefacts and archival materials displayed within 1,220 square meters of exhibit space. The Society is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors made up of professional historians, educators, retired military personnel, other professionals and interested citizens. They work tirelessly to create informative exhibits based on the history of Fredericton and surrounding areas, organize programs and events, as well as publish a local history periodical The Officers’ Quarters. The museum is located in the historic Officers’ Quarters building, built in 1840, and currently is owned by the City of Fredericton and leased to the Society. The structure is part of the Fredericton Military Compound National Historic Site of Canada, a military complex with four early 19th century buildings located in the Historic Garrison District in the heart of downtown Fredericton. Because of our facility’s location, we are expected to actively participate in most events hosted in Officers’ Square and are considered a key component of downtown tourism. Situated on the unceded and unconquered territory of Wəlastəkokewiyik / Wolastoqiyik, the Fredericton Region Museum is a gateway to important and diverse histories of Indigenous peoples, Acadian settlers, New England Planters, Black and white Loyalist refugees, and later waves of immigrants who are woven into the historical fabric of this region.

Job Purpose:
The Executive Director is the managerial personnel responsible for the day-to-day functions of the Society and the Museum. The Executive Director reports to, and is accountable to, the Board of Directors of the York-Sunbury Historical Society and implements Board policies within the Museum. The Executive Director plays a key role in implementation of the Museum’s strategic plan and is responsible for the overseeing of staff and volunteers who regularly work at the Museum. The Executive Director, as the primary point of contact between the public and the Board of Directors, is responsible for liaising on behalf of the Board of Directors with members of municipal and provincial governments, other public and private institutions, York-Sunbury Historical Society Membership, and general inquiries from the public. The Executive Director will normally divide their time as follows: 25% for the YSHS, 50% for the FRM and 25% for administration (correspondence, filing, financial accounting). These percentages will vary depending on the time of year. For example, the FRM will require more time during the busy summer opening season.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Assumes management responsibility for all Museum services and activities.
  • Recommends and administers policies and procedures created by the Board of Directors.
  • Participates in the development and implementation of the YSHS’s goals, objectives,
    policies, and strategic plan (revised annually).
  • Develops, in conjunction with the Board of Directors, strategic workplan for enhancing
    the Museum and Society.
  • Develops and maintains effective working relationships with persons, groups, and
    organizations directly or indirectly involved in the planning, maintenance, operations and
    development of the Museum and Historical Society.
  • Serves as the museum’s primary external contact and spokesperson, including
    interactions with the media, community associations, and other organizations as
    necessary and appropriate.
  • Hires, supervises, trains, and evaluates staff members (seasonal), as well as overseeing
    the work of volunteers and professional consultants.
  • Reports to the Board of Directors and participates as an ex-officio member (with
    decision-making abilities) on all committees, including the programming, exhibits,
    collections, membership, publication, health and safety, and awards committees.
    Supports, as appropriate, the work of these committees in fulfilling their mandates.
  • Submits monthly reports to the Board of Directors, compiles the Annual Report for the
    YSHS, assists with the publication of The Officers’ Quarters, and prepares a quarterly
    newsletter for the membership.
  • Responsible for overseeing and managing technological services – including but not
    limited to Facebook, Google Blogger, WordPress, Bloomerang, Collective Access, and
    Microsoft suite.
  • Oversees and coordinates fundraising and revenue development activities. Identifies new
    initiatives and partnerships to grow the YSHS membership and revenue.

Qualifications:

  • The ideal candidate will have a Master’s degree in Museum Studies, or a related field
    such as Archaeology, Art History, History, Public History, Political Science, etc., and
    have a minimum of 5 year’s experience working in Museums.
  • A combination of a bachelor’s degree in a related field, or its equivalent, and significant
    experience working in museum management will also be considered.
  • The ideal candidate will have the ability to work both collaboratively and independently.
  • They will take initiative when needed and be adaptable to change. The ideal candidate
    will be a relationship-builder, with strong organizational skills necessary for managing
    multiple people working on different tasks. The ideal candidate responds well to feedback
    and strives to diffuse confrontation within the workplace.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities – Required:

  • Experience working in museums and similar institutional environments.
  • Experience in senior management positions.
  • Excellence in both oral and written communication. English language proficiency is
    required.
  • Experience working with the public, including with government offices and programs.
  • Competent with Microsoft software, particularly Word, Excel, and Teams, and also has a
    working familiarity with Google Drive and Zoom.
  • Demonstrated ability to write and manage multiple grant applications, including to
    government organizations such as Young Canada Works, Canada Summer Jobs, etc.
  • Ability to multitask, delegate work when necessary, and demonstrates strong time
    management skills while navigating complex work demands (imperative).
  • Demonstrated abilities in personnel management to include hiring, firing and evaluations.
  • Demonstrated financial skills in managing budgets and financial planning.
  • Must hold, or be eligible to hold, a Firearms Possession & Acquisition Licence for non-
    restricted and restricted firearms.
  • Must be able to secure a Vulnerable Sector and Criminal Record Check from the
    Fredericton Police Force.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities – Assets:

  • Ability to communicate in French.
  • Experience with membership-based organizations.
  • Experience writing reports and editing WordPress websites.
  • Familiarity with New Brunswick provincial history.
  • Experience with community engagement, communications/marketing, and revenue
    management.
  • Experience using museum collection management software such as Collective Access.
  • Experience using social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, including
    graphic design, as an outreach tool.

Working Conditions:

  • Work location is based out of the Museum building at 571 Queen Street, Fredericton, NB.
    Some travel may be required, and a valid Canadian driver’s license will also be required.
  • Standard working week is 36.25 hours

Compensation:

  • $39,000.00 – $42,000.00 per annum commensurate with qualifications and experience.
  • Benefits include:
  • Health and dental coverage, and pension contribution of up to $3,000 per year
    combined
  • Parking
  • A cellphone is provided
  • Normal hours of work from November to April are Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to
    5:00 p.m. As the museum is open to the public from April to November, days and hours
    of work may be changed with the agreement of the President, normally based on the
    Society’s ability to adequately staff the office and museum visitor operations.
  • Work commitments will include occasional attendance at board meetings and special
    functions. This will require working hours in addition to the time stated above. No
    overtime will be paid. However, compensating time-off may be scheduled with the
    approval of the President. The lunch period is normally one hour.
  • Vacation leave will start at two weeks per annum (increasing after two years of
    employment) with additional vacation for non-statutory time-off during the annual
    holiday closure of the Museum office. Vacation pay of up to three days may be carried over to the subsequent calendar year, by agreement in writing with the President. Vacation will normally be taken during the “off” seasons, i.e., the fall and winter months. In addition, the Society provides one day per month sick leave for each calendar month of employment, with credits to expire at the end of each calendar year.
  • The Society provides the legislated statutory holidays, such as Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, New Brunswick Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, and Remembrance Day, as paid holidays for periods in which you work the day before and the day after a holiday. Should you choose to work one of these holidays, an alternate day off with pay will be provided. Should the Society require you to work one of these holidays, the Employment Standards Regulations for working on holidays will be followed. The Board may consider any acceptable combination of experience, academic qualifications, and competencies that varies from the individual factors stated in the job notice. This competition may be terminated at the option of the Board of the York Sunbury Historical Society.

How to Apply:
Please submit your resume and cover letter to hskaarup@rogers.com. Applications
will be accepted until end-of-day July 7, 2023. Only those selected for an interview
will be contacted.