CALIFORNIA MUSEUM FOR HISTORY, WOMEN AND THE ARTS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

POSITION DESCRIPTION

THE MUSEUM:

The California Museum is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, historical and cultural institution dedicated to
telling the history of California. It was originally founded by California’s Secretary of State in
1997 as the Golden State Museum. In 2004, then First Lady Maria Shriver, led a bi-partisan
effort to reconstitute the Museum’s mission and purpose to be more comprehensive in the telling
of the State’s rich and diverse history in a way that opens perspectives on the present and future.

Newly named The California Museum, it had a more inclusive mission “to engage, educate and
enlighten people about California’s history and its unique influence on the world of ideas,
innovation, art and culture. Through captivating and active state of the art experiences, the
Museum seeks to inspire men, women and children to dream the California dream and dare to
make their own mark on history.” Out of this broader mission The California Hall of Fame was
created and became the Museum’s signature program, major annual fundraiser and effective
source of public awareness. The Museum is a thriving, living community center focused on
creating a unique, educational and exciting visitor experience.

The Museum receives no direct operating funds from the State. The budget has grown over the
past 6 years from $650,000 to $2,793,000. The Museum is housed in the State Archives Building
of the Secretary of State complex in Sacramento, one block from the State Capitol. The building
has more than 20,000 square feet of exhibit space as well as facilities for lectures, performances,
receptions, and events.

A revitalized and expanded Board of Trustees, which includes the Secretary of State as an ex-
officio member and Honorary Chairs Governor Jerry Brown and First Lady Anne Gust Brown,
oversees the strategic direction of the Museum. A 3-year strategic plan was completed in
October, 2009 that focuses on 5 strategic directions: Learning initiatives, board engagement,
funding, government relations and visibility. The development of strategic partnerships remains
key to the Museum’s fundraising efforts.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Executive Director will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Museum, reporting
directly to the Board of Trustees. The Executive Director provides overall leadership for the
successful operations of the Museum, including fundraising, strategic direction,
public/community relations, program development, administration, marketing, and financial and
human resources management.
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Specific responsibilities include the following:

• Generating revenue through the Hall of Fame, strategic partnerships and corporate and
foundation grants.

• Developing and nurturing relationships with political and community leaders including
Governor and First Lady, Secretary of State and State Archives, California State Parks,
and California Department of Education among others.

• Building an active, engaged and effective board to ensure sustainability, financially and
programmatically.

• Securing vibrant, interactive, innovative and cutting-edge exhibits and programs.

• Providing creative and dynamic leadership and direction to staff and advice to the Board
in order to further develop and implement the overall mission and direction for the
Museum.

• Leading and guiding the organization through the next phase of growth.

• Developing programs that allow the Museum to increase earned income through greater
visitorship, membership, special events, joint ventures, and rentals.

• Developing and implementing comprehensive marketing, communications and public

outreach programs in order to position the Museum as a regional and national destination.

The Executive Director should maintain a high professional profile in the local, regional and
statewide community. He/she will access programmatic opportunities and develop unique,
collaborative vehicles with other organizations, public and private. The Executive Director will,
therefore, be a strategic marketer and relationship builder, one who maximizes connections and
develops the agenda in conversations with agencies, organizations and individuals to increase
opportunities for growth and program development.

TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS:

The Executive Director will be a strong, creative, dynamic, and charismatic leader with a
passionate commitment to the mission and values of the Museum. The successful candidate will
be an imaginative and entrepreneurial leader who will be able to provide strategic direction,
engage stakeholders in the vision, and move the Museum forward in support of its mission.

The ideal candidate will communicate an innovative spirit, combining a vision for what is
possible with the tough-minded calculation required to evaluate and act upon considered risk. It
is not enough to bring intellectual vitality and ideas to the organization; the Executive Director
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should execute well-formulated plans and create an organizational culture that is outcomes-
oriented. The ability to plan, set goals and objectives, organize and follow through is important.
An appetite for fundraising is essential. The successful candidate should have exceptional
organizational, administrative and financial management skills and be able to manage multiple
tasks simultaneously.

The Executive Director must have exceptional standards of professionalism and be a person of
unquestioned integrity.

CAREER PATH LEADING TO THIS POSITION:

The Executive Director should have experience that demonstrates leadership in the management
of complex and dynamic organizations in the process of growth and change. Although the
successful candidate might have successful leadership experience in the management of a
museum, the individual could come from another career background in the nonprofit, for-profit
or public sectors. A career path that demonstrates success in building organizations, expanding
resources, extending reach, and forging productive and mutually beneficial relationships across
sectors is critical. Experience that demonstrates the ability to conceptualize, plan, implement,
administer, evaluate, communicate, and develop resources is essential. Successful experience in
fundraising, marketing, strategic visioning, general management, financial management, human
resources development, and volunteer/Board relations is also important.

EDUCATION:

An undergraduate degree is required and an advanced degree is preferred.

COMPENSATION:

Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience will be provided.

APPLICANT RESPONSE
Applicant should submit resume and cover letter to Richard Costigan, Manatt, Phelps and
Phillips, 1215 K Street, Suite 1900, Sacramento, California 95814.

DEADLINE FOR APPLYING:

June 6, 2011

The California Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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