Executive Director, The Congregational Library and Archives, Boston, MA
Posted June 5, 2019
The Congregational Library and Archives, a special library of books, manuscripts, and electronic resources in Boston, Massachusetts, is seeking a new Executive Director. The Library (CL&A) preserves materials
relating to and advancing the study and deeper understanding of the Congregational story, a crucial religious influence on America’s intellectual, civic, and cultural traditions.
The CL&A is poised to enter an exciting new phase of its development as a resource in American and global
history. We believe that with the right visionary and entrepreneurial Executive Director, the CL&A can
become the catalyst for profoundly important scholarship and discourse. For example, can the CL&A help
lead the conversation about how to vitalize our Congregational denominations? Can it show how our history
can play a meaningful role in reigniting civic discourse in our country? Working with the Board, the new
Executive Director will lead the CL&A into its future. To learn more about the organization and this position, please visit www.congregationallibrary.org, www.facebook.com/CongreLib, and The
Beacon Street Diary blog.
Responsibilities include:
Organizational identity and vision
- With the Board, create a vision of the future for CL&A;
- With the Board, create and drive the strategic plan;
- Build support for the mission among important constituent groups and attract new ones;
- Promote and represent the history of American Congregationalism in a way that will stimulate both broad interest and serious academic study.
Fundraising and development
- With the assistance of the Board, prioritize fundraising;
- Develop and implement strategies for donor relationship building and solicitation;
- Cultivate new and existing donors, sharing a new and dynamic vision of CL&A’s mission and future;
- Oversee grant solicitation as well as the research and writing of grant applications.
- Executive leadership and management
- Oversee the Library Director and all Library operations;
- Oversee the hiring, goal setting, directing, review, and termination for all CL&A personnel;
- Work with Board leaders to recruit new Board members;
- Make all final decisions on Library collection development.
Program development and implementation
- Increase the use of the library;
- Oversee the strategic vision for the website’s organization and content;
- Oversee editorial development of the Bulletin and other regularly published materials;
- Plan and support Library events and host visiting groups;
- With the Library Director, oversee the Project Director’s work on New England’s Hidden Histories and attract new research endeavors;
- Direct the creation of promotional materials.
Financial management
- Work with the Board’s Finance Committee on financial planning and to set investment goals and policies;
- Monitor external investment managers, auditors, risk management professionals, and other contractors;
- Develop and implement the annual budget and monitor ongoing expenses and income.
Qualifications Desired:
- Demonstrated passion for the mission of CL&A;
- Advanced degree and experience in a highly relevant field, e.g., library and information science; museum studies; American history; church history; the humanities; and/or nonprofit management;
- History of building and maintaining a cohesive team and providing strategic direction;
- Inspiring leadership and strategic thinking;
- Record of building partnerships;
- Ability to persuade, negotiate, achieve consensus, and build collegial relationships with stakeholders;
- Significant experience with board development, fundraising, and marketing/branding;
- Well-developed written, verbal, and presentation skills;
- Financial savvy and solid general management skills;
- Comfort in working with faith communities.
To apply in confidence: Please send resume and cover letter to Susan Egmont, Egmont Associates, at
[email protected].