Historian

Reports to: Vice President for Planning & Research

Department:  President’s Office

Status:  Full-time - Exempt

About the Central Park Conservancy

Central Park is one of the world's most famous and beloved and historic urban public spaces. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858, the 843-acre Park was the country's first purpose-built public park and is a National Historic Landmark and a New York Scenic Landmark. The Central Park Conservancy, a private, not-for-profit organization, was founded in 1980 to rescue the Park, which had fallen into serious disrepair. Since then, the Conservancy has overseen the investment of approximately $1 billion in the restoration of the Park, and now hosts over 40 million visitors a year.

The Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and celebrate Central Park as a sanctuary from urban life. The City of New York has formally entrusted the care of the Park to the Conservancy which is responsible for every aspect of its care, including landscape maintenance, capital improvements, and the visitor experience. The Conservancy employs roughly 400 people and has an operating budget of $100 million.

Position Summary

History has always played a critical role in the mission and work of the Central Park Conservancy.  The Historian position was first established in 1989 and since then has been key to communicating the history and purpose of the Park, as well as informing the work of restoring and managing it.

The Conservancy now seeks a new Historian who will continue this work.  The Historian will help develop a new plan for interpretation that builds on our existing programs and resources to inspire in the public a deeper understanding of the extraordinary history and value of Central Park and the impact of the Conservancy’s work, and promote new forms of civic engagement.

This work will include an emphasis on accurate information about the Park and its history in order to facilitate interpretation that is content-driven, rooted in the mission of the organization and consistent across all platforms. The Historian is charged with facilitating in the public a deeper understanding of why and how the Park is so valuable and extraordinary—as an urban amenity, a historic landscape, a cultural space, and an ecosystem.

This position is part of the Institutional Planning function within the President’s Office and reports to the Vice President for Planning and Research. Institutional Planning is the starting point for conversations about broader opportunities and challenges that confront the organization and the Park. The function informs long-term, strategic decision-making to ensure deliberations are driven and informed by the purpose of the Park, an understanding of our history and mission, and current priorities.

Position Responsibilities

• Conduct historic research about the park, its use, and its social and cultural context as needed for interpretive projects, strategic initiatives, and other institutional efforts.
• Develop and manage an interpretative plan for the Park’s history. The plan will reflect the Conservancy’s strategic priorities and position it as among the leading cultural institutions of the City.
• Support development of interpretative signage, tours, digital and print content, and other materials and programs.
• Work with outgoing staff to transfer knowledge and codify information, data, or materials that should be preserved for future use.
• Consult with and visit other parks and cultural institutions to investigate their interpretive strategies.
• Provide as-needed support for an upcoming documentary about Central Park.
• Develop partnerships with college programs in history, planning, and landscape architecture to encourage research on Central Park.
• Support development of a UNESCO World Heritage Site application for Central Park.
• Initiate and implement special projects and programming initiatives, including exhibits, research, publications, lectures, and others that support and promote the work of the Conservancy.
• Manage the Conservancy’s major effort to conduct new research on Seneca Village and share its history.
• Build partnerships with other cultural institutions and leaders in the fields of history, preservation, and landscape architecture.
• Perform research with the Associate Director of Institutional Archives & Collections to evaluate the origin, authenticity, heritage, and esthetic, archival and historical value of documents, artifacts and historic sites, and makes recommendations regarding their preservation or disposition.
• Research primary and secondary sources of historical data to verify accuracy of information and to gather information for articles and provide input and feedback on Central Park Conservancy tours and other programs.
• Research and write features, articles, brochures, and books for publication.
• Support the planning and historic research efforts of the organization, providing training, presentations, and other resources to build knowledge about the Park’s history and inform public programming and external communications.
• Develop and conduct special tours and give lectures and presentations as needed.

Position Qualifications

• Ph.D. or MA in history, interpretation, museum studies, or similar field
• 10-12 years of relevant work experience
• Extensive experience conducting scholarly research, including utilizing archives and special collections, libraries, catalogs and databases to locate source material and citation information
• Exceptional writing ability required, with some publications
• Strong organizational skills and experience managing small project teams
• Ability to multi-task and work independently
• Experience with public speaking and media preferred
• Strong computer skills required, including a high level of proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and internet-based research, familiarity with Adobe Creative Suites – or other imaging, publishing, and database applications – preferred

This is an in-person, on-site position.

Salary range:  $112K to $139K (based on level of experience)

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

The Central Park Conservancy’s work is guided by the belief that Central Park, and all public parks, must be managed and actively protected as an inclusive and democratic space for all.

Working closely with our New York City partners, we will always strive towards creating and sustaining a sense of belonging for all visitors and advocating for equitable and accessible public use of the Park.

In service of this belief, we are committed to fostering a workforce and organizational culture that is as diverse as Central Park itself and the dynamic city it serves.

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

Establishment and maintenance of a safe work environment is the shared responsibility of this organization and employees at every level. The Conservancy will make every effort to assure a safe environment and follow federal, state, and local safety regulations. Employees are expected to obey safety rules and to exercise caution in all their work activities. Accordingly, employees should be aware of any hazards which could cause an injury or accident (e.g., spills, obstacles in walkways, etc.). If an employee discovers a potentially dangerous condition, he/she/they should alert other employees and notify his/her/their supervisor immediately.

Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.