Executive Director

Organization:

The Reach Gallery Museum

Deadline:

Sep. 29, 2024

Organization Description:

The Reach Gallery Museum is located on Stó:lō Téméxw, in the unceded Stó:lō territory of the Semá:th and Mathxwí First Nations.
Founded in 2008, The Reach is an award-winning centre for art, history, and culture in the Fraser Valley. As a unionized, non-profit organization and registered charity, The Reach is led by a volunteer governance Board of Directors and staffed by talented professionals (currently 5 FTE, 6PTE), and a team of dedicated volunteers (50+ individuals).
The Reach is a contemporary art gallery, a local history museum, and a regional archive. We provide a year-round selection of exhibitions, public programs, events, and online resources to a demographically diverse audience of approximately 30,000 in-person attendees and 300,000 online visitors annually.
The Reach’s vision is to be a gathering place that fosters intercultural and intergenerational exchanges in an environment of mutual respect and understanding. Our exhibitions and programs are designed to support public education and social wellbeing and often address difficult topics facing our community and beyond.
The Reach is recognized for its leading-edge approach to curatorial practice and community-engagement. Recent achievements include two Governor General’s History Awards for Excellence in Community Programming (2016, 2021), BC Museums Association Award for Excellence in Exhibitions (2018), BC Museums Association Award for Excellence in Community Programming (2021), Heritage BC Award Outstanding Award for Education, Communication & Awareness (2021, 2024), Lieutenant Governor’s Arts and Music Award (2022), and Non-Profit Organization of the Year Abbotsford Business Excellence Award (2023).
As the only professional, public art gallery and a major repository for historical collections in the Fraser Valley, The Reach plays a vital role in shaping the cultural landscape of the region.

Website:

https://thereach.ca/

Job Description:

As the Executive Director, you are an experienced cultural leader who develops strong staff teams and a creative, high performance work environment. You value collaboration and move complex, multi-partner projects forward with diplomacy. You have strong planning, communication, and interpersonal skills that allow you to build credible and trusted relationships throughout the organization and community.

Reporting to, and working in collaboration with the Board, the Executive Director will lead during a time of change as The Reach enters the next stage of organizational maturity. A dynamic and energetic leader will execute a strategic plan that calls for greater public and donor engagement to foster sustainable growth while advancing a bold and exciting curatorial program.

Responsibilities:

1. Leadership and Strategy:
o Provide leadership in the vision and implementation of The Reach’s strategic plan.
o Build, manage, and maintain relationships with partners, contributors, and other interested, affected, and relevant parties including Indigenous Rights Holders, the City of Abbotsford, peer organizations, not-for-profit partners, funding agencies, private supporters, and more.
o Cultivate a strong, supportive, and transparent relationship with the Board and report to them on a timely basis so they can carry out their legal and fiduciary responsibilities.
o Provide motivational leadership that reflects institutional values and builds on strengths and successes.
o Facilitate Board activities such as strategic planning, board recruitment and orientation, and policy development.
2. Fundraising and Donor Stewardship
o Develop and implement annual fundraising plans.
o Identify funding priorities and sources. Secure grants, donations, and sponsorships.
o Develop, launch, nurture and expand the Major Gifts and Planned Giving program.
o Oversee the development, management, and evaluation of Donor and Member programs, activities, and stewardship.
o Oversee the development, management, and evaluation of Special Events and Campaigns.
o Oversee implementation of marketing and communications strategy to build awareness, audiences, and support for The Reach.

3. Financial Management:
o Prepare, administer, and monitor organizational short- and long-term financial plans and budgets.
o Ensure sound financial practices and controls are in place, participate in the annual audit process.
o Maintain legal and regulatory requirements and risk management practices including insurance to safeguard the organization and its activities.
4. Program Management:
o Provide curatorial staff with strategic oversight in the development of policies, procedures, and activities related to exhibitions, collections, publications and other forms of research dissemination, and public and educational programming.
o Supervise and support staff in developing and realizing a year-round schedule of exhibitions, educational programs, and public events.
5. Operations Management
o Develop and execute a yearly operations plan and related budget that effectively supports the goals of the strategic plan.
o Oversee the development, implementation, and regular review of standard operating procedures, employee handbooks, and operational systems.
o Work closely with the Operations Manager to maintain accurate records for human resources, financial, and reporting purposes.
o Provide direction and leadership for initiatives related to leasehold improvements, facilities planning, and capital purchases.
6. Human Resources Management

o Cultivate a positive work environment that encourages professional growth, motivates productivity, and thrives on team collaboration.

o Recruit, develop and lead a team of professional staff. Provide direction, establish priorities, distribute work and resources, assign project teams, conduct performance reviews.
o Manage human resources program within the parameters of the collective agreement including recruitment, training, scheduling, evaluation, employee development, constructive discipline, discharge, and termination.

7. Community Relations
o Represent the institution at public events, conferences, and in media interactions.
o Act as official spokesperson for The Reach.

Qualifications:

• Masters’s degree in Art History, History, Museum Studies, Arts Administration (or a related field), or equivalent experience and professional training.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive leadership experience in a museum, gallery, or cultural organization.
• The ability to manage and prioritize multiple-competing deadlines.
• Strong leadership, and sound judgement in complex situations. Excellent communication and people skills.
• A commitment to the cultural sector, and experience working with a range of diverse and transdisciplinary partners to achieve common goals.
• Proven record in fundraising, financial management, and strategic planning and management.
• Strong understanding of current and future trends in the GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, museum) and broader cultural sectors.

How to Apply:

Submit a cover letter and résumé by email to Search Committee Chair, Amy Dhanjal (amydhanjal39@gmail.com) as a single PDF by 11:59pm on Sunday September 29, 2024.
Please use “Executive Director Application” as the subject line of your email.
The posting will remain open until filled.
We thank all applicants for their interest, however only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
The Reach strives to create a staff as diverse as our community and encourages applications from candidates who are IBPOC, LGBTQ2, persons with disabilities, and new Canadians.

Remuneration:

$110,000-$118,000

Contact Name: Amy Dhanjal
Contact Email: amydhanjal39@gmail.com