Preservation Manager at Weeksville Heritage Center

The Society for the Preservation of Weeksville and Bedford-Stuyvesant History d/b/a Weeksville Heritage Center (WHC) is a historic site of national significance that preserves the legacy of a free African-American community founded in 1838, not long after the abolition of slavery in New York State. The three wood-frame houses known as the Hunterfly Road Houses stand as living monuments to African-American emancipation and self-determination. Rediscovered in 1968, these structures, originally built between 1840 and 1880, are the most prominent remnants of Weeksville, the second largest known independent African-American community in pre-Civil War America Our mission is to document, preserve and interpret the history of free African-American communities in Weeksville, Brooklyn and beyond and to create and inspire innovative, contemporary uses of African American history through education, the arts, and civic engagement.

We are seeking to engage a qualified Preservation Manager who will be supervised by the Executive Director and work in collaboration with the Collections and Archives staff and the Director of Operations to achieve the following outcomes:

• Develop a broader philosophy of preservation, conservation and maintenance of the Hunterfly Road Houses;
• Manage, develop and implement a comprehensive maintenance, housekeeping and repair plan for the historic properties;
• Review and update the museum’s existing condition report, specification, drawings and bid requirements concerning all restoration repairs;
• Manage Contractual Caretakers, Site Coordinators, other contractors and facility staff related to maintenance and preservation of the Houses and landscape; 
• Work closely with Development staff to identify resources and grant opportunities to support preservation priorities;
• Establish new and strengthen existing collaborative relationships with local community leaders, organizations and residents  to optimize historic and cultural resources and to support preservation and planning;
• Assist in the development and implementation of an Emergency Preparedness/Disaster Management Plan in accordance with the guidelines of all regulatory agencies;
• Assist in refining the vision for Collections and Archives as relates to climate monitoring, preventative conservation, collections rotations, and objects conservation;
• Attend and present at industry forums and conferences as WHC’s authority on cultural resource management.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Historic Preservation, with an emphasis in Archaeology, History (preferably African American history), Anthropology, and/or Architecture. Two to four years’ professional experience in the field preferred. 

Key characteristics include:

• Excellent project management skills.
• Strong skills in critical thinking, communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution.
• Ability to research, write, analyze and interpret complex documents with technical details.
• Extensive understanding of the archaeological and historic preservation standards.
• Skills in the identification and evaluation of historic buildings, structures, objects, sites, and districts including historic landscapes.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.

How to Apply

E-mail resume with cover letter to inquiries@weeksvillesociety.org, with the subject “ATTN: Preservation Manager”