Executive Director
Fruitlands Museum
Harvard, Massachusetts


"To inspire and educate through the heritage, nature, and art of New England."
~ Fruitlands Museum mission

THE SEARCH

Fruitlands Museum, one of the jewels of New England’s artistic, natural, and cultural heritage, seeks a seasoned leader and entrepreneur to execute an ambitious plan for growth and preservation of its storied grounds and collections, bringing the institution to new levels of excellence and impact. Since its founding in 1914, Fruitlands has built an enduring legacy that celebrates New England’s rich history. Home to three renowned galleries of Native American, Shaker, and American art, visitors enjoy spectacular views and grounds that include nature trails and the site of the original Transcendentalist utopian experiment led by Bronson Alcott and Charles Lane. In recent years, Fruitlands has grown to serve as a place to educate the public about nineteenth century utopian ideas and how these ideas influence culture in the present. As it enters its 98th year, Fruitlands Museum serves this mission more fully than ever through educational and outreach programs that serve thousands of adults, students, and families each year, and looks forward to a new era of strategic growth.

The Executive Director will report directly to an engaged Board of Trustees, and will have responsibility for the overall management and financial operation of the organization, as well as the strategic leadership and stewardship of its tremendous assets, from the distinguished collections to the 210 acres of historic land, all of incalculable value to the region and the nation. The new Executive Director will bring the vision and entrepreneurial savvy to build on recent momentum in the realm of public outreach, education, and events, with an eye toward engaging new audiences and raising the profile of the Museum as a premier destination and resource in Massachusetts.

The ideal candidate will be a visionary leader who can develop and advance a plan to usher in a new era of growth at the Museum. S/he will have an open and collegial style paired with superior verbal and written communication skills that include the sensitivity and sophistication to represent the Museum effectively to diverse constituencies including: trustees, individual, corporate and other donors, and visiting families, scholars, collectors and other key stakeholders. A passion for historic preservation, fine arts and material culture, and an appreciation for the role of museums in bringing natural, artistic and cultural history alive for diverse audiences is critical, particularly insofar as they translate to an ability to diversify revenue streams and implement creative, entrepreneurial, and spirited strategies for resource development. The new Executive Director will be supported by an exceptionally skilled board and staff who seek a leader with a positive “can-do” spirit and a profound respect for the Museum’s distinguished history and legacy.

This search is being conducted by President and CEO Laura Gassner Otting and Associate Vice President Allison Kupfer Poteet of Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group. Instructions for application can be found at the end of this document.

HISTORY AND MISSION

In 1914, Clara Endicott Sears’s dream of preserving part of New England’s rich cultural history became a reality. Sears, a wealthy Bostonian, purchased a farm that was once the site of Bronson Alcott’s utopian experiment, known as Fruitlands. She maintained a summer estate and “gentleman’s farm” here along with the museum complex until her death in 1960.

The property has a rich history and has been host to some of the most famous Americans in history. Thoreau walked Prospect Hill and admired its view. Emerson visited Alcott here, and Louisa May (then 10), would relate her experiences here in Little Women. When Miss Sears looked out over the landscape at Fruitlands decades after Thoreau, she imagined the Nashua River valley and recalled the past people who contemplated that same vista in the past. Sears believed that our common experiences link us together across time.

Over the decades, the museum has grown to include Native American art and artifacts, a Shaker collection, as well as a gallery of American vernacular portraits and Hudson River School landscapes. Today, in addition to the buildings and collections, visitors can stroll along the nature trails, enjoy spectacular views of the central Massachusetts landscape, browse the Museum Store, savor delicious lunch at the Café at Fruitlands Museum, and participate in a diverse schedule of special events, outdoor concerts, and lectures. An excellent location for distinctive weddings, gatherings, corporate social functions and retreats, Fruitlands is also now a premier rental facility in the area.

Miss Sears’s vision for Fruitlands was for it to be a museum of inspiration—to serve as a place to educate the public about nineteenth century utopian ideas and how these ideas influence culture in the present. The Museum community is committed to stewarding these collections, artifacts, buildings and grounds, protecting and preserving them for future generations. In keeping with this vision, Fruitlands today strives to be the premier accredited small museum of New England arts and culture, as evidenced by increasing visitation and membership. The quintessential New England gathering place, known for its focused programs and dynamic exhibits, Fruitlands will continue to educate and inspire visitors for many years.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Executive Director will inherit a highly engaged and committed Board of Trustees, a talented staff, and a storied institutional legacy. Looking toward its next phase of growth, the Museum seeks a leader who will bring talent, energy and vision to resource development. S/he will nurture existing relationships while cultivating new alliances and sources of revenue that will enhance the Museum’s stability, maintain and improve its facilities, preserve artifacts and collections, raise the institution’s profile and help fulfill its mission more completely. The new Executive Director will also be an engaging, inclusive leader and manager who exemplifies the Museums core values of transparency, integrity, accountability, respect, and service to others. While a professional or educational background in museum studies or arts and culture is not required, a broad understanding and demonstrated passion for the mission of museums, and the unique assets of the Fruitlands Museum in particular, is essential.

• Move the institution to a new level of excellence and impact during challenging economic times, in which many cultural institutions are necessarily reshaping the way they engage with the public and appeal to new demographics.
  Fruitlands seeks leadership that can guide the institution through strategic growth, in concert with its mission, which will drive increased membership and visitation beyond the local and regional area. This includes broadening the age and gender profile of visitors, and can be achieved through an expansion of the collection (both in terms of size and quality) as well as innovative use of our outdoor space to drive attendance. Key priorities will be to craft a plan to increase revenues to supplement the Sears Trust through grants and donations, to be cultivated and led by the Executive Director.

• Build on the Museum’s quality brand and leverage its unique assets to raise Fruitlands’ profile throughout the state and region, grow visitation, membership and donor support.
  S/he will identify areas of untapped potential and reach out strategically to connect with new individuals and networks, partner institutions, philanthropies, collectors and enthusiasts to broaden and deepen the Museum’s funding base. Specifically, s/he will spearhead initiatives that will result in greater attendance across the demographic spectrum and cultivate new individual and institutional donor relationships.

• Cultivate a collaborative, transparent culture within the organization that values respect, commitment and accountability for all community members.
  S/he will embody a culture of hospitality and guest-centeredness that is a core value for the Museum. The Executive Director will have a record of leadership that demonstrates a value of rigor, detail, respect, fairness and excellence in all activities.

• Bring a humble but critical eye to stewardship of the vast, diverse resources of the Museum and its grounds.
  In concert with the Board, the Executive Director is charged with planning for the systematic improvement and preservation of the Museum’s land, buildings, artifacts, and collections, with profound understanding of the inherent responsibility to future generations and the legacy of the founder. S/he will develop and continually refine and prioritize plans for capital improvements, enhancements, regular and special maintenance of all Museum assets with an eye toward making the site accessible, navigable and welcoming to all visitors.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

While no one person will embody all of the qualities enumerated below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes and experiences:

• Skill as a communicator, listener, and facilitator of collaborative work and planning. Ability to speak effectively and to communicate equally well with high-level friends and donors as well as visitors, neighbors, collectors and other stakeholders; experience engaging with a Board of Trustees and leveraging staff and Board time wisely;

• High levels of capacity and skill with regard to fundraising and strategic resource development, and experience engaging diverse audiences, including individuals, foundations and corporations, using a variety of approaches including planned giving and bequests, multi-year commitments, in-kind, giving circles, and sponsorships;

• Impeccable integrity, honesty and a reputation for a consultative approach. A natural inclination toward open, transparent communication and leadership. Respect for the Museum’s history and an inclusive vision for its future;

• Strong fiscal literacy and ability to track revenues and cost structures for periodic reporting and compliance;

• Aptitude and savvy for marketing, web design, event planning, branding and communications is desirable;

• A bachelor’s degree is required and graduate degree is preferred; and

• Flexibility of persona; ability to zoom in on details when necessary in the context of macro-level priorities; patience, directness, and a sense of humor.

APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS

More information about the Fruitlands Museum may be found at: http://www.fruitlands.org

Due to the pace of this search, candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, but no later than March 1, 2012.

Applications including a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, your resume (in Word format), salary history and where you learned of the position should be sent to: FM-ED@NonprofitProfessionals.com. In order to expedite the internal sorting and reviewing process, please type your name (Last, First) as the only contents in the subject line of your e-mail.

The Fruitlands Museum is an equal opportunity employer.

(01/17/2012)