(P/T, Contract) Museum Manager at the Venice Heritage Museum

Job Title: Museum Manager

Job Status: Part-time, contract

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Salary: $55,000

MUSEUM MANAGER (CONTRACT)
Role description: Responsible for managing all creative and day-to-day operational functions of the Venice Heritage Museum, including long and short-term exhibitions and events, archives and collections management, supporting VHM’s ongoing oral histories project, and volunteer and contractor oversight, in collaboration with the Board of Directors.
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Term (Part-time): $55,000 for 1-year contract (October 2023-September 2024), est. 25-30 hours/week, with possibility to renew 
Location: On-site in Venice, California

TO APPLY 
​Send your resume, cover letter, and portfolio (if available) to info(at)veniceheritagemuseum.org with the subject line: Museum Manager_First + last name. Applications due by 5 pm PT on Friday, September 15, 2023.

INTRODUCTION
The Venice Heritage Foundation is thrilled to launch our search for a Museum Manager to lead the Venice Heritage Museum (VHM) — the first-ever hub celebrating the diverse cultural heritage and history of the internationally renowned city of Venice, California!

After building a groundswell of support over the last few years thanks to the support of countless passionate community members, partner organizations and allies, and our devoted Board of Directors, we are now poised to launch this much-anticipated institution.

Opening in late 2023, the Venice Heritage Museum will be a space for discovery. In the face of constant change, VHM will be an inclusive hub to celebrate the diverse cultures and unique facets of Venice history. Venice’s accepting and progressive legacy will be on display, with exhibits highlighting both well-known and more obscure stories, showcasing their relevance in today’s world.

Ultimately, the Venice Heritage Museum will serve to enrich the lives of current and future generations through exhibitions, events, and educational activities, ​connecting the present with the past.
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Read more about our Mission, Vision & Values here.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

  • Oversee day-to-day operations of the Venice Heritage Museum (VHM), serving as the primary keyholder during the museum’s hours of operation (Thurs-Sun | 11 am-5 pm)
  • Collaborate with the Venice Heritage Foundation (VHF) Board of Directors to create engaging rotating exhibits highlighting facets of the city of Venice, CA’s diverse cultural heritage, helping guide the curation and display of exhibition materials utilizing the Museum’s permanent collections, as well as borrowed and community materials
  • Engage with the VHF Board and Advisory Council, partner organizations, historical institutions, and community members to leverage borrowed images and media for exhibitions, and continue building the VHM Community Archives
  • Organize the VHM Volunteer program, providing training for docents, maintaining the on-site volunteer schedule, and ensuring regular duties are met according to set standards
  • Ensure items in the VHM Gift Shop are stocked and presented in an organized manner
  • Provide educational presentations for visiting school and community organizations; On occasion, conduct off-site outreach such as educational programming, guided tours, and promotional outings
  • Respond to queries concerning VHM’s permanent collections and requests for digital image reproduction
  • Collaborate with part-time contractors (Archivist; PR; Social Media), ensuring that working agreements are fulfilled and executed to desired standards;
    • Collaborate with the Archivist to ensure proper ongoing preservation of the Museum’s permanent collection 
    • Collaborate with the PR team, providing contextual material about exhibitions, events, and other programming for press releases and other opportunities
    • Collaborate with the Social Media Coordinator, providing access to exhibition and archival images and video to creatively and accurately represent the Museum’s programming on its social media accounts (Instagram; Facebook; X/Twitter)
  • In collaboration with the VHF Board, provide contextual material to the contract Grant Writer about the Museum’s programming for grant applications
  • Assist the VHF Board Member/Project Director with the facilitation of the VHM Oral History Project, which may include booking interviewees, coordinating and hosting filming dates with the production team, and ensuring post-production duties are executed
  • Maintain essential upkeep of content on the VHM website, periodically adding updates regarding exhibitions, events, programming, and other news
  • Write and distribute monthly email newsletter, as well as ad hoc emails advertising exhibitions and events
  • Strategically and enthusiastically represent VHM, including at occasional public functions and in the press

KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS PREFERRED

  • Museum administration/management, including knowledge of onsite / keyholder operations 
  • History and anthropology studies
  • Strong project managerial and organizational skills
  • A curator’s eye and passion for visual and written storytelling
  • Demonstrated commitment to equitable representation of communities and their stories
  • Public relations and customer service, eg. comfortable and enthusiastic about engaging with visitors; able to prepare and deliver public speaking presentations on occasion
  • Direct or applicable experience working with, and/or training and supervising volunteers
  • Adept at conveying oral and written communications, as well as policies and procedures, to multigenerational groups
  • Compassion and discretion regarding privileged information and sensitive cultural issues
  • Able to operate a variety of office equipment, including computer terminal and printer
  • Familiarity with Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, etc)

Applications received through September 15, 2023, will be considered in the initial review and review of applications will continue until position is filled.
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​Note: This position description is a general guideline and is not intended to be a comprehensive listing of all job duties. Therefore, it is also not, nor can it be implied to be, a contract of employment. 

Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential tasks required.