City of Kitimat
Application Deadline: September 27, 2024
The Board of Directors at the Kitimat Museum & Archives is accepting applications for the leadership position, Executive Director.
Permanent Full Time
Deadline to Apply: September 27, 2024
Anticipated Start Date: January 6, 2025
Terms of Employment: Full-Time, Permanent
Salary: $100,000 (plus a comprehensive benefits package including superannuation)
About the Kitimat Museum & Archives:
The Museum in Kitimat is situated on the traditional and unceded Territory of the Haisla Nation in Kitimat, B.C. The Museum mandate is the natural and cultural history of the Kitimat Valley, associated coastal regions, and the interior affected by the Kitimat Project. Kitimat was created in the 1950s to house the workers for the new aluminum smelter, opened 1954. The Project refers to the creation of the power – dam, reservoir, tunnel, Kemano powerhouse, and transmission line – for the smelter.
The x̄aisla (Haisla) have lived along the Douglas Channel, on the lower Kitimat River, and surrounding areas for generations. The x̄enáksiala (Henaksiala) historically lived by the upper Gardner Canal, Kitlope River and Kitlope Lake. The two Nations struck an amalgamation agreement in 1948 and since then have held shared territory and lived together in Kitamaat. Extended families follow the clan system of social organization with the Beaver Clan and Hi’mas (Chief) Jasee leading as the hereditary chief.
For more area history, visit www.haisla.ca and www.kitimatmuseum.ca.
The Museum shall exercise its mandate for Haisla heritage and culture only on a basis of consultation with the Haisla community and Haisla Nation Council, and respect for Council's aspirations for repatriation and control of Haisla heritage. The Museum’s cultural history mandate includes the contemporary culture of Kitimat residents.
The Museum’s mission is to foster among residents and visitors a deeper appreciation and understanding of the natural splendor of the area, Indigenous heritage and culture, and subsequent history of area settlements and development.
Core Values:
- Community. The Museum is the definitive source for Kitimat community history and fosters arts, history, and cultural pursuits for a healthy, balanced society.
- Trust. The Museum pursues excellence in achieving professional museum standards in collections and interpretation. It tells the truth, is transparent, and accepts change.
- Service. The Museum is an educational resource on area natural/human history for students, teachers, researchers, and the public. It is accessible to all. Staff seek professional development opportunities in heritage tourism, heritage, and museum and archival standards to enhance service.
- Collaboration. The Museum is a resource for individuals, organizations, governments, and the private sector on projects and events that require historical and cultural information. The Museum supports regional, networking opportunities.
Museum operations receive District of Kitimat and BC Arts Council grants. The Kitimat Museum & Archives is currently 5.3% of the total Culture & Recreation budget for Kitimat. The Museum gift shop and program fees provide additional financial support for ongoing programs and services. A priority for Museum leadership is to lessen the remuneration gap with the District of Kitimat, seeking payroll parity with the municipality.
The Opportunity:
The Museum needs an innovative, progressive Executive Director to lead a staff of nine (4.2 FTEs) to deliver programs and exhibitions and manage collections. Additionally, the Executive Director will coordinate and support the activities of the Planning Committee for the future shared Haisla/Kitimat Museum facility. See https://www.kitimatmuseum.ca/shared-facility/
The Executive Director will report directly to the Board of Directors and lead to advance the Museum’s mission, engage the community, and maintain the working relationship with the District of Kitimat government, and financial sustainability for the Museum. Be strategic, transparent, and approachable, and keep the community and funders informed.
The Executive Director is the day-to-day face for facility operations and will foster a supportive, creative environment. They will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of Museum operations, including policy design and implementation, strategic planning, financial management, fundraising, community outreach, and program and collections development.
This position offers an exciting and challenging opportunity to lead a vibrant cultural institution and make a meaningful impact on the area’s communities.
The Executive Director will:
- Serve the populations of Kitimat and Kitamaat Village with access to arts, heritage, and culture, and fulfill the constitution, mission, and mandate of the Kitimat Museum & Archives. Be relevant. Regularly assess if the Museum is meeting community needs.
- Hire and manage staff in all areas of Museum operations. Maintain a creative, positive work environment, providing leadership and mentorship to the Museum team. Includes recruitment, training, performance management, professional development, and succession planning. Foster values of diversity, equity, cultural safety, and inclusion.
- Provide direction for strategic collections development and maintenance. Increase access to the Haisla Heritage Collection through display and digital means. Honour the details of the Haisla Photographic Image Collection Memorandum of Understanding.
- Oversee the development, planning, preparation, installation, marketing, maintenance and striking of the Museum's annual temporary exhibitions.
- Develop and maintain the Museum’s permanent exhibitions.
- Oversee the development and delivery of the Museum’s annual suite of children's programs.
- Advise staff on the promotion of the Museum through the media and publications.
- Work closely with the Museum Board of Directors on strategic direction, transparency, policy, and financial sustainability. Report bimonthly on day-to-day operations and services.
- Maintain a positive working relationship and collaboration with the District of Kitimat and Haisla Nation Councils and Staff. Maintain access to District funding, purchasing, public works, and payroll.
- Work with the Museum Board to advance funding provided by the municipal government, taking into consideration special projects, inflation, and wage increases. Prepare annual budgets for Board presentation to the District of Kitimat Council. Manage budgets and report bimonthly to the Board.
- Implement the Museum’s Feasibility Study for the creation of a Haisla/Kitimat shared museum facility, working with the Board to develop a Planning Committee.
- Support and coordinate the activities of the Planning Committee when in place.
- Write grants for projects and programming and/or funding requests to corporate entities, and the provincial and federal governments.
- Create strategic plans with the Museum Board. The current strategic plan identifies the need for a shared facility for the Haisla and Kitimat communities.
- Fulfill annual budget plans with staff coordinating the delivery of the programming, exhibition schedule, and research services. Provide oversight and direction.
- Maintain working relationships and partnerships with community organizations.
- Provide project, administrative, and meeting support for the Kitimat Heritage Group.
- Maintain legal and regulatory requirements and risk management practices including insurance to safeguard the organization.
The Individual will have:
- An arts degree supplemented with museum studies and other certificates including management and financial programs.
- A minimum of 3 to 5 years’ leadership in a museum, with knowledge of best practices and trends, and success in fundraising, financial management, and strategic planning.
- A genuine passion for museums, history, arts, and culture in society, and a commitment to promote all.
- Experience in building meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities and organizations.
- Strong financial knowledge and experience managing budgets.
- Strong team leadership and management skills with the ability to address and resolve conflicts with sound judgment.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to create and deliver presentations, reports and policies and assist as needed with exhibition production and tours.
How to Apply:
Submit a resumé with covering letter outlining qualifications and relevant experience to board@kitimatmuseum.ca. Applications will be reviewed by October 18 but will be accepted until the position is filled. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
The Kitimat Museum & Archives is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural safety. It is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified candidates.