Executive Director

Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

The Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum seeks an Executive Director to lead its strategic vision and operational management. The role requires a dynamic leader with extensive experience in non-profit management, ensuring the museum's sustainability and relevance.

Benefits

Extended health care benefits

Vacation time

Paid personal/sick days

Flexible, hybrid work conditions

Free on-site parking

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in the museum or heritage field.
• Experience raising revenue through grants, fundraising, and sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic goals aligned with the museum’s mandate.
• Oversee day-to-day operations including finance and HR.
• Drive fundraising initiatives and cultivate relationships.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Strategic Planning

Education

Graduate degree

Job description

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Employment Type: Full-time, Indefinite position

Compensation: $100,000 to $125,000 total annual compensation package commensurate on experience. The position includes extended health care benefits, vacation time, and paid personal/sick days.

Title: Executive Director

Reports to: Chair, Board of Directors

Location: Ottawa, ON (Carp)

Employment Type: Full-time, Indefinite position

Compensation: $100,000 to $125,000 total annual compensation package commensurate on experience. The position includes extended health care benefits, vacation time, and paid personal/sick days.

Application Deadline: Sunday, June 1, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

The Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum is seeking a dynamic, strategic, and visionary leader to serve as its Executive Director. Located in a once top-secret sprawling underground bunker built to shelter government officials during a nuclear attack, the museum is a national historic site and one of Canada's most unique cultural institutions. The Director will lead the museum through a new era of innovation, growth, and historical engagement, ensuring its sustainability and continued relevance in today’s world.

The Diefenbunker is Canada’s most significant surviving Cold War artifact — it is an impressive four-storey underground facility that operated as the country’s central communications headquarters during the Cold War, ready at any moment in case of a nuclear attack. Today, it is a one-of-a-kind museum and national historic site, telling stories of national and international importance and welcoming visitors from around the world.

The Diefenbunker is an independent not-for-profit charitable organization governed by a volunteer board of directors, carrying a mandate of both museum and national historic site. It provides an important anchor attraction and community resource in the village of Carp located in Ottawa’s west end.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Executive Director serves as the chief executive of the Diefenbunker Museum and is responsible for its strategic leadership, operational management, and long-term sustainability. This role requires a passionate and collaborative leader with strong experience in non-profit management, heritage or museum leadership, and public engagement. The Executive Director oversees the management and operations of a combined museum and national historic site.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for the overall direction, administration, finances and operations of the organization. As the Diefenbunker operates as an independent charitable organization, the Executive Director is responsible to ensure sufficient operating revenue and works closely with the board to identify and mitigate risks to the organization.

The Executive Director ensures that the museum delivers an outstanding visitor experience, maintains excellence in collections and exhibitions, promotes public engagement, preserves the building as a national historic site, and secures the resources necessary for long-term sustainability. The role manages a team of approximately five direct reports (leadership team), oversees a staff of 20 to 25 employees and a cadre of volunteers, and is responsible for an annual operating budget of approximately $2 million, as well as multi-year project budgets.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES*

Leading a cross functional team of staff and volunteers, the key responsibilities and duties are as follows:

1.Strategic leadership and vision

● Develop and implement long-term strategic goals aligned with the museum’s mandate to preserve and share Canada’s Cold War history.

● Lead organizational growth and community engagement, balancing heritage preservation with forward-thinking programming.

● Exhibit strong communication skills, including organizational, written, and public speaking abilities.

● Identify and manage risks, implementing proactive mitigation strategies to safeguard the museum’s assets, reputation, and long-term sustainability.

2.Operations and administration

● Oversee all day-to-day operations including finance, Human Resources, visitor services, safety, and facility management of the underground site.

● Ensure compliance with not-for-profit corporation legal requirements, museum standards, health and safety regulations, and heritage conservation requirements.

3.Financial oversight and sustainability

● Develop annual budgets and financial plans for review and approval by the Board of Directors.

● Drive fundraising initiatives, cultivate relationships with donors, sponsors, and government funding agencies.

● Oversee grant writing and revenue-generating strategies (e.g., rentals, special events, retail).

4.Collections and education

● Oversee the preservation and interpretation of the museum’s Cold War-era artifacts, documents, and site-specific infrastructure.

● Support curatorial staff in the development of temporary, permanent and on-line exhibitions that are engaging, historically accurate, and relevant.

● Promote inclusive and accessible educational programming for diverse audiences, including schools, researchers, and the general public.

● Champion interactive and immersive in-person and digital outreach experiences that bring Cold War stories to life.

5.Human resources, people leadership, and board relations

● Lead and support a multidisciplinary team including full-time staff, volunteers, and contractors.

● Foster a collaborative and respectful workplace culture grounded in equity, diversity and accountability.

● Support the Board of directors in fulfilling its governance responsibilities through strategic planning, reporting and policy development.

* Detailed Job Description available upon request.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

● Graduate degree in a relevant field or undergraduate degree with relevant work experience

● 10+ years of experience in the museum or heritage field

● Proven leadership experience

● Experience leading and mentoring a multidisciplinary team

● Experience developing and managing complex budgets and financial plans

● Experience raising revenue through grants, fundraising, and sponsorship.

● Experience in operational and strategic planning

● Ability to provide a satisfactory Police Record Check that meets the organization’s standards.

● Strong communication skills in English

POSITION ASSETS

● French fluency

● Fundraising experience including grant development

THE DIEFENBUNKER MUSEUM OFFERS:

● Dynamic, creative, and collaborative work environment

● Opportunity to continue to grow the museum and its impact on the community

● Flexible, hybrid work conditions

● Opportunity for continuous learning and growth

● Free on-site parking

To Apply

If you are interested, please send your cover letter and resume via email to [e-mail] with the subject line “[Your Name] – Executive Director”.

Please note that there is no public transportation to the Diefenbunker from downtown Ottawa.

The Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes diversity in our workforce. Should you require any accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact our team at the email address above.

• For more information about the Diefenbunker, please visit diefenbunker.ca.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Executive

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Business Development and Sales

• Industries

  Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos

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