Director of State Historic Sites

Director of State Historic Sites, under the supervision of the State Historic Preservation Officer, is responsible for all matters related to the administration, operations, management, and development of the Vermont State Historic Sites. The Historic Sites Program includes 22 historic sites consisting of 74 buildings, 5 monuments, 5 gift shops, and 6 bridges on 919 acres with walking trails.

In general, daily duties involve administration of the historic sites program including facility and museum operations, business management such as admissions and gift shops, marketing and tourism plans, policy and standards development and implementation, curation and archival practices, compliance with state financial and human resource requirements, stakeholder and partnership relations, disaster response, and leadership of three full-time staff and 60 seasonal volunteers. Will require working some weekends, after-hours responses for emergencies, and travel to historic sites.

The Director:

• Leads the operations of the nine sites open to the public from May to October and three sites open on a limited basis.
• Serves as the primary responder, in collaboration with the Director of Preservation and Sites Regional Administrators, to emergencies.
• Implements the approved Historic Sites Rules pertaining to policies, standards, procedures, and long-range planning for facilities operations and visitor services.
• Develops and implements marketing, interpretation, education, events, and exhibits.
• Responsible for contracting related to minor maintenance, daily and seasonal operations, curation and exhibits, and interpretation, in coordination with Sites Regional Administrators and Director of Preservation. Oversees residential lease and property use agreements.
• Oversees grant and donation requests, inventory auditing, and self-assessment compliance.
• Oversees Sites Regional Administrators in their day-to-day operations for a visitor experience during the open season and for offseason planning and stabilization.
• Monitors revenues and visitor statistics; assists in the preparation and presentation of reporting to the General Assembly and the Office of the Administration. Provides testimony when required before legislative committees.
• Oversees recruiting, training, and performance evaluations for seasonal employees and Sites Regional Administrators.

Skills and experiences:

• Strong strategic thinking with ability to develop and implement high-impact solutions.
• Excellent judgement with analytical and decision-making ability for immediate and long-term decisions.
• Strong ability to plan, organize, lead, and guide all aspects of administration.
• Desire to learn and share history to support Vermont's tourism and historic preservation goals.

This position,Director of State Historic Sites (Job Requisition #52405), is open to all State employees and external applicants.

If you would like more information about this position, please contact Laura.Trieschmann@vermont.gov.

Resumes will not be accepted via e-mail. You must apply online to be considered.

Please note that multiple positions in the same work location may be filled from this job posting.

Duties are performed in both a standard office setting and in the field. Considerable statewide travel is involved for which private means of transportation must be available. Involves lifting and transfer of curation items, displays, supplies, and equipment. Work involves considerable stress stemming from a heavy workload and public coordination, especially during open season. There is considerable contact with the public. Duties may require work during evenings, weekends, and holidays. Emergency issues sometimes require off-hours coordination.

Bachelor's degree or higher in historic preservation, museum studies, history, public history, American history, architectural history, art history, or a related field AND three (3) years or more of experience in one of those related fields AND two (2) or more years as a manager, director or program supervisor.

Master's degree in historic preservation, museum studies, history, public history, American history, architectural history, art history, or a related field

As a State employee you are offered a great career opportunity, but it's more than a paycheck. The State's total compensation package features an outstanding set of employee benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation, including:

• 80% State paid medical premium and a dental plan at no cost for employees and their families
• Work/Life balance: 11 paid holidays each year and a generous leave plan
• State Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI)
• Two ways to save for your retirement: A State defined benefit pension plan and a deferred compensation 457(b) plan
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Flexible spending healthcare and childcare reimbursement accounts
• Low cost group life insurance
• Incentive-based Wellness Program
• Qualified Employer for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program

Want the specifics? Explore the Benefits of State Employment on our website.