JOB SUMMARYThe Deputy Director is the Executive Director's principal strategic and operational partner, responsible for translating institutional vision into measurable results. This position oversees the museum's day-to-day operations while ensuring that institutional priorities move from concept to successful execution.
The Deputy Director manages staff, oversees operations, coordinates major initiatives, strengthens organizational systems, supports fundraising, and ensures that strategic priorities are executed with excellence. As a senior leader within a lean, high-performing organization, this position combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution across multiple functional areas. The successful candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys solving complex challenges, turns ideas into action, and moves seamlessly between executive leadership and day-to-day implementation.
The Deputy Director reports to the Executive Director and works closely with National Trust colleagues to advance institutional priorities and ensure operational excellence. The Deputy Director serves as Acting Director in the Executive Director's absence and plays a central role in advancing the museum's strategic priorities during this period of growth and transformation.
DUTIESLeadership & Operations- Partner with the Executive Director to implement strategic priorities and organizational goals.
- Lead daily operations and supervise staff, contractors, scholars, interns, and volunteers. More specifically, the Deputy Director will supervise the Sr. Manager of Operations & Finance, the Sr. Manager of Historic Site and Events, the Associate Manager of Collections, and the Wilson House Scholars Coordinator.
- Establish clear expectations and accountability while improving organizational systems and fostering a collaborative, high-performing workplace.
- Ensure projects, decisions, and commitments move forward through effective planning, delegation, and follow-through.
- Oversee facilities, vendors, contracts, risk management, and operational planning.
- Ensure compliance with National Trust policies and museum standards.
Strategic Initiatives & Execution- Manage multiple concurrent institutional initiatives from planning through implementation.
- Develop and manage project plans, timelines, budgets, and performance measures.
- Coordinate cross-departmental initiatives, including exhibitions, capital projects, fundraising, strategic planning, and organizational priorities.
- Anticipate challenges, identify solutions, adjust priorities, and keep institutional goals moving forward.
- Monitor progress, ensuring leadership is informed of milestones, risks, and opportunities.
Fundraising & External Relations- Partner with the Executive Director to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors.
- Support grant proposals, sponsorships, memberships, annual giving, fundraising events, and capital campaign activities.
- Represent the Wilson House with donors, community partners, embassies, cultural organizations, National Trust colleagues, and public audiences.
- Serve as liaison to the Wilson House Advisory Council.
Programs, Communications & Institutional Advancement- Collaborate with staff to develop exhibitions, educational programs, public events, and institutional initiatives.
- Develop and produce newsletters, press releases, website content, marketing materials, social media, presentations, donor communications, and other public-facing materials.
- Coordinate media and public relations efforts that strengthen the museum's visibility and reputation.
- Prepare board materials, reports, presentations, executive correspondence, and institutional communications.
- Strengthen partnerships that expand the museum's visibility and impact.
QUALIFICATIONSCandidates should possess:
- Eight or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience in a museum, historic site, nonprofit, cultural institution, or similarly complex organization.
- Demonstrated success supervising staff, managing budgets, and leading organizational operations.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining exceptional attention to detail and meeting deadlines.
- Experience managing complex projects from planning through implementation.
- Strong fundraising experience, including donor stewardship, grants, sponsorships, major gifts, and fundraising events.
- Exceptional writing, editing, organizational, and presentation skills.
- Experience producing high-quality communications and representing an organization professionally.
- Experience building productive relationships with staff, trustees, donors, volunteers, community partners, public officials, and institutional partners.
- Demonstrated sound judgment, professionalism, discretion, and the ability to manage confidential matters.
- Knowledge of museum operations, historic preservation, and collections stewardship preferred.
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft 365 and the ability to quickly learn and effectively use CRM databases, website content management systems, email marketing platforms, graphic design tools, project management software, digital collaboration platforms, and AI-assisted productivity tools.
- Ability to work primarily on site with occasional evening, weekend, and travel.
SUCCESS IN THIS ROLEThis position is best suited for someone who thrives in a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment where initiative, flexibility, and hands-on leadership are essential.
The ideal Deputy Director is a thoughtful leader and exceptional executor who combines strategic thinking with outstanding follow-through. They anticipate challenges, establish priorities, manage multiple complex initiatives simultaneously, and build the systems and relationships that enable a small organization to achieve ambitious goals.
The successful candidate is intellectually curious, adaptable, and energized by building organizational capacity. They embrace change, value accountability, learn new technologies quickly, and are equally comfortable developing strategy, writing a press release, preparing a board presentation, cultivating a donor, troubleshooting an operational issue, or leading a major institutional initiative.
PAY & BENEFITSThis is a full-time, exempt level position, eligible for full benefits, including health, dental and life insurance, retirement benefits, paid parental leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation, plus sick time and holidays.
Hiring Range: $90,000-95,000 per year
