Community Museum Facility Manager - City of Gaithersburg : Job Details

This position is being re-opened to widen the candidate pool. Previous applicants need not reapply.The City of Gaithersburg Department of Parks, Recreation & Culture is seeking an experienced museum professional to plan, direct, manage, and coordinate the administrative and operational functions of the City's historic and astronomy-based sites which include the Latitude Observatory Park Historic Site and the Gaithersburg Community Museum and History Parks, located in the B&O Rail complex in Olde Towne. The Museum fosters a connection to place by sharing the cultural history of Gaithersburg through objects and images, and its indoor/outdoor interpretive spaces provide hands-on learning centers for children that spark the imagination and exhibits that explore Gaithersburg's rich history.The successful candidate will be diplomatic and professional;have excellent writing, human, and financial management skills; and have a strong commitment to community engagement. Good judgment and common sense are essential.Preference will be given to candidates with education and/or experience in Museum Studies, public/U.S./Maryland history, world heritage, science, and/or astronomy. The preferred candidate will have the vision and initiative to lead the transformation of the Community Museum into a history learning center, appropriate for all ages, including reimagining the facility, ensuring all spaces (including exhibit and storage space) are being utilized efficiently, and creating permanent and rotating exhibits and learning areas.Starting salary for this position is negotiable within the target hiring range ($77,000 - $87,000) and will be offered at a level consistent with the relevant experience and qualifications of the candidate. We provide comprehensive insurance benefits (medical, dental, vision, long-term care, life), paid time off, generous retirement contributions, health and wellness programs, tools to assist with paying down student loan debt and managing student loans, training and professional growth opportunities, and excellent work/life balance. What you will do with us:

• Plan, organize, supervise, and manage daily administrative and operational functions related to the Museum facilities and services, including all activities, programs, events, rentals, and resources/collections.
• Maintain a welcoming atmosphere, create and build new and impactful programs and activities that embrace the diversity of the community,and bring a fresh perspective to service delivery.
• Develop, recommend, and implement creative marketing strategies designed to maintain and enhance visitation; work with appropriate staff to explore and identify grant and sponsorship opportunities.
• Formulate and organize plans and schedules to accommodate seasonal and year-round activities.
• Recruit, hire, supervise, coach, mentor, and evaluate facility staff.
• Monitor and evaluate operational efficiency and effectiveness of the Community Museum including customer focus and service delivery methods and procedures; set goals and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Manage and serve as the main point of contact and advocate for the Gaithersburg History Project (GHP); provide quarterly updates to leadership; oversee and supervise related contractors, researchers, and staff.
• Participate in preparation of and administer facility budget.
• Analyze competition, market trends, community needs, and customer feedback to continually assess the Museum's productivity against the budget, plan, and market.
• Act as the Division's liaison to the community in relation to historical/cultural, railway, and astronomy initiatives.
• Oversee contracts related to the facility; ensure contractors stay on track and provide deliverable and are paid in a timely manner.
• Oversee part-time collections manager and create a collections policy appropriate for the Museum; ensure items are included in Past Perfect and make recommendations accessioning and deaccessioning museum acquisitions and items.
• Participate in preparation of and administer facility budget.
• Analyze competition, market trends, community needs, and customer feedback to continually assess the Museum's productivity against the budget, plan, and market.
• Maintain and keep inventory of equipment and supplies, arrange for loading and delivering equipment and supplies, and set up equipment related to activities and events at the park.
• Purchase stock for resale in the Community Museum Shop, staying on top of inventory and tracking high and low selling items.
• Provide outstanding service, pursue continuous improvement, and exceed expectations.

Key job responsibilities are highlighted above; please click here to view the classification description for the Community Facility Manager position (Grade 109 in the City's FY 2026 Schedule of Salary Ranges). The classification description indicates the full salary range established for a position in this grade. What you will need to be considered:

• Relevant Bachelor's degree; preferably in museum studies, history, recreation, or related field.
• At least 5 years of experience in museum/arts/recreation related facility management/supervision, programming, or services, including at least two years in a responsible supervisory capacity.
• A successful track record in developing innovative and creative approaches to learning, history, space, and recreation programming and services and in evaluating and promoting recreational opportunities.
• Previous experience working in a museum, gallery, or cultural institution.
• Strong customer service focus.
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership, organizational, problem-solving, and written, verbal, and digital communication skills and a demonstrated ability to effectively foster relationships and collaborate with multiple key partners and internal and external stakeholders.
• An understanding of the needs of an ethnically and economically diverse community.
• Experience in strategic planning as well as budget preparation and administration.
• Solid technology skills (Microsoft Office, specialized software for registrations and scheduling, social media).
• A valid driver's license.
• CPR/AED and First Aid certification (may be obtained through the City upon hire).
• Or any acceptable equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to satisfactorily perform job duties.

Interested applicants must submit the following to be considered:

• A complete online application
• Current Resume (attached to the online application)
• Letter of interest (attached to the online application)

Your cover letter should highlight why you are interested in the position, and your resume and letter should discuss past relevant experience and convey how that experience, in addition to your other special skills and abilities, make you uniquely qualified to serve in this position.Review of applications will begin immediately, so prompt application is strongly encouraged. The position will remain open until filled; recruitment will close without notice when a sufficient number of qualified applications are received or all hiring decisions have been made.This is a full-time salaried exempt position requiring a minimum of 40 hours per week (not eligible for overtime compensation under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the City's personnel regulations). The position may require working evening and weekend hours to meet facility and/or program needs,Direct deposit of paychecks is a condition of employment for all City of Gaithersburg employees.The successful candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation. The City has established an alcohol-free, drug-free, and smoke-free workplace which applies to any person employed by, conducting business with, or applying for a position with the City. Each employee, as a condition of their employment, may be required to participate in pre-employment and reasonable suspicion testing. Employees classified as safety sensitive are also subject to immediate post accident and random testing.For more information about the position, please contact Cultural Events & Services Division Chief Jason DeMarchi at [email protected] or 240.###.####. Questions regarding the online application process may be directed to the Department of Human Resources [email protected] or 301.###.####.This recruitment will establish an eligibility list which will be used to fill the current vacancy and may be used to fill other openings in this classification which occur in the next 12 months.#J-18808-Ljbffr