Executive Director

Framingham History; Framingham (MA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare stipend

Paid vacation

Sick leave & holidays

401(k) with employer match

Paid lunch break

Job summary

The Framingham History Center in Framingham, MA seeks an Executive Director to lead strategic and operational efforts, build sustainability, and advance its programs and community partnerships. This leadership role blends long-range planning with hands-on fundraising, donor relations, staff leadership, and board collaboration to steward three historic buildings and a growing archives collection.

You will oversee finances, programs, and outreach, while guiding the transition from part-time to

Qualifications

• At least five years of progressively responsible leadership experience in a nonprofit, museum, cultural, educational, community, or related organization.
• Demonstrated fundraising experience, particularly grant writing and grants management.
• Experience cultivating donors, foundations, corporations, sponsors, or other funding partners.
• Staff management and organizational leadership experience.
• Experience developing and managing organizational budgets.
• Strong strategic planning, project management, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships across organizations and communities.
• Experience working with a nonprofit Board of Directors.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and move comfortably between strategic leadership and hands-on execution.
• Commitment to inclusive, accessible, and community-centered practice.
• Experience in museums, public history, historic preservation, education, archives, or arts and culture is valued, but candidates with relevant leadership experience in other nonprofit settings are also strongly encouraged to apply.
• Spanish or Portuguese language skills are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the Framingham History Center.
• Work with the Board of Directors to develop and implement strategic and long-range priorities.
• Translate organizational goals into achievable annual priorities, staffing plans, and initiatives.
• Lead the organization through growth, transition, and evolving community needs.
• Provide hands-on leadership and direct project support when organizational capacity requires it.
• Drive FHC’s fundraising and development activities, including grant writing, donor cultivation and stewardship, sponsorships, appeals, and foundation and corporate relationships.
• Develop and manage grant proposals, project budgets, reporting, and evaluation.
• In partnership with the Board of Directors, identify opportunities to expand and diversify contributed and earned revenue, including rentals at the FHC Village Hall on the Common.
• Develop the annual operating budget in collaboration with the Treasurer, Finance Committee, and Board.
• Monitor organizational finances, cash flow, revenue, expenses, and financial projections.
• Work with the Board to strengthen FHC’s long-term sustainability.
• Serve as the primary spokesperson and public ambassador for the Framingham History Center.
• Build and sustain relationships with community organizations, donors, businesses, schools, cultural institutions, funders, and civic leaders.
• Maintain strong working relationships with the City of Framingham and other public partners.
• Continue expanding FHC’s engagement with Framingham’s diverse and multilingual communities.
• Represent FHC at community events, meetings, programs, and regional cultural and museum networks.
• Recruit, supervise, evaluate, and support FHC staff.
• Lead the organizational transition from part-time staff to full-time staff, commensurate with fundraising and institutional capacity.
• Establish priorities and provide staff with clear direction and resources.
• Adapt staffing structures as organizational needs and resources evolve.
• Serve as the principal staff liaison to the Board of Directors.
• Work closely with the Board President, Executive Committee, Treasurer, and committees on governance, planning, fundraising, and organizational priorities.
• Provide overall strategic oversight and staff support for exhibitions, education, public programs, and other community initiatives.
• Support staff in developing relevant, accessible, and community-centered programs and services.
• Provide executive oversight for the stewardship of FHC’s collections and archives.
• Advocate for the preservation and appropriate maintenance of FHC’s three historic buildings.
• Work with City departments, preservation partners, contractors, funders, and Board members on building and capital needs.

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising

Grant writing

Donor cultivation

Staff management

Budget development

Strategic planning

Project management

Communication

Board collaboration

Governance liaison

Multitasking

Inclusive practice

Job description

(Full-Time) Framingham History Center | Framingham, MA

About Us

The Framingham History Center (FHC) preserves and shares the stories that shape our community through exhibitions, public programs, educational experiences, and the stewardship of three historic buildings and a 25,000-piece artifact and archives collection. Established in 1888, the Framingham History Center is the only organization whose mission is wholly dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Framingham in order to create connection to community.

In recent years, FHC has experienced significant growth in community engagement, partnerships, exhibitions, and public programming. Notable awards include the 2025 Edna Smith Health Equity Partners of the Year from MetroWest Health Foundation and the 2024 Mass History Commendation, the only award of its kind presented statewide by Mass Humanities that year.

The organization is now entering its next phase of growth. The FHC seeks an Executive Director who can build on this momentum while continuing to strengthen the organization, its financial sustainability, and its deep connections throughout the community.

Position Overview

The Executive Director is responsible for the overall leadership, administration, fundraising, programs, and long‑term direction of the organization.

This is both a strategic and hands‑on leadership role. As the leader of a small nonprofit, the Executive Director will move regularly between long‑range planning and direct implementation, including fundraising, community and donor relations, staff leadership, Board partnership, programs, properties, and organizational operations.

The next Executive Director will have the opportunity to shape FHC’s next exciting chapter while leading an organization with deep roots, strong community relationships, growing visibility, and exciting opportunities for its future.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the Framingham History Center.
• Work with the Board of Directors to develop and implement strategic and long‑range priorities.
• Translate organizational goals into achievable annual priorities, staffing plans, and initiatives.
• Lead the organization through growth, transition, and evolving community needs.
• Provide hands‑on leadership and direct project support when organizational capacity requires it.
• Drive FHC’s fundraising and development activities, including grant writing, donor cultivation and stewardship, sponsorships, appeals, and foundation and corporate relationships.
• Develop and manage grant proposals, project budgets, reporting, and evaluation.
• In partnership with the Board of Directors, identify opportunities to expand and diversify contributed and earned revenue, including rentals at the FHC Village Hall on the Common.
• Develop the annual operating budget in collaboration with the Treasurer, Finance Committee, and Board.
• Monitor organizational finances, cash flow, revenue, expenses, and financial projections.
• Work with the Board to strengthen FHC’s long‑term sustainability.

Community Engagement & External Relations

• Serve as the primary spokesperson and public ambassador for the Framingham History Center.
• Build and sustain relationships with community organizations, donors, businesses, schools, cultural institutions, funders, and civic leaders.
• Maintain strong working relationships with the City of Framingham and other public partners.
• Continue expanding FHC’s engagement with Framingham’s diverse and multilingual communities.
• Represent FHC at community events, meetings, programs, and regional cultural and museum networks.
• Recruit, supervise, evaluate, and support FHC staff.
• Lead the organizational transition from part‑time staff to full‑time staff, commensurate with fundraising and institutional capacity.
• Establish priorities and provide staff with clear direction and resources.
• Adapt staffing structures as organizational needs and resources evolve.
• Serve as the principal staff liaison to the Board of Directors.
• Work closely with the Board President, Executive Committee, Treasurer, and committees on governance, planning, fundraising, and organizational priorities.

Programs, Collections, & Historic Properties

• Provide overall strategic oversight and staff support for exhibitions, education, public programs, and other community initiatives.
• Support staff in developing relevant, accessible, and community‑centered programs and services.
• Provide executive oversight for the stewardship of FHC’s collections and archives.
• Advocate for the preservation and appropriate maintenance of FHC’s three historic buildings.
• Work with City departments, preservation partners, contractors, funders, and Board members on building and capital needs. (Please note that this is not a City of Framingham position.)

Qualifications & Skills

• At least five years of progressively responsible leadership experience in a nonprofit, museum, cultural, educational, community, or related organization. Please note that museum experience is not required for this position.
• Demonstrated fundraising experience, particularly grant writing and grants management.
• Experience cultivating donors, foundations, corporations, sponsors, or other funding partners.
• Staff management and organizational leadership experience.
• Experience developing and managing organizational budgets.
• Strong strategic planning, project management, and problem‑solving skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships across organizations and communities.
• Experience working with a nonprofit Board of Directors.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and move comfortably between strategic leadership and hands‑on execution.
• Commitment to inclusive, accessible, and community‑centered practice.

Experience in museums, public history, historic preservation, education, archives, or arts and culture is valued, but candidates with relevant leadership experience in other nonprofit settings are also strongly encouraged to apply. Spanish or Portuguese language skills are a plus.

This is a full‑time, salaried position with a salary range of $75,000-$80,000 commensurate with experience.

Benefits include a healthcare stipend, paid vacation, sick leave and holidays, a 401(k) with employer match, and a paid lunch break. Evening and weekend availability is required as needed for programs, events, donor engagement, and community activities.

Applications will be accepted until Sunday, November 15th, at 11:59 (ET).

The Framingham History Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to building an inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the community we serve. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences.