Allen County Museum and Historical Society seeks a Director/Executive Secretary.

The Allen County Museum and Historical Society (Allen County Museum), located in Lima, Ohio, is a campus consisting of the main museum, a historic Victorian mansion and carriage house dating to 1893, an 1848 log house, and the Annex and collection storage building. Established in 1908, the museum has existed as the cultural center of the community for one hundred and fifteen years. The main museum remains free to the public and focuses on the community’s rich history. As the only Ohio county museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the museum cares for over 250,000 archival and material artifacts that tell the story of the region and Ohio.

Position Summary: The Allen County Museum is seeking a full-time Director and Executive Secretary.  The Director leads the Allen County Museum by overseeing the daily operation of the museum campus, including board and staff relations, budgeting, long-range planning, development and fundraising, collections management, exhibition maintenance, temporary exhibit development, and marketing. The Director works collaboratively with staff to meet the day-to-day needs of the organization and reports to the Allen County Historical Society Board of Trustees. 

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Assess day-to-day operations of the museum and personnel, prioritize work plans and activities, develop and enforce policies, and provide direction, guidance and training for staff.

  • Guide board and supervise staff in accomplishing current long-range plan.Oversee volunteers and interns.

  • Work closely with Board of Trustees on maintaining committees and establishing new ones as needed.

  • Manage the annual budget and financial planning in cooperation with the Treasurer and Bookkeeper.Develop fundraising events to support the annual budget.

  • Research, write, and manage annual grant plan to help accomplish the organization’s strategic plan, new exhibitions, or organizational projects. Understanding of federal grant applications desired and knowledge of state funding agencies beneficial. Ability to manage multiple grants simultaneously is necessary.

  • Establish museum activities in collaboration with Friends of the Museum and the Development Committee including special events, partnerships and community engagement, and marketing that broadens the visibility of museum.

  • Oversee museum departments including the museum store, education department, and the curatorial department which is comprised of curators who manage the Dunlap collection, Rail and Transportation collection, and Archives and Manuscripts.

  • Demonstrate understanding and respect for all facets of museum operations regarding procedures, preservation of artifacts, best practices, and ethics.

  • Ensure safety and security of the museum’s permanent collections, including the fulfillment of the collections management policies.

  • Oversee the museum’s temporary gallery and implement the 2024 changing gallery schedule; continue the exhibition schedule for 2025 and beyond.

  • Oversee the updates, new development, installation, and maintenance of all exhibitions throughout the museum campus.

  • Handle all marketing including writing and editing of e-blasts and press releases; knowledge of the Mailchimp marketing platform and social media platforms.

  • Ability to work with local media personalities.

  • Oversee editing of The Reporter, a museum publication.

Requirements: Master’s degree preferred; or a Bachelor’s degree plus 5 years-experience in nonprofit management, museum studies, art, public history, history, or another appropriate field desired.  Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds.

Other Skills:

  • Comprehensive awareness and experience in all aspects of museum operation

  • Expertise in long-range planning

  • Ability to communicate clearly and represent the institution in public, professional, and media settings

  • Demonstrated experience in development and management of operational budgets from multiple revenue sources

  • Proven experience and success in local, state, and federal grant writing and development

  • Strong interpersonal skills; strong verbal and written communication skills

  • Passion for bridging connections between history, art, and cultural heritage

  • Ability to work independently and as a part of a team

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The selected applicant will be required to submit to a background check. Allen County Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Salary range: $50,000-$60,000

Job classification: Full-time; part-time

To apply: Please send resume and cover letter to the attention of Jim Osmon at [email protected]. For more information, visit www.allencountymuseum.org. Review of application materials will begin immediately. Applicants should email a cover letter describing your interest in the position and a resume with references.  This posting shall remain open until the position is filled.  Address letter to:  Jim Osmon, President, Allen County Museum, 620 West Market Street, Lima, Ohio 45801. No phone calls please.

Posted: May 9, 2023

Support OMA with your
tax-deductible donation!
A contribution to the Ohio Museums Association will help us continue to provide important programs and services to Ohio’s Museums.
Donate now