Executive Director, Museum of Worcester

Museum of Worcester Seeks an Executive Director

About the Museum of Worcester

Founded in 1875, the Museum of Worcester (MoW) is a uniquely rooted institution in Worcester, MA, where it is deeply tied to the city’s identity and historical narrative. As the only organization solely dedicated to collecting, preserving, interpreting, and sharing Worcester’s history, MoW plays a vital role in helping residents understand, celebrate, and reflect on their collective heritage.

MoW is widely regarded as one of New England’s leading local history museums and is currently celebrating its 150th anniversary. The museum’s rich resources include a research library of over 7,000 titles, an extensive archive of historic documents, and a collection of artifacts central to the study of Worcester's past. MoW also owns and operates Salisbury Mansion, the only historic house museum in the city, providing an immersive experience in 19th-century life.

Guided by a professional staff of approximately 14 and a dedicated Board of 26, MoW operates with an annual budget of $1.8 million. After an extraordinary 50-year tenure, well-known Executive Director William Wallace will retire in December 2025, opening a new chapter for the institution.

At the heart of MoW’s mission is a commitment to celebrating and preserving the diverse heritage of the Worcester region. Through engaging exhibits, interactive programs, and vibrant local events, the museum invites people of all backgrounds to explore and share their own stories. MoW prides itself on being a “people’s museum”—telling stories generated by the community and using history as a platform to reflect on the present.

MoW is especially recognized for its deep community engagement, including meaningful outreach to the LGBTQ+, Latino, Armenian, and African American communities, among others. The museum’s exhibitions are often participatory and community-driven, amplifying the lived experiences of Worcester residents and reinforcing its commitment to inclusion and belonging for all.

The Opportunity

The Executive Director will have the opportunity to sustain and grow a well-established, highly credible organization into its next phase of development. Growth at MoW includes modernizing operations, centering inclusion, elevating visibility, strengthening staff alignment, and building a sustainable future. With strategic leadership, renewed investment, and community partnerships, MoW can evolve into an even more impactful civic and cultural force. Priorities for the Executive Director include:

• Leveraging MoW’s successful programming, explore new, innovative, and engaging ways to make Worcester’s rich, diverse history come alive in the community, and in partnership with educational institutions and other nonprofits.
• Assessing, leading, supporting, and growing a team of motivated and mission-driven professionals.
• Securing and growing philanthropic funding and individual donations while also building a sustainable stewardship plan.
• Reimagining, improving and expanding MoW’s physical spaces to meet the needs of patrons and to attract new museum goers to a welcoming and sustainable environment.
• Increasing operational efficiencies, modernizing the collections management, and innovating toward a digitally accessible inventory.

Profile of the Ideal Candidate

The next Executive Director of MoW will be a seasoned nonprofit organizational leader with a passion and excitement for history. While we recognize that candidates will not possess all of the following qualities, ideal applicants will exemplify a number of these attributes, skills, and experiences and will have the capability to lead an organization of MoW’s size and scope. The expectation is that the Executive Director will work from the museum office in Worcester, MA.

Skills and Qualities:

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following abilities and qualities:

• a strategic thinker experienced with organizational growth, operations management, with financial acumen in budgeting, grant reporting, and financial oversight
• a collaborative and supportive teambuilder who values communication, a mutually supportive work environment, and can solve problems with clarity and transparency
• an innovative fundraiser who engages creatively with the community and institutional funders to leverage financial support
• a natural relationship builder with an ability to facilitate mutually beneficial collaborations across the various communities, organizations and partners that MoW engages
• an innovative leader who is passionate about history and can think strategically about the role MoW can play in bringing diverse communities together
• a compelling public speaker who is skilled with weaving stories, bringing history to life, and inspiring connection
• a leader who understands the challenges and opportunities of the city of Worcester and brings experience in utilizing history to engage communities and people

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position with a salary range of $130,000 - $150,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications.

The Museum of Worcester offers the following benefits package:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance coverage
• Short-term Disability (STD) & Life Insurance
• Paid Family & Medical, Military, Parental, Bereavement and Personal Leave of Absences
• 15 days of PTO per year for the first 2 years, which increases thereafter
• 11 paid Holidays
• 403(b) Tax Deferred Retirement Plan
• Flexible Spending Account - Health Care and Dependent Care

MoW is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Application Process

Candidates must include a resume and a cover letter, both in PDF format, which describe how your qualifications and experience match the needs and mission of the MoW. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. A background check will be required for finalists. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Upload required documents to: https://eostransitions.applicantpool.com/jobs/.

This executive search is being conducted by Eos Transition Partners consultants, Nancy Jackson and Hez Norton. All submissions will be acknowledged and are confidential, and any questions can be submitted to Nancy Jackson (njackson@eostransitions.com) or Hez Norton (hnorton@eostransitions.com).