Hart Cluett Museum

57 2nd St.

Troy, NY  12180

Hartcluett.org

The Hart Cluett Museum (HCM) in Troy, New York, seeks an Executive Director to lead the organization into its second century.

Established in1927 as the Rensselaer County Historical Society, HCM’s mission is to enrich the present and advocate for the future by bringing the region’s past to life, recognizing every face and every story. Recent rebranding, including the name change, reinforces HCM’s role as a thriving not-for-profit educational community organization, and reflects a solid track record of connecting local history and heritage with contemporary life in Rensselaer County.

Rensselaer County (population 160,000), located within New York State’s Capital Region, offers an exceptional quality of life. The county’s many historic villages and rural communities are anchored by the urban center of the city of Troy, the county seat. Troy is located along the Hudson River, with unparalleled 19th century architecture, industrial-age history, and strong on-going creative innovation.

About the Organization:

The Hart Cluett Museum is a sophisticated organization with an operating budget of $350,000.  It is housed in two adjacent 19th century buildings in downtown Troy. The Hart Cluett Mansion, built in 1825, is a late Federal-era urban town house remarkable for the continuity of its occupants and their attention to detailed record keeping. Based upon those records, and the largest collection asset of the organization itself, the Mansion is a furnished, interpreted historic house museum.  Next door and connected to it, the Carr Building serves the multifaceted needs of a history-based, collection-rich institution. It houses administrative offices, an active research library, county and city archives, collection storage areas, permanent and rotating gallery spaces, and a dedicated event/meeting space, along with a commercial kitchen, public restrooms, and an outdoor deck.

In pursuit of our mission, we collect, preserve, study, interpret, and make accessible a broad variety of Rensselaer County-based objects and documents. We conduct educational programs to inspire public enthusiasm for our community’s history and continued growth. HCM is known for its vast collection of genealogical and archival records, and attracts visitors from across the U.S. We recently collaborated with the Smithsonian to produce an exhibition, The Way We Work(ed), one of only eleven museums in the country chosen for this project. At present, the Hart Cluett Mansion is included in the HBO series The Gilded Age. For the production, staff plays an ongoing role in the research and staging of the series throughout the Capital Region.

The staff consists of the City and County historian/museum educator (one position), a curator, bookkeeper/accountant (parttime), and an administrative assistant. The organization relies on a dedicated roster of long-time volunteers and college interns. The team is supported by a highly engaged Board of Trustees, representing a range of professional skills.

Responsibilities:

We seek a FT executive director passionate about history and able to inspire, excite, and energize internal and external constituencies. The ED will be the face of the organization: visible and active in the community, comfortable with fund raising, and articulate in dealing with the press. They will build, maintain, and strengthen community ties as well as regional, and national partnerships and will lead the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusivity.

We seek an individual who is both strategic and entrepreneurial in planning, and one who will work closely and collaboratively with the board, staff, and volunteers to lead the HCM in the furtherance of its mission. Day-to-day responsibilities include:

• Overseeing, tracking, and providing regular financial and operational reporting for the board

• Participating in and/or overseeing all aspects of fund raising, including major gifts, annual gifts, membership, grant writing, and fund-raising events.

• Supervising staff and participating at the appropriate level in all aspects of museum programming and operations

• Administering and managing capital projects and service contracts

Minimum Qualifications:

o Bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, museum studies, or related field; graduate degree preferred

o An out-going personality, comfortable with speaking in a wide-range of community settings on behalf of the organization

o Proven leadership in non-profit management, business administration, and public relations, particularly in the cultural sector

o Demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion, and experience with a wide range of community engagement strategies

• Extra consideration will be given for:

o Strong visionary and advocacy skills on the part of the history profession, with the ability to demonstrate its relevance to community, community leaders and funders

o Knowledge and familiarity with federal and New York state funding sources and application portals

o Familiarity with best practices in museum disciplines and membership in museum-related professional organizations

o An understanding of Historic Preservation

The initial salary range is $65,000-$70,000 along with a modest benefits package.

Please submit a résumé and a one-page narrative addressing your qualifications for the position to EDSearch@hartcluett.org

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, with an ideal starting date of April, 2023.

The Hart Cluett Museum is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.  We do not discriminate against any individual or group of individuals on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.  New York State is an “Employment-at-Will” State. Submitting an application does not constitute a promise or guarantee of employment.

Visit hartcluett.org for more information.