 recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, and the Museum Alliance of Rapid City (MARC) Board seeks a new Executive Director to lead the institution in the next phase of growth and development. Here's What You Will Do: Organizational Leadership • Act on the strategic plan, mission, and vision statements to ensure the success of the Museum. • Provides leadership in all aspects of the Museum’s operations, programs, collections, and facilities. • Develop and manage budgets, ensuring accurate financial controls, forecasting, and reporting. • Lead the effort to develop and expand new sources of revenue, sponsorship, and funding. • Provide visionary, decisive leadership to staff in a supportive, mentoring, and team-centered work environment. • Work with staff to develop and present educational programs that resonate with a diverse audience • Ensure effective utilization, care, and development of the overall museum facility. Employee Relations • Oversee management of all employees. • Design performance evaluations for staff and complete annually with each employee. • Counsel employees struggling in their roles. • Possess good communication skills and can relate well with the employees and thus able to achieve the company’s goals and objectives easily. Board Relations • Develop, maintain and support the MARC Board by encouraging engagement, collaboration, and networking. • Provide full and regular transparency to the board in all areas of Museum functions including finances, operations, staff development and programming. Public Relations, Marketing Development and Fundraising • Develop and manage a marketing plan implemented across all multiple platforms, both traditional and online. • Serve as the chief spokesperson for the Museum maintaining positive community relations, networking, and engagement. • Promote a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive environment for all visitors and without prejudice. • Ensure effective public relations, marketing and media coverage including an effective and growing online and social media presence. • Plays an active role in the life of the community and region, by building relationships, and creating networks to promote awareness of the Museum and its programs. • Encourage appropriate collaborations and partnerships that advance the mission. • Serves as the chief spokesperson for the Museum and its chief fundraiser, actively lead fundraising efforts, and identify, cultivate, and solicit donors. • Create strategies to strengthen individual giving, grants, and sponsorships to adequately fund programs. Enhance existing museum membership program and cultivate new membership. • Establish and maintain donor relations of the highest standards, built on trust, respect and positive relationships leading to lasting support. • Develop and create an effective annual and multiyear fundraising plan. Exhibitions and Collections and Educational Programs • Works closely with JMLC partners to develop innovative and inclusive exhibitions and collection-based educational programs. • Manage the museum facility in accordance with AAM standards to ensure the preservation of collections. • Collaborates with partner organizations to utilize museum collections as a resource to educate, inspire, and engage audiences. • Oversee development and implementation of visionary programming that represents and reflects both the local communities and a nationwide audience • Develop strategies and tactics to build new, diverse audiences through relevant programs for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. • Ensure an innovative and relevant education program for learners of all ages. • Support staff to develop STEAM-based education programs and strategies to engage audiences and build participation across all sectors of the Museum experience. • Ensure proper assessment of education programs, outcomes and benchmarks. • Partner with area colleges and universities to develop and expand internship and young audience engagement. What will make you stand out: • Minimum 4-year college degree. • Master’s degree in Museum Studies, Public History, History, MBA is a plus. • Experience managing a cultural institution, museum, arts center, or similar organization • Fundraising experience including successful donor cultivation and sponsorship relations, securing major gifts, grant writing and networking. • Management experience including budgets, staff, facilities, and programs. • Experience developing and implementing strategic plans. • Excellent written and oral communication skills; able to translate ideas into actions. Here’s what we can offer you: • $75,000 – $85,000 based on education and experience. • Full Benefits Package JOURNEY MUSEUM AND LEARNING CENTER Located in the heart of Rapid City, South Dakota, the Journey Museum and Learning Center (JMLC) opened to the public in 1997. The city owned building and grounds comprise of eleven (11) acres and is overseen by the non-profit organization, the Museum Alliance of Rapid City (MARC). The museum is funded through a combination of funds from the City of Rapid City, earned income, donations, and grants. An Executive Director and Board of Directors constitute the governing body of the JMLC. Telling the story of the Black Hills region, JMLC takes visitors on a journey through time with four major collection areas including geology and paleontology, archaeology, Native American culture, and Pioneer history. The JMLC utilizes unique partnerships with the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, the South Dakota Archaeological Research Center, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, the Minnilusa Pioneer Historical Association, and the City of Rapid City. The JMLC serves as a forum to preserve and explore the heritage and cultures of the Black Hills region and the knowledge of its natural environment to understand and value our past, enrich our present, and meet the challenges of the future. Visit the JMLC website: https://www.journeymuseum.org/visit/)
Position Title: Executive Director
Reports To: Museum Alliance of Rapid City Board of Directors
Pay Grade: Exempt
Position Summary:
The position requires a decisive leader, strategic thinker, engaging fundraiser, networker and advocate of the museum. The ideal candidate will have experience managing a cultural institution or similar facility, an advanced degree, and proven management experience. Fundraising, fiscal management, staff leadership, program development, project management, and building audiences are key responsibilities. The Journey Museum and Learning Center (JMLC) recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, and the Museum Alliance of Rapid City (MARC) Board seeks a new Executive Director to lead the institution in the next phase of growth and development.
Here's What You Will Do:
Organizational Leadership
- Act on the strategic plan, mission, and vision statements to ensure the success of the Museum.
- Provides leadership in all aspects of the Museum’s operations, programs, collections, and facilities.
- Develop and manage budgets, ensuring accurate financial controls, forecasting, and reporting.
- Lead the effort to develop and expand new sources of revenue, sponsorship, and funding.
- Provide visionary, decisive leadership to staff in a supportive, mentoring, and team-centered work environment.
- Work with staff to develop and present educational programs that resonate with a diverse audience
- Ensure effective utilization, care, and development of the overall museum facility.
Employee Relations
- Oversee management of all employees.
- Design performance evaluations for staff and complete annually with each employee.
- Counsel employees struggling in their roles.
- Possess good communication skills and can relate well with the employees and thus able to achieve the company’s goals and objectives easily.
Board Relations
- Develop, maintain and support the MARC Board by encouraging engagement, collaboration, and networking.
- Provide full and regular transparency to the board in all areas of Museum functions including finances, operations, staff development and programming.
Public Relations, Marketing Development and Fundraising
- Develop and manage a marketing plan implemented across all multiple platforms, both traditional and online.
- Serve as the chief spokesperson for the Museum maintaining positive community relations, networking, and engagement.
- Promote a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive environment for all visitors and without prejudice.
- Ensure effective public relations, marketing and media coverage including an effective and growing online and social media presence.
- Plays an active role in the life of the community and region, by building relationships, and creating networks to promote awareness of the Museum and its programs.
- Encourage appropriate collaborations and partnerships that advance the mission.
- Serves as the chief spokesperson for the Museum and its chief fundraiser, actively lead fundraising efforts, and identify, cultivate, and solicit donors.
- Create strategies to strengthen individual giving, grants, and sponsorships to adequately fund programs. Enhance existing museum membership program and cultivate new membership.
- Establish and maintain donor relations of the highest standards, built on trust, respect and positive relationships leading to lasting support.
- Develop and create an effective annual and multiyear fundraising plan.
Exhibitions and Collections and Educational Programs
- Works closely with JMLC partners to develop innovative and inclusive exhibitions and collection-based educational programs.
- Manage the museum facility in accordance with AAM standards to ensure the preservation of collections.
- Collaborates with partner organizations to utilize museum collections as a resource to educate, inspire, and engage audiences.
- Oversee development and implementation of visionary programming that represents and reflects both the local communities and a nationwide audience
- Develop strategies and tactics to build new, diverse audiences through relevant programs for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
- Ensure an innovative and relevant education program for learners of all ages.
- Support staff to develop STEAM-based education programs and strategies to engage audiences and build participation across all sectors of the Museum experience.
- Ensure proper assessment of education programs, outcomes and benchmarks.
- Partner with area colleges and universities to develop and expand internship and young audience engagement.
What will make you stand out:
- Minimum 4-year college degree.
- Master’s degree in Museum Studies, Public History, History, MBA is a plus.
- Experience managing a cultural institution, museum, arts center, or similar organization
- Fundraising experience including successful donor cultivation and sponsorship relations, securing major gifts, grant writing and networking.
- Management experience including budgets, staff, facilities, and programs.
- Experience developing and implementing strategic plans.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills; able to translate ideas into actions.
Here’s what we can offer you:
- $90,000 - $100,000 based on education and experience.
- Health Insurance
- Simple IRA
- Vacation/Sick Days
- Relocation package
JOURNEY MUSEUM AND LEARNING CENTER
Located in the heart of Rapid City, South Dakota, the Journey Museum and Learning Center (JMLC) opened to the public in 1997. The city owned building and grounds comprise of eleven (11) acres and is overseen by the non-profit organization, the Museum Alliance of Rapid City (MARC). The museum is funded through a combination of funds from the City of Rapid City, earned income, donations, and grants. An Executive Director and Board of Directors constitute the governing body of the JMLC. Telling the story of the Black Hills region, JMLC takes visitors on a journey through time with four major collection areas including geology and paleontology, archaeology, Native American culture, and Pioneer history. The JMLC utilizes unique partnerships with the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, the South Dakota Archaeological Research Center, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, the Minnilusa Pioneer Historical Association, and the City of Rapid City. The JMLC serves as a forum to preserve and explore the heritage and cultures of the Black Hills region and the knowledge of its natural environment to understand and value our past, enrich our present, and meet the challenges of the future. Visit the JMLC website: https://www.journeymuseum.org/visit
About Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the largest city in western South Dakota and serves as an economic, cultural, and entertainment hub the region. With several national parks, monuments, and memorials as well as a host of state parks all within a one-hour drive, Rapid City offers a contemporary vibe and a rich cultural heritage experience. Downtown Rapid City and Main Street Square offer added urban pleasures as well as a vibrant arts and culture scenery, great local restaurants and an assortment of boutiques and gift shops all surrounded by the City of Presidents.
The Visit Rapid City website https://www.visitrapidcity.com/ features detailed information and guides to all that the area has to offer.
