Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

JOB SUMMARY

About the President Woodrow Wilson House

The President Woodrow Wilson House, a National Trust for Historic Preservation site, is the former home of our 28th President after leaving the White House. Now a museum and cultural center, it serves as a forum for dialogue on history, democracy, and global affairs. Its mission is to leverage its historic significance to inspire honest reflection, promote civic engagement, and advance global understanding. For more information, please visit our website.

Position Summary

The Deputy Director is the Executive Director’s senior partner in leading the Wilson House, ensuring excellence across operations, programs, fundraising, and community engagement. This position is ideal for a versatile, results-oriented museum professional who can oversee day-to-day management while helping shape long-term vision. The Deputy Director serves as acting director in the Executive Director’s absence.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Administration

• Partner with the Executive Director to implement strategic goals, manage budgets, and ensure operational excellence.
• Supervise staff, contractors, and interns; foster a collaborative and inclusive workplace.
• Represent the Wilson House at public programs, donor meetings, and in the community.

Fundraising & Development

• Drive revenue growth through major gifts, grants, sponsorships, membership, and events.
• Lead select donor cultivation and stewardship initiatives.
• Support the annual gala, capital campaign, and other fundraising priorities.

Programs & Exhibitions

• Collaborate with curatorial and education staff to develop exhibitions, programs, and tours.
• Ensure content reflects historical accuracy, inclusivity, and relevance.
• Cultivate institutional partnerships to expand reach and impact.

Operations & Collections

• Oversee facilities, security, and preservation of the historic house and collections.
• Ensure compliance with National Trust standards and legal requirements.
• Manage scheduling, vendors, and project timelines.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Leadership: Able to set priorities, make decisions, and drive institutional progress in partnership with the Executive Director.
• Operational Excellence: Skilled at managing budgets, timelines, and resources to achieve high-quality results.
• Fundraising Acumen: Proven ability to engage donors, write compelling proposals, and secure significant contributions.
• Relationship Building: Adept at cultivating strong relationships with staff, stakeholders, and community partners.
• Adaptability & Problem-Solving: Comfortable navigating complex situations, shifting priorities, and unexpected challenges.
• Cultural Competency: Demonstrates respect for and understanding of diverse perspectives, histories, and identities.
• Communication: Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills for diverse audiences using a variety of software and data applications.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: Proactive in identifying opportunities for growth, innovation, and increased impact.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressively responsible museum or nonprofit leadership experience, including supervision and budget management.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, donor relations, and event planning.
• Knowledge of historic site operations, preservation, and collections care.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Comfort engaging diverse audiences in conversations about history, race, gender, and culture.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion.
• Experience in communications and marketing.
• Comfortable talking about identities such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, ability, and gender in plain, specific terms as they relate to cultural heritage and the workplace. Ties to culturally diverse affinity groups, professional organizations, or related associations are a plus.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, including issue identification and prioritization.
• Advanced project management, team management and client management skills. Ability to achieve results with limited supervision.
• Experience coaching or leading staff, as well as successfully managing key internal and external stakeholders and relationships.
• Ability to prioritize, multi-task efficiently and respond to a high volume of ongoing requests in a timely fashion. Able to handle frequently changing and/or unscheduled tasks with accuracy.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel required. Knowledge of Fareharbor, WordPress, Constant Contact, and Canva required. Experience using CRM databases.
• Effective presentation skills. Excellent writing, spelling, grammar, and proofreading skills, as well as strong verbal communication and customer service skills. Strong organizational skills. Excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to work predominantly on-site, with flexibility to work weekends or evenings as needed.
• Regular and reliable attendance required.
• Some travel required.

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