POSITION: Chief Program Officer

SUPERVISES: Wisconsin Historical Society Sites, Museums, Programs and Outreach

REPORTS TO: The Ruth and Hartley Barker Director & CEO

LOCATION: Madison, Wisconsin

VISION STATEMENT

Enriching and transforming lives through unparalleled access to history.

MISSION

The Wisconsin Historical Society connects people to the past by collecting, preserving, and sharing stories.

VALUES

Embrace a spirit of service.

Engage our expertise.

Spark enthusiasm.

Cultivate inclusion.

Exceed expectations.

Think big and grow with purpose.

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories.

At its core, the Society believes that increasing the public's knowledge of history has profound societal, cultural, and economic benefit. The Society’s values are to Embrace a Spirit of Service, Engage our Expertise, Spark Enthusiasm, Cultivate Inclusion, Exceed Expectations, and Think Big and Grow with Purpose. Its collections, historic sites and museums, historic preservation office and extensive educational programs are highly regarded by peers and historical scholars throughout the world.

The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of programs and services at many sites throughout the state. The programs and resources the Society provides include:

Interactive Historical Experiences: Twelve museums and historic sites, including two National Historic Landmarks, provide interactive experiences for guests of all ages, and 530 official state historical markers help tell the story of Wisconsin’s rich heritage.

Collections: As the largest North American History collection next to the Library of Congress, the Society's world-class collections contain an extraordinary range of artifacts and information from the archaeological past to current events. The Society maintains unrivaled collections in Wisconsin history as well as North American genealogy.

Wisconsin History Educational Resources: The Society’s publishing arm, the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, partnered with the Programs and Outreach team, create and provide extensive resources to teachers, students and history lovers alike to help them gain a better understanding of the rich history of Wisconsin.

Family History Research: Curiosity seekers may search the Society’s more than three million birth, death and marriage records; newspaper clippings, photographs and other visual materials; and property records. The Society also hosts regular webinars and seminars on family genealogy.

Public History Outreach: The Society provides expertise to more than 400 local history organizations to help them collect, preserve and share their stories.

State Historic Preservation Office: The Society has several programs that serve to protect and interpret Wisconsin's archaeological and built environment resources. This team also

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provides resources to homeowners, developers and business owners who wish to preserve and protect their properties.

OPPORTUNITY

The Wisconsin Historical Society is seeking to fill an exciting new senior leadership position. The Society is seeking an innovative and dynamic new Chief Program Officer (CPO) to join the senior leadership team and help connect all programmatic areas within a comprehensive, holistic, and synergistic vision of the Society. The Society’s first CPO will have the opportunity to fill key leadership positions, create a shared vision for Society programming, collaborate to shape the Society’s long-term goals, and develop the Society as a national resource.

Specifically, the CPO will lead the Society’s 12 historic sites and museums throughout the state including the new Wisconsin Historical Museum on the Capitol Square in Madison. He or she will also oversee the Society’s extensive programming channels to deliver dynamic and diverse experiences, publications, exhibitions, digital resources, and educational services for one of the premier historical organizations in the United States. In addition, initial priorities will include advancing the Society’s plans for a new state history museum.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

This senior leadership position reports to the Director of the Wisconsin Historical Society, and works under general direction. The Chief Program Officer (CPO) is responsible for leading and uniting all of the Society educational and programmatic channels in delivering relevant, engaging, authentic, dynamic, diverse, and inclusive mission-based experiences, publications, exhibits, digital resources, and educational services.

The CPO is also responsible for staff excellence and financial performance of the Museums and Historic Sites and Programs & Outreach divisions. This person will work institutionally to lead and guide the experience design process and will lead the creation, implementation, and coordination of a strategic direction for the Museums and Historic Sites and Programs and Outreach teams while insuring sustainability and ongoing performance improvement. This key individual will work intimately with the Director’s Office, Senior Leadership Team, and the Deputy Director/COO and will form key relationships with technical experts in all Society and Wisconsin Historical Foundation business units such as Finance, Human Resources, Communications, Marketing, Fundraising, IT, Retail, Facilities, Historic Preservation, and Collections.

They must ensure that all venues, projects, exhibitions, and programs align and meet the Society standards, brand, and business goals. Specific areas of responsibility include the following:

40% A. Programs and Products Leadership

A1. Leads, manages and coaches Museums, Historic Sites, Programs & Outreach leaders and provides leadership in the creation, execution and fulfillment of strategic operational and annual tactical plans. A2. Leads and mentors the development of a common agenda and vision for the Museums, Sites, Programs & Outreach Teams by engaging with senior leaders, team

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members and front-line staff, obtaining competitive knowledge about trends in the broader world, and keeping up with developments in the profession and communicating them effectively. A3. Responsible for development of creative work which includes, but is not limited to, publications in any medium, product and program development and design, and all related collateral materials.

25% B. Experience Design Leadership

B1. Leads, coaches and mentors experience design team members to ensure the fulfillment of the Society’s mission by constantly advocating for the guest perspective, designing dynamic experiential storytelling, and delivering high quality projects and programs on- time and on-budget through a shared vision, collaborative processes and clear communication. B2. Responsible for sponsoring and leading the experience process, directing and guiding the planning, budgeting, scheduling, communication and implementation of major exhibitions, programs, restoration and reinstallation projects, and making other improvements and adjustments to guest experiences through collaboration with business units, individual staff members and external partners. B3. Works with Deputy Director/COO and institutional leaders to develop, coordinate, and execute business strategies and to review and evaluate experiences, programs, exhibitions, and other products.

30% C. Strategic Planning and Leadership

C1. Drives team formation and coaches team leadership to develop and maintain a strong mission- and goals-based perspective and effective and efficient implementation. C2. Responsible for the financial performance, preparation and negotiation of the annual budget and work plans for the Museums, Sites, Publications, Programs, Outreach, Education, Experience Design, and institutional projects. C3. Works closely with the Deputy Director/COO, and the Division of Administrative Services, Communications, Collections, and Historic Preservation leaders to ensure responsible spending and accounting, and responsive adjustment and negotiation of contractual and budgetary matters. C4. Represents Museums, Sites, Programs & Outreach internally and externally, as well as to the Board of Curators, in addition to helping raise funds toward the realization of institutional goals.

5% D. OTHER JOB DUTIES

D1. Manage other projects as assigned by the Society Director.

The salary for this unclassified position will not be less than $110,000 per year depending on qualifications and includes a robust benefits package.

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QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants should have at least five years of senior leadership experience in a complex organization with a proven track record of success. Qualified candidates will have demonstrated knowledge of best practices and benchmarks in the public experience and attractions field, as well as demonstrated knowledge of museum operations or museum theory and practices. Candidates should be skilled in the principles of experience development for a variety of audiences; marketing and public relations project management; exhibition development; and public presentation. The ability to envision and implement new strategic goals is key.

Critical personal qualities include the ability to engage and interact effectively with a wide range of people, internally and externally, to accomplish common goals, and to resolve potential conflicts. Candidates must have proven abilities both in leading a team and in being a team player, providing expertise to the team and other teams as appropriate. The CPO must be able to supervise, manage and mentor professional and support personnel. He or she will possess exemplary oral, written, and interpersonal skills and will be highly skilled in making effective and persuasive presentations regarding complex topics.

A big picture thinker and ambitious leader, the CPO must also be a knowledgeable manager with excellent administrative and operational skills and an understanding of best administrative practices. He or she will be able to analyze and manage budgets; have knowledge of contracts and the ability to assist in negotiation and positive resolution of legal issues; and have knowledge of and skill in securing external funding for projects.

Other minimum qualifications include the following:

• Knowledge of history-based programming. • Knowledge of general design and construction practices. • Skill and proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. • Ability to travel independently within Wisconsin, the Midwest and nationally as necessary. • Ability to legally operate a motor vehicle from the Wisconsin Department of Administration State Fleet in the State of Wisconsin. • A bachelor’s degree in a related field is required; a master’s degree is strongly recommended.

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LOCATION

Though the successful candidate will have the opportunity to travel throughout this beautiful state, the CPO will be based in Madison at the Society’s headquarters building.

Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, is a progressive, cosmopolitan city of over 240,000 people, located in south central Wisconsin, 80 miles west of Milwaukee, 145 miles from Chicago and 270 miles from the Twin Cities. Built on an isthmus between lakes Monona and Mendota, with beautiful glacial lakes and over 200 parks, Madison is renowned for its beautiful scenery in all four seasons. Madison is located in Dane County, which has 35 lakes in 1,200 square miles.

Madison is consistently ranked in national surveys as one of the best places to live and one of the healthiest cities in the United States.

Madison is home to many first-rate educational institutions, such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Edgewood College, Madison College, and the Madison Metropolitan School District. UW-Madison ranks in the top 10 in national research spending and is one of only three public universities to produce the most Fortune 500 CEOs.

Parks and lakes provide an abundance of year-round outdoor activities, including hiking, swimming, sailing, fishing and cross-country skiing. Greater Madison is praised in national surveys as one of the best places in the U.S. for biking. The city has a wide variety of awarding-winning restaurants and offers outstanding healthcare facilities.

State Street is a pedestrian mall lined with eclectic specialty shops, restaurants and outdoor cafes. It links the UW-Madison campus with the Capitol Square. The Dane County Farmers’ Market, one of the best in the country, features over 150 local vendors every Saturday from April to November on the Capitol Square.

The arts flourish in Madison, and include the Forward Theater, Madison Opera, and the Madison Symphony Orchestra, as well as many touring productions and performances. The Overture Center for the Arts, a $205 million performing arts center, brings artists from all over the world to Madison. The $60 million Kohl Center is used for University of Wisconsin basketball and hockey games, concerts, and other events. Besides the WHS Museum, the city features the Chazen Museum of Art, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, the

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Madison Children’s Museum, the Madison Science Museum, and the Wisconsin Veterans Museum.

Madison is accessible via several major highways, including three interstates (I-39, I-90, and I-94). Dane County Regional Airport, located minutes from downtown Madison, offers more than 95 arrivals and departures daily including nonstop service to Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Newark, New York, Orlando, Salt Lake City, and Washington, D.C.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications and nominations for the position of Chief Program Officer for the Wisconsin Historical Society are being received by Kittleman & Associates, LLC. To apply, please electronically submit a cover letter addressing qualifications for this position and a resume with five professional references attached (references will not be contacted without prior permission). Submit documents to: https://ww2.kittlemansearch.com/Jobs. Questions may be directed to Michelle R.B. Saddler at [email protected].

Materials will be evaluated, and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process. The Wisconsin Historical Society is an equal opportunity employer.

For more information about the Wisconsin Historical Society, please visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.

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