Job Description
The Clarke County (Virginia) Historical Association seeks a director to oversee a multi-faceted non-profit organization including an 18th-century gristmill, two rental properties on the Mill campus, a small state-of-the-art museum at the CCHA headquarters in Berryville, extensive archives, and semiannual art shows that draw over a thousand submissions from across Virginia and well beyond. The ideal candidate will be a proven administrator with a passion for historic preservation and experience in archive management, website development, and building and directing a vibrant volunteer organization. Clarke County is uniquely endowed with historic sites, open land, and a cooperative spirit. For the right candidate, this is an ideal opportunity.
Job Responsibilities
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following duties:
1. Manage the operations of the Historical Association, the Museum, the Burwell- Morgan Mill campus, and the staff in order to fulfill the primary role of holding safe the artifact and archival collections. This includes overseeing existing collections and acquiring new ones that support CCHA’s mission and policies.
2. Expand outreach programs to showcase the history of Clarke County and its people.
3. Supervise the staff, including an archivist, administrative staff, occasional student researchers, and a contract mill manager.
4. Partner with local schools and universities and preservation organizations to increase historical research and inform educational programming.
5. Manage the semi-annual Art at the Mill show with the help of a group of dedicated volunteers.
6. Deepen the volunteer organization and continue to engage, train, and support them for a variety of work in support of the association.
7. Work closely with the Board and its committees, keeping Board members informed on major issues, facilitating productive meetings and well-informed decisions, and providing insight into long-range plans and the need for policy development and/or changes.
8. Prepare an annual budget for Board approval. Execute the approved budget, manage bills, and provide monthly financial reports to the Board.
9. Maintain a positive community profile for the Association by writing news articles, issuing press releases, publishing a newsletter, public speaking, attending community events and arranging educational programs for the public.
10. Maintain and increase memberships and the associated membership revenue.
11. Develop other sources of revenue through fundraising campaigns, grants, planned giving, and other potential revenue sources, including local government entities.
Qualifications
Minimal Qualifications:
Required Education/Experience: Bachelors Degree or Masters Degree preferably in one or more of the following fields: Non-Profit Administration, Business, Education, History, Historic Preservation, Museum Studies; or equivalent work experience.
The applicant must have a history of successful fundraising, the ability to work with an active and involved Board of Directors, and the willingness to represent the Association in a variety of public settings.
Applicant will need skills in:
• Project, annual, and long-term planning
• Supervision of paid, volunteer, and contract staff
• Effective communications and writing
• Financial management – budget development and financial oversight
• Microsoft Office applications, Quickbooks, and collection management databases
• Desktop publishing and website management
We are looking for a leader with passion for our mission!
About the Company/Organization
Founded in 1939, the Clarke County Historical Association maintains a state-of-the-art museum and extensive archives in Berryville, Virginia, and a circa 1785 operating gristmill in nearby Millwood. Donated to the Association in the late 1960s and restored by an earlier generation of CCHA leaders, the Mill is a county treasure and vital community gathering point. The Association has recently completed a highly successful capital campaign to assure that the Mill continues to operate for decades to come.
Our mission is to preserve, protect, interpret, and make available to the public the rich historic record of Clarke County. We take very seriously the sign that hangs over the door of our headquarters: “Our Land Is Our Legacy.”
Clarke County, which the Association serves, is unique in the depth of its commitment to preserving its history. The County is dotted with well-preserved antebellum residences. Nearly a third of its land is in conservation easement. While surrounding counties have succumbed to the suburban pressures of the Nation’s Capital, Clarke has held fast to an enlightened master plan that balances preservation and economic development. Most important, the County is rich in community leaders who believe in and practice historic preservation.
In addition to its museum, archives, and mill, CCHA supports a number of related activities. We are the fundraising conduit, for example, for Greenway Court, the mid-18th century complex of buildings where Lord Fairfax oversaw his vast “western holdings,” and we are partnered as the merchandising outlet for the County’s Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee.
CCHA is a private, non-profit 501(c)3 with a 15-person board of directors that meets quarterly and is voted on by the full membership of the organization. The Director reports to the Board and its executive committee, and works collaboratively with the Board and Chair to set organizational priorities.
CCHA’s primary fundraiser activities are the spring and fall Art at the Mill Shows, which have grown to become one of the premier art events in the mid-Atlantic region. Other sources of revenue include membership, annual giving, product sales, and two rental properties on the Mill campus. Through our art-show revenues, the Association also funds a college scholarship for an aspiring county art student and a fellowship for a local arts organization or arts teacher/professional to pursue further opportunities.
Salary or Pay Rate
Negotiable
How To Apply
Please send your c.v., a one-page summation of your interest in and suitability for the position, and the completed application form (below)) to:
Director Search
Clarke County Historical Association
PO Box 306
Berryville, VA 22611
Or email to:
director@clarkehistory.org
And be sure to put “Director Search” in the subject field. For information on how to apply, please visit our website.
