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Position Opening:  Director, Cook County (MN) Historical Society, Grand Marais, MN

40 hours/week, $50,000-60,000 Salary

Deadline: November 15th 2024

9/25/2024

The Cook County Historical Society is located in Cook County, Minnesota, a rugged, picturesque landscape on the North Shore of Lake Superior that boasts a population of 5,600, a number that increases seasonally every summer. The purpose of the Historical Society shall be the collection, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge about the history of Cook County and to relate it to the history of the State of Minnesota. To fulfill this mission, CCHS operates the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery (JHP Art Gallery) and four historic sites: the History Museum; St. Francis Xavier “Chippewa City” Church, the Bally Blacksmith Shop, and the1930s fishing tug Nee-Gee. Its collections include artworks, artifacts, photographs, maps, oral histories, newspapers, and archival documents. Each year, approximately 23,000 people visit our sites and participate in our tours, presentations, exhibition openings, demonstrations, and other events. We are looking for a driven, passionate individual to join our team.

Cook County Historical Society Director Description

The Historic Cook County Director reports to the CCHS Board of Directors and oversees a team that includes the Museum and Collections Manager, JHP Art Gallery Manager, the Community Engagement Manager, the JHP Gallery Assistant, and the Facility Caretaker.

CCHS Mission Statement: The purpose of the Cook County Historical Society (CCHS) shall be the collection, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge about the history of Cook County and to relate it to the history of the State of Minnesota.

Primary duties and Responsibilities:

  • Plans, implements, manages, and evaluates the business and daily operations of the Society.

  • Serves as the primary liaison between the Board, staff, volunteers, members, visitors, funders, donors, and the community at large.

  • Supervises two full-time staff (Museum Manager and JHP Gallery Manager) and three part-time staff (Community Engagement Manager, Gallery Assistant, and Facility Caretaker).

  • Leads development efforts including preparation of annual budget requests, grant applications, fundraising, and volunteer and member engagement.

  • Provides oversight for administrative processes, financial transactions, IT systems, and compliance with regulations and best practices.

  • Develop future endeavors, special events, and dynamic programming to be enjoyed by Society audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in anthropology, history, public administration, business, communications, or related field AND/OR at least three (3) years of experience with historic site or museum administration, collections management, or comparable non-profit administration.

  • At least three (3) years of experience with staff supervision, team leadership, and/or project management.

Preferred Skills and Experience

  • Fundraising and budget management.

  • Strong proficiency in interpersonal professional communication.

  • Experience working with volunteers, boards, and diverse communities.

  • Proficiency with QuickBooks, Word Suite Programs including Excel Spreadsheets, and digital databases.

  • Commitment to diversity, equity, access, and inclusion.

To Apply: Please send Letter of Interest, Contact Information for Two Professional References and Resume to Aliya R Marxen at history@boreal.org

Historic Cook County is a 100 year old non-profit organization dedicated to the collection, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge about the history of Cook County, Minnesota. We value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, national origin, citizenship, disability, medical condition, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. 

Cook County occupies traditional, ancestral, and contemporary lands of the Indigenous community. These lands were ceded to the U.S. Government by the Chippewas of Lake Superior in the Treaty of 1854, including the tribal lands of the sovereign nation of the Grand Portage Band of Anishinaabe. The Cook County Historical Society (CCHS) acknowledges the historic and cultural impact of colonial practices. We are committed to creating an accurate and inclusive history of Cook County and all of its inhabitants.