Vice President Of Programs And Chief Curator

Vice President of Programsand Chief CuratorWashington, DCSearch conducted by Development Resources, inc. www.driconsulting.com

The Only Comprehensive Museum Dedicated to Women’s HistoryFor the last 25 years, the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) has served as the largest online culturalinstitution dedicated to U.S. women’s history. As an institution, it has focused on sharing the powerful history ofwomen in America.The Museum spent much of its early years lobbying, creating the Commission to study the feasibility of a nationalwomen's history museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and drafting the bill submitted to Congress andthe Senate to fund a women’s history museum. The bill passed in December, as part of the COVID relief/omnibusappropriations package, however there was not funding appropriation. While a museum for women’s history willeventually be built as part of the Smithsonian, NWHM remains dedicated to continuing to provide compelling storiesof women’s achievements nationally and globally.NWHM is an independent museum that provides an extensive amount of online material and resources foreducators, learners of all ages, and general audiences, including biographies, virtual exhibitions, K-12 lesson plans,etc. In addition, the museum offers a robust selection of virtual programs, and will resume in-person programmingwhen it is safe to do so.The Museum is now entering an exciting next chapter: its home in a physical space in the center of D.C. in a multiyear residency beginning in January 2022.A Mission That MattersNWHM operates under a core set of values, executing its mission to educate, inspire, empower, and shape the futurein the following ways: Understanding and sharing our nation’s history in a more inclusive, complete, and accurate way.Uncovering and celebrating women’s diverse contributions to society, bringing countless untold stories to life.Engaging, inspiring, and empowering a diverse and growing audience across the country and around the world.Since its founding in 1996, the NWHM has stepped forward into a role of leadership as the most recognizedinstitution in the country dedicated to uncovering, interpreting, and celebrating women’s diverse contributions tosociety.The Museum’s WorkDigital History Experiences –Bringing women’s history tolife through accessible, highquality, and innovative onlinecontentEducator and StudentSupport – Providingresources to help schoolsmake women’s history ameaningful, memorable partof the curriculumPublic Programming – Offeringa growing array of virtual andlive lectures, events, andexhibits, bringing women’shistory to a diverse andexpansive general audience.Search conducted by Development Resources, inc. www.driconsulting.com2

Recent AchievementsCommemorating the Centennial of the 19th AmendmentNWHM marked this milestone anniversary of women’s suffrage with “Determined to Rise,” a national travelinglecture and discussion series exploring the long journey of activism that led to the vote from many perspectives. Tobring the series to a close, the Museum will publish an anthology of related essays in late 2021.Responding to the Challenge of COVID-19Faced with overwhelming requests for content from educators, parents, and others forced to stay at home by thepandemic, the Museum responded resourcefully with NWHM@Home, a specially curated set of resources andprograms for educators, students, and the general public. NWHM also launched Women Writing History: ACoronavirus Journaling Project, an ambitious real-time history initiative capturing the experiences of women duringthe pandemic in their own words and images.The Next Priority: Creating a Physical Presence in D.C.NWHM is advancing plans for a milestone achievement: their first on-site, in-person space for exhibitions andprograms. Planned for a centrally located space in Washington, D.C., the Museum will partner with the MartinLuther King Jr. Memorial Library to create exhibitions and programs exploring inclusivity and activism. Theinaugural exhibition, planned for September 2022, will welcome visitors into an innovative encounter withwomen’s history. A national traveling program will bring the exhibitions supplemented with local history from eachvenue to a series of locations nationwide. This is a groundbreaking opportunity to deliver on the Museum’s missionwith new impact and build awareness for its work.Search conducted by Development Resources, inc. www.driconsulting.com3

The OpportunityThe National Women’s History Museum seeks aVice President of Programs and Chief Curator, anew role for the Museum, that will work withleadership to lead the organization’s vision andpoint of view over the next 10 years. As the firstpermanent Curator for the Museum, the VicePresident will shape the long-term plan and, in turn,the direction of the robust virtual programmingcreated by the Director of Education. As theInstitution expands, the Vice President will have theopportunity to work with the President to develop arobust curatorial department. Specificresponsibilities include:EXHIBITION PROGRAM Conceptualize and produce exhibit programsand their national components, aligning themwith and leading the virtual exhibits. Conceive of and develop a virtual and physicalpublishing plan for the Museum to follow overthe short- and long-term. Create partnerships with other institutions,working with them to share exhibitions andprograms as applicable; in particular, work withother senior leaders in determining the evolvingrelationship between the NWHM and theupcoming Smithsonian Women’s HistoryMuseum. Create large-scale, thematic, multi-disciplinaryexhibits that successfully engage audiences throughcompelling storytelling and creative displays.COLLECTIONS The Museum currently has a small permanentcollection and a library. It will be under the purviewof the VP to suggest the future of collecting for theinstitution. Innovative ideas of collections sharingand other strategies will be welcome. Manage collections by recording and catalogingartwork and items in the collection; researchobjects and determine their use for display andresearch; and create labels and interpretivematerials for the items displayed. Ensure all items collected reflect the mission,values, and overall storytelling perspective of theNWHM.MANAGEMENT Actively participate in the fundraising process,ensuring the Museum is fully funded to supportadditional curatorial positions, exhibition programs,and the Museum’s outreach initiatives. Develop an internship and fellowship program forexhibitions and publications.Search conducted by Development Resources, inc. www.driconsulting.com4

The CandidateThe National Women’s History Museum seeks a visionaryVice President and Chief Curator with a passion for theMuseum’s mission and the role women have played in thehistory of the United States. The Vice President will be eagerto shape the institution’s first women’s history exhibitionprogram and will have direct knowledge of exhibitionplanning and production, to include creating stimulatingexhibits that actively engage the audience throughstorytelling. This individual will be a networked expert in thefield of women’s history and will serve as a keyrepresentative of the Museum to external audiences.Qualifications include:Background At least 10 years of experience working in a museum andcuratorial environment, with a demonstrated knowledgeof all aspects of exhibition, design, production, andpromotion. Excellent oral and written communications skills, withthe ability to convey complex ideas and themes thatwill be easily understood by Museum visitors and thegeneral public. Genuine curiosity in the curatorial field is required,with a natural interest in discovering new ideas in thevirtual and exhibition arena while thinkinginnovatively regarding the Museum’s collection. Well-versed in how to identify and attract diverseaudiences and grow audiences through publicengagement and creative outreach. Must possess an entrepreneurial nature and be willingto take risks in order to advance the Museum’smission. Ability to select objects of art and other items to bedisplayed in the Museum’s exhibition space that willbring history to life. Master’s degree in Women’s Studies and/or GenderStudies or related field is required; Ph.D. in these orrelated fields is preferred. Ability to create a network to borrow objects and/ordetermining what items should be acquired and howthey fit into the overall mission and vision of theMuseum.Knowledge and Skills Ability to organize, present, and communicatemessages effectively through design. Ability to make a compelling narrative out of subjects inwomen’s history – enlivening the storytelling throughobjects, art, artifacts, and technology. Knowledge of the role fundraising plays in advancingcultural projects. Strong leadership skills, with the ability to createcohesive, collaborative teams that work in tandem toaccomplish organizational goals. Sophistication in creating relationships and rapport with awide variety of constituents; able and willing to workwith stakeholders that hold different aspirations aboutthe ultimate direction of the Museum. Knowledge of the latest interpretation techniques,including artificial intelligence, virtual reality, etc. A demonstrated commitment to values of diversity,equity, and inclusion and employing these values tocreate a more inclusive, accurate, and representativetelling of women’s history.Search conducted by Development Resources, inc. www.driconsulting.com5

Questions, résumés, and CVs should be sentto NWHM@driconsulting.comAll first-round interviews for this position will take place via telephone/video conference.DRi is an executive search and development consulting firm that recruits senior leaders and works with them tobuild talented teams, create bold strategic plans, and design powerful fundraising programs.The National Women’s History Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is seeking a diverse slate ofcandidates for formal consideration.Search conducted by Development Resources, inc. www.driconsulting.com6

Vice President of Programs and Chief Curator, a new role for the Museum, that will work with leadership to lead the organization’s vision and point of view over the next 10 years. As the first permanent Curator for the Museum, the Vice President will shape the long-term plan and, in turn, the direction of the robust virtual programming