Job Title: Athenaeum Director
Reports to: Athenaeum Board of Trustees
FLSA Classification: Exempt
Projected Start Date: January 1, 2025
The St. Johnsbury Athenaeum is a rural, private, non-profit public library and art gallery located in St. Johnsbury, Vermont whose mission is to promote life-long learning. In 1996, the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum was designated a National Historic Landmark, one of the few libraries in the nation with this prestigious status. A monument of the 19th century belief in publicly accessible learning, the Athenaeum was founded by Horace Fairbanks as a cultural center for the town—a true “athenaeum”—providing a free public library, hosting programs and events for the community, and stewarding a unique collection of literature and art throughout the building.
The Director of the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum is the public face of the institution and will provide the creative vision, long-range strategy, energy, and management skills to lead the Athenaeum’s overall programs and operations. Working closely with the staff and Board of Trustees, the Director will have primary oversight for development, financial planning, collections, and program implementation; carrying out the strategy and policies approved by the Board; and assuring that the organization achieves its mission of service to its patrons and the community. The director will balance internal management with external impact and visibility.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
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Determines the most effective structure and staffing for managing daily operations and finances. Responsible for human resources and fostering a collegial work environment that supports innovation; inspires, mentors, and manages staff and volunteers consistent with current law and Board policy. Promotes and maintains equity, diversity, and inclusion as fundamental values of the Athenaeum.
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Directs the design, promotion, delivery and quality of programs, products, exhibits and library services.
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Promotes organizational values and represents the Athenaeum to the media and to constituents in public and private settings. Assures that the Athenaeum and its mission, programs, and services are consistently presented in a strong, positive light.
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Cultivates relationships with the community and collaborates with local and statewide peer institutions and the Town of St. Johnsbury.
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Sets the strategic direction for the Athenaeum in conjunction with the Board in all matters related to finances, policies, human resources, collections, and programs.
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Reports on Athenaeum activity to the Board of Trustees at committee and full Board meetings. Recommends an annual budget for Board approval and prudently manages these resources within the budget guidelines.
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Oversees the Development Officer in implementing fundraising strategies that support the goal of increasing the Athenaeum’s funding base through grant writing, stewarding private donations, and inspiring a new generation of supporters.
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Ensures that the historic building, library, art, and special collections are maintained to a high standard of care and are captivating and accessible for users, scholars, and visitors.
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Supports the Friends of the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, which operates Secondhand Prose, a used bookstore.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
Directly supervises the Athenaeum staff, including 5 full-time and 4 part-time staff.
Education and Experience:
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A Bachelor’s or graduate degree in a field related to the organization’s purpose or equivalent experience and expertise (MLS or MLIS preferred).
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Library services experience. Additional museum and curatorial experience in a comparable institution is a plus.
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Minimum of five years of experience in administration of a non-profit or related business.
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Strong financial management skills and experience with supervision of employees and volunteers.
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Demonstrated success in public relations and fundraising.
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Proficiency with the technology and applications necessary for modern library administrative and fiscal management.
Desired Qualities:
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Strong interpersonal skills, such as the ability to build consensus in the staff, interface with the Board, and connect with public visitors on a daily basis.
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Organizational skills to run a multifaceted institution.
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Creativity, imagination, and vision in development of programs and initiatives.
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Integrity and honesty in daily interactions.
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Adaptability and problem solving.
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Patience and a sense of humor in meeting challenges as they might arise.
Compensation:
Salary range is $65,000 to $80,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications; benefits included.
To Apply:
Email a cover letter and résumé to Board Chair Elizabeth Evans at eevans@stjathenaeum.org with Athenaeum Director as the subject line.
No phone calls or paper applications. Incomplete applications will be discarded without reply. Open until filled. We conduct criminal background checks on all new hires. The St. Johnsbury Athenaeum is an equal opportunity employer, and will not discriminate, or tolerate discrimination, against any employee or applicant in any manner prohibited by law.
– Posted 7/24/24