Executive Director

Maritime Gloucester is a nonprofit maritime museum, education center, and working waterfront campus located on Gloucester Harbor in America’s oldest seaport. The organization brings together maritime heritage, marine science, hands-on education, and public engagement on a living waterfront that includes museum galleries, a public aquarium, historic vessels, classrooms, and active marine infrastructure.

Maritime Gloucester has a portfolio of successful educational and community programs, including those serving students from Grade 3 through High School. We are home to Gig Rowers and the Schooner Adventure, and partner with Maritime Heritage Charters. We host the annual Gloucester Schooner Festival.

As we begin our second quarter century, Maritime Gloucester has launched a Strategic Direction Process — a focused period of reflection, analysis, and engagement to clarify where we are today and where we should focus in the years ahead. We are defining our distinctive purpose, testing our mission against our current work, and identifying the few areas where Maritime Gloucester can make the greatest difference.

Concurrently, under the leadership of our Interim Executive Director, we are working to strengthen our operational and staffing model and financial foundation and to address campus infrastructure needs.

Our next Executive Director will inherit a work in progress, with some important concrete steps taken, but much work to be done to help Maritime Gloucester achieve its full potential, deepen its impact, and become a model for what a modern maritime museum can be.

Position Summary

The Executive Director (ED) serves as the chief executive officer of Maritime Gloucester and is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic direction, financial health, and operational excellence of the organization. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED leads a small, dedicated staff and works closely with the board, donors, volunteers, partners, and the broader community.

This role requires a leader who can balance vision with execution, community engagement with financial discipline, and maritime heritage with marine science education. The ED must be comfortable making difficult decisions, setting clear priorities, and building alignment, while also being a visible ambassador and trusted partner within the Gloucester and Cape Ann community.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for Maritime Gloucester, articulating a clear vision that integrates maritime heritage, marine science, education, and public engagement.
• Lead strategic planning in partnership with the Board and staff, translating priorities into executable plans and ensuring organizational alignment and accountability.
• Serve as the organization’s chief fundraiser by cultivating major donors, foundations, sponsors, and public funding sources, and by enabling effective fundraising across staff and board.
• Ensure the long-term financial health of the organization through disciplined budgeting, cash-flow oversight, internal controls, and transparent financial reporting.
• Ensure Maritime Gloucester’s full compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including nonprofit governance requirements, tax filings, financial reporting, employment law, and regulatory compliance.
• Oversee the quality, balance, and sustainability of all programs, exhibits, and educational offerings, evaluating them based on mission impact, capacity, and financial viability.
• Recruit, support, and retain a high-performing, mission-aligned staff team, ensuring clear roles, strong communication, and a collaborative, respectful workplace culture.
• Oversee day-to-day operations of the campus, including facilities, safety, systems, vendors, and technology, to support effective staff work and a high-quality visitor experience.
• Serve as the primary public representative of Maritime Gloucester, strengthening its visibility, reputation, and relationships within the Gloucester and Cape Ann community and beyond.
• Build and manage strategic partnerships with schools, cultural organizations, tourism partners, and peer institutions in ways that advance the mission without diluting focus or overextending resources.
• Work in close partnership with the Board of Directors, supporting effective governance, informed decision-making, and clear role boundaries between board and staff.

Qualifications

Required

• Demonstrated senior leadership experience in a nonprofit, museum, education, or mission-driven organization.
• Strong fundraising experience, including donor cultivation, grant funding, and revenue diversification.
• Proven financial acumen, including budgeting, financial oversight, and organizational sustainability.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to inspire and persuade diverse audiences.
• Experience managing and leading staff and volunteers in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
• Passion for Maritime Gloucester’s mission and willingness to learn across disciplines.
• Flexibility to work occasionally on nights and weekends to support events and activities.

Preferred

• Experience leading or working within a museum, science center, or cultural institution.
• Familiarity with maritime heritage, marine science, environmental education, or place-based learning.
• Experience operating a public-facing destination or visitor-centered organization.
• Extensive fundraising experience.
• Strong ties to or experience working in New England communities.

Maritime Gloucester is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Maritime Gloucester is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

Employment is contingent upon the individual’s ability to legally work in the United States and the successful completion of any required background checks, as permitted by law. Employment with Maritime Gloucester is at-will and may be terminated by either the employee or the organization at any time, with or without cause or notice, in accordance with applicable law.

• Competitive salary within a mission-driven nonprofit organization
• Flexible schedule with some ability to adjust hours seasonally
• Paid time off and holidays
• Opportunity to shape the future benefits structure of the organization as it grows

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