Associate Director

Salary: $55,000 per annum, plus employee benefit of health insurance subsidy available

Organization: Hosanna Community House, Inc. (HCH) is an award-winning non-profit organization responsible for two Freedmen’s Bureau Schools built in 1867 that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Hosanna School Museum and McComas Institute, as well as associated collections. Our mission is to collect, preserve and interpret the history of Harford County, Maryland, through the lens of the African American experience within national contexts.

Role: The Associate Director will be responsible for museum and site operations, and for assisting with the development of public programs, community engagement initiatives, public school relationship building, strategic community partnership building, and other activities that advance the HCH mission and operations of both museums. This is a full-time, salaried position.

Qualifications: Applicants must possess the following experience and skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in History, Sociology, Anthropology, Museum Studies, or similar discipline required. Master’s Degree completed or near completion strongly preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• At least three years of experience in the museum field and one-three years in a leadership position seeking to gain advanced leadership experience
• Research and/or experience areas of focus must be in African American History or Studies and culture
• Have strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills
• Have strong research skills
• Have strong organizational skills
• Have staff supervisory/managerial skills
• Be proficient in the use of Microsoft Word and PowerPoint and have basic familiarity in the use of Excel. Experience in Adobe Creative Suite or Canva are a plus.
• Be familiar with using social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram)

Duties: Reporting directly to the Executive Director, employee will perform the following duties:

• Maintain regular museum hours for the public. Greet and receive museum visitors by phone, in person, and/or by e-mail. Conduct museum tours for groups.
• Train and supervise interns, volunteers, and docents
• Conceptualize, research, plan, organize, and implement educational programs, special projects or initiatives, including exhibits, bus tours, speakers, film screenings, and other in-person and virtual events. Lead the organizational planning and implementation of HCH’s annual signature Upper Bay Juneteenth Festival. Negotiate performance contracts for public programs. Develop methods to evaluate program offerings.

  • These activities will be done in collaboration with the Executive Director and committees and individuals of the HCH Board of Directors.

• Conduct research and assist with the development of exhibits.
  • This will be done in collaboration with the Executive Director, interns, and partners.
• Assist with the development of marketing and public relations materials, including press releases, blogs, and social media

• Assist Executive Director in preparing grant proposals, and in preparing reports to grant funders and the HCH Board of Directors
• Attend local, state, and national meetings as directed and appropriate to represent the museum and stay abreast of the industry
• Become knowledgeable of Harford County resources including area museums, restaurants, and hotels
• Be available for some weekend programming and events
• All other duties as assigned.

Other Employee Benefits: Reporting directly to the HCH Executive Director, Dr. Iris Leigh Barnes, the Associate Director will have substantial opportunity for professional development:

• The selected candidate will be an integral member of the HCH leadership team and afforded a career-elevating opportunity to train under Dr. Barnes, an award-winning historian, educator, and museum professional with more than twenty years of experience.
• The incumbent will manage operations with latitude, but also with support and guidance from Dr. Barnes, who will continue to serve as Executive Director, strategic initiatives developer, content specialist, and operational overseer.
• The selected candidate will gain knowledge, skills, and experience in historic site preservation, restoration, and interpretation; museum education, and especially methods for teaching Reconstruction; exhibit research, development, and design; student and public programming; and more.

Applicant Tip: HCH recognizes that not all strong candidates will meet all qualifications. We welcome applications from emerging museum professionals who meet a majority of qualifications, and who are ready to advance their careers by learning on the job!