Executive Director Search 2016

Name and Contact: Search Committee Chair: Bob Hawthorne USS KIDD Veterans Museum 305 South River Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70802 Phone: 225.342.1942 Email: [email protected]

The Position: Executive Director The Naval War Memorial Commission is seeking a qualified individual to fill the role as Executive Director. This position manages the USS Kidd Veterans Museum operations, which include collections management, exhibitions, programs, education, visitor services, facilities management and fundraising. The Director is responsible for fundraising, grant writing, development, implementation of policies and long-range goals, and the supervision of museum staff and volunteers. The Executive Director supervises the staff and is responsible for instituting the professional practices of the museum. The Director secures and monitors grant funds, develops major fund raising activities and coordinates with the Louisiana Naval War Memorial Commission and the Louisiana Veterans Museum Foundation for their financial support. Work is performed with considerable independence. The Executive Director oversees a full-time and volunteer staff members and operates under the Museum's Statement of Purpose to achieve designated goals and objectives and to provide high quality services to the public. The Executive Director’s reports to the Chair of the Louisiana Naval War Memorial Commission.

Organization Profile: The USS KIDD is committed to shaping future leaders through nurturing of a sense of patriotism, developing the community’s knowledge through educational outreach initiatives and honoring the legacy of the men and women who serve our great nation. Established in 1982, the USS KIDD Louisiana Veterans Museum honors Louisiana veterans and celebrates the members of our armed forces year round. The USS KIDD (DD-661) is a WWII Fletcher-class and a renowned national historic site. The KIDD receives no state funding and is supported in part by an annual grant from city parish government and self-generated funds.

The USS Kidd Louisiana Veterans Museum is the home port of the Fletcher-class destroyer USS KIDD (DD-661), the "Pirate of the Pacific." Located in the heart of scenic downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the historic vessel is the centerpiece of a memorial which serves to honor the

Last edited 6-9-2016 Director Search men and women of our American armed forces. Additional exhibitions and programs are presented in the 40,000 sq. ft. land based museum facility located on River Road adjacent to the Louisiana Arts and Science Museum, Old State Capitol Museum and the LSU Museum of Art. The Baton Rouge Convention Center is located across the street from the USS Kidd Veterans Museum. Additionally, the museum is located within one block of a major Riverboat casino and hotel complex.

The USS Kidd arrived in Baton Rouge in the spring of 1982, to a welcoming crowd of over ten thousand. She opened to the public for the first time in the fall of 1983. Over the years KIDD has slowly been restored back to her 1945 configuration. While the destroyer is the museum’s largest artifact the museum’s collection includes over 1,200 objects including textiles, uniforms, ephemera, weapons and armament, ship models, photographs and historical documents.

Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge is Louisiana’s “Capital City” and the hub of all things Louisiana. Located on the eastern bank of the , Baton Rouge is the second-largest metropolitan city in the state with a population of over 800,000. Baton Rouge is home to two major universities including the flagship campus of Louisiana State University.

Louisiana’s Capital City highlights the unique history, music, culture and outdoor activities that both visitors to Louisiana and locals enjoy. With French, Spanish, Creole and Native American roots, Baton Rouge is rich in its culture and politics. Nicknamed the “Red Stick,” Baton Rouge presents over 300 years of history, much of which can be seen in our architecture, tasted in our food, and heard in our music.

Required Experience

We are looking for a person with five years of professional museum experience, including at least one year as the manager of a small museum or a section of a large museum, one year of supervisory experience, and a Bachelor's degree, preferably in history, museum management, or a related field. Other combinations of education and experience, which meet the minimum qualifications, may be substituted.

Further, the candidate should possess the ability to be effective in the following:

 Determine and implement on a continuing basis income growth and expense management;

 Fundraising for annual fund campaign, grants, sponsorships, major gifts, including those from individuals, businesses, and government;

 Work with international, federal, state, and local constituencies in advancing the philanthropic objectives of the Commission and the Foundation;

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 Demonstrate entrepreneurial ability in management, creativity, and business acumen;

 Build relationships and lead collaborative initiatives internally and externally with other organizations;

 Work collaboratively with museum staff and outside experts to establish interpretive goals for the historic naval ship, museum, and exhibitions;

 Effectively communicates with business and community leaders as the primary spokesperson for the museum to the public;

 If not a veteran, or from a family which includes veterans, possess a sensitivity to veterans affairs and contemporary issues facing veterans and their families;

To express interest in this opportunity, please prepare and send a cover letter stating your interest, along with a CV to: USS Kidd Search Committee at [email protected]

On the web at www.usskidd.com

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