The Palestinian Museum is a cultural project of the Welfare Association. The Museum will be an agent of empowerment, integration and solidarity planned to open in the Spring of 2014 on the Birzeit University campus in the West Bank, eventually with facilities across Palestine. The Museum will be a leading platform for non-partisan narratives about Palestinians, their relationships to their land, to each other, and to the world.
In order to achieve its mandate of excellence, the Welfare Association is recruiting the Museum’s professional leadership team, consisting of the following positions (to be based in Ramallah):
– Mentor -Museum Operations
– Director of Operations
– Head of Research & Collections
Job descriptions and details can be obtained from the Welfare Association’s website at http://welfareassociation.org
Deadline for receiving applications to the following address : palestinianmuseum@gmail.com is Sunday August 7, 2011
Director, Museum Operations
Brief Job Description
The Director is the chief operating officer of the Palestinian Museum accountable to the Palestinian Museum Taskforce for the realization of the approved vision, mission and values, and the implementation of Taskforce approved business and corporate plans.
Reporting to the Taskforce, the Director is responsible for conducting the affairs of the Museum, interpreting and applying board policies while co-ordination of all aspects of the Museum. The Director ensures that the Museum is managed according to the institution’s mission and objectives, Board
policies, and the accepted standards of the larger international museum community. The Director demonstrates excellent and proven leadership abilities and superior management skills.
General and Operational Duties and Responsibilities
* Responsible for Museum’s liaison with the Taskforce.
* Charged with the maintenance of high standards of professionalism and ensures that all programmes and public affairs are conducted in accordance with applicable legal requirements and the international ethical standards of a public museum.
* As Director recommends to the Taskforce, on the recommendation of the Heads of the Divisions, partnerships and links with key bodies in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
* Ensures that written management practices are in place to implement the policies and directives of the Board of Trustees and that responsibilities for their implementation and efficacy are assigned to the appropriate member(s) of the Senior Management team by the Taskforce.
* Directs the management by the Senior Management team of the day-to-day operations of the Museum, and sets direction for its operational aspects to ensure compliance with local laws, grant requirements, and generally accepted accounting principles.
* Must engage by active participation in fundraising and advocacy and actively solicits support and cultivates gifts and bequests.
* Presents for Board approval the annual and three-year rolling operating budgets and reviews quarterly with the Task Force, the Museum’s progress against the approved annual budget.
* Presents for Task Force approval the annual and five-year corporate plan and reviews quarterly with the Task Force the Museum’s progress against the approved corporate plan highlighting both operational achievements and challenges.
Supervisory Duties and Responsibilities
* Provides direct overview of the Heads of the Divisions who constitute the Senior Leadership team as to the performance of their duties, their efficacy, and their adherence to all appropriate policies, practices and directives.
Financial Duties and Responsibilities
* Oversees and leads the preparation and monitoring of the Museum’s annual operating budget, including establishing a budget planning team, analysing budget requests, analysing budget variances, and directing corrective action as necessary to the Task Force as appropriate.
* Evaluates and reports financial status and progress to the Task Force on a regular basis.
General Requirements and Qualifications
* A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in a museum or related educational/research organization.
* A Ph.D in a relevant discipline such as history, sociology, archaeology or art and/or an advanced degree in museum studies or an advanced degree in business with extensive experience in leadership in the not-for-profit sector, or the equivalent in additional work experience.
* A record of professional accomplishments and publications (academic or other); demonstrated success in fundraising, audience development and institutional planning.
* Excellent managerial, planning, organizational and administrative skills; exceptionally strong interpersonal and written/oral communication skills; high level of presentation, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
* Ability to provide strong leadership, vision and strategic direction; inspire and motivate staff, volunteers and donors; establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of representatives of public and private organizations, members of boards, foundations, universities, support groups, and the general public.
* Demonstrated ability to manage and work within a team and to delegate appropriate responsibilities and authorities while providing appropriate oversight.
* Ability to reside in the West Bank and travel extensively internationally.
* Ability to speak and write proficiently in Arabic and English, with preference for skills in other languages as well.
Nature of Employment and Compensation
* The Director is to be hired in accordance with a contract, 3 years in duration, renewable indefinitely for three years terms by mutual agreement with the Task Force.
* Salary is to be negotiated, based on relevant and related experience and education.
* Benefits are to be negotiated but will be competitive for comparable positions at organizations similar in activities and scope in the region.
Respatrimoni 