Historic Charleston Foundation, a nationally recognized leader in preservation and advocacy, is excited to announce a distinctive opportunity to join our leadership team as the Director of Museums—a dynamic, visionary role contributing to our mission by maintaining and sharing Charleston’s extraordinary history and culture.

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Classification:  Full-Time Exempt

Reports to: President & CEO

Date created/reviewed/revised: May 2025

Position Summary:

As a steward of our two uniquely significant museum houses—the Nathaniel Russell House and the Aiken-Rhett House—the Director of Museums will inspire their team to elevate every aspect of the Foundation’s preservation and educational mission. This includes community engagement, interactive tours, interpretive programming, inclusive storytelling, and special events.     

This position also plays a key role in collections stewardship, ensuring our archives and museum collections are preserved with excellence, accessible in meaningful ways and properly documented.  We are seeking a leader who can energize stakeholders and provide innovative interpretation through partnerships, technology, and thoughtful leadership.

Essential Job Functions

• Ability to lead and manage people, utilizing fresh energy to influence and engage subordinates and peers
• Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently while maintaining high standards for accuracy and quality
• Proficiency at conducting historic research
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to understand and connect with people of varying backgrounds
• Utilization of Past Perfect, CatalogIt, or other software for record keeping
• Ability to read, interpret and adjust temperature and humidity gauges

Position Duties

1. 1. Oversee, direct and organize the day-to-day activities of the two house museums including budgeting, planning, staff selection and development, and analyzing attendance data
   2. Act as the primary steward and interpreter of the house museums and collections of Historic Charleston Foundation in collaboration with the House Museum Managers
   3. Supervise the Managers of both House Museums
   4. Creatively develop and implement plans for the exhibition, care, and interpretation of the Foundation’s collections and historic interiors with Museums staff.
   5. Collaborate with staff and consultants to develop concepts for community engagement and education based upon collection, house museum, and exhibition programs, including the use of new technologies
   6. Partner with educational institutions for undergraduate and graduate study in the fields of preservation, history, decorative arts, architecture, and the building arts, cementing HCF house museums as “learning labs”
   7. Represent the Museums Department through professional leadership activities, committees, and affiliations
   8. Innovate community engagement at museum properties through exhibits, performances, and other intellectual and artistic programming when opportunities align with preservation and management goals
   9. Work with Philanthropy staff and Foundation leadership to identify and pursue funding opportunities, including grants related to house museum preservation and collections-based projects
   10. Engage Marketing Staff to help promote the museums and the collections through media, community, and other outlets
   11. With Museums staff, ensure that collections practices comply with museum policies and accepted practices related to the care, accessibility, preservation, and conservation of intellectual and physical property
   12. Educate staff, board members, and the public on museum stewardship best practices.
   13. Propose potential acquisitions and de-accessions to Historic Charleston Foundation trustees and staff relative to its collecting goals and priorities. Collaborate with Foundation committees regarding future development of the collections
   14. Conduct original research to write internal and/or external publications (including articles, newsletter text, and museum didactics) and scholarly lectures for presentations locally and nationally
   15. Ensure that the House Museum Managers oversee the ongoing training and education of Museum Interpreters
   16. Supervise staff in monitoring environmental conditions and climate control systems and review climate data for safe and optimal conditions
   17. In coordination with the Museum Staff, schedule and oversee appointments with colleagues, researchers, and visitors to view museum collections, files, images, and resource materials
   18. Utilizing dynamic educational, interpretive initiatives and technology at the house museums and online, provide accessibility to HCF’s exciting collections
   19. Manage the archives as part of the museum collections and ensure that the Archivist responds promptly to research inquiries from colleagues and the public
   20. Support and assist cooperative Foundation programs such as the Charleston Festival, Charleston by Design, and other special events as needed
   21. Work with the volunteer members of the Museums Committee in conjunction with House Museum Managers
   22. Oversee the historic landscapes at the Nathaniel Russell and Aiken-Rhett House Museums; conduct long-range planning for their maintenance and interpretation

All members of the staff of Historic Charleston Foundation are called on, from time to time, to support cooperative Foundation programs that are held after normal working hours and on weekends and to assist with projects that may lie outside their primary areas of responsibility.

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Education & Experience Requirements

• A master’s degree or higher in Museum Studies, Historic Preservation, Art History, Material Culture, or a related field and at least five years of relevant professional experience in a museum environment
• Strong mentoring and coaching experience for a team with diverse levels of expertise
• Demonstrated history of inclusion in scholarly publications including exhibitions, catalogues, and essays
• Demonstrated understanding of best practices and standards of collection care
• Experience with risk management issues including disaster plan development
• Grant writing experience
• Knowledge of appropriate uses for new media applications, whether in programs, marketing, or interpretation
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Salary

• $85,000 — $100,000

Time Requirements

• Flexibility to work an altered and non-traditional work schedule necessary to attend evening events, tours, and meet deadlines.  
• Office Hours:  Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to climb stairs, carry and lift up to 50 lbs, and have unrestricted finger dexterity for working with computers and objects, and corrected or uncorrected vision within normal range
• Ability to stand or sit for extended periods of time
• The work environments are subject to fluctuating temperatures and may be dusty

The employment relationship with Historic Charleston Foundation is at-will and may be terminated by either you or the foundation at any time, for any reason. Neither this form, or any oral or written policy or procedure, nor any representation by any HCF employee, supervisor or officer can or will change the at-will nature of your employment.

Historic Charleston Foundation is a nonprofit organization with a mission to advocate for a future for Charleston that honors and protects its people, places, culture, and community.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to Laurie Ouellette, HR Coordinator via direct email to careers@historiccharleston.org