Executive Director | Weslaco, TX

Texas Association of Museums; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 49,500 - 60,500; Full time

Job summary

The Texas Association of Museums is seeking an Executive Director for the Weslaco Museum. This leader will set the museum's vision, handle operations, and lead fundraising efforts while collaborating with community partners.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree and extensive experience in nonprofit management. Fluency in Spanish is preferred. This role requires strong leadership and communication skills, as well as the ability to work evenings and weekends.

Submit your resume and cover letter to Gina Silva at [e-mail].

Qualifications

• Three to five years of experience in a nonprofit organization.
• Experience managing staff and operations at a museum or similar organization.
• Willingness to work nights and weekends as required.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the museum's organizational vision and planning.
• Oversees day-to-day museum operations and fundraising efforts.
• Prepares reports for the Board of Directors.

Skills

Nonprofit management experience

Fundraising and revenue generation

Communication skills

Leadership experience

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's Degree in relevant field

Tools

Quickbooks

Microsoft Office

Canva

Job description

Reports to: The Weslaco Museum Board of Directors

Classification: Full-Time Exempt (the majority of the work to be done Tuesday–Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with frequent evening hours expected)

Education and Experience: Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university or college in History, Public Administration, Museum Studies, Education or related field. Three (3) to five (5) years of experience in a non‑profit organization. The ideal candidate will have senior leadership experience managing staff and operations at a museum or other public‑serving cultural organization, experience leading fundraising events, experience building strong relationships with community stakeholders, or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to effectively lead our organization.

Salary Range: $55,000

While we’ve listed our ideal qualifications, we value individual competence, experience, and enthusiasm for our mission. We encourage all who believe they are a good match for the role to apply.

MISSION

The Weslaco Museum of Local History and Cultural Art collects, preserves, exhibits, and promotes the history, cultural arts, and past traditions of Weslaco, Texas, and its surrounding region.

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for setting the museum’s organizational vision and strategically planning how to best use our resources to execute that vision. The Executive Director oversees the day‑to‑day operations of the museum and implements the stewardship and preservation/conservation of our collections with the assistance of our staff, volunteers, and interns. The director also oversees the development of new exhibits, programming, research, and publications. The Executive Director also assumes overall responsibility for the museum’s community relations. The museum works closely with key partners like the city of Weslaco, Weslaco Independent School District, and other local non‑profit organizations and businesses. The director also works closely with the Museum Guild, an independent group of volunteers that have worked with the museum since 1981. This is a hands‑on leadership role in which the Executive Director implements the mission of the organization and leads all fundraising efforts. The ideal candidate is a self‑starter who thrives in an environment requiring initiative, ownership, and the ability to independently move priorities forward.

Serves as the primary liaison and advocate for the museum.

Establish and articulate a clear vision for the organization’s growth and community impact.

Prepares oral and written reports on museum activities, budget and personnel to the Board of Directors.

Works closely with the Board of Directors to align priorities while leading strategy development and execution.

Consistently projects a positive and professional image of the museum.

Oversee all financial operations including budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and internal controls.

Works closely with the Board of Directors to plan, develop, present, and implement the annual budget.

Works closely with the Board of Directors to ensure the museum’s long‑term financial sustainability.

Operations & Building Management

Lead and support a team of part‑time staff, interns, volunteers, and the Museum Guild.

Works closely with the Board of Directors to direct all aspects of operations including HR, payroll, and systems workflow.

Oversee daily operations including admissions and gift shop.

Oversee facility operation, maintenance, and improvements.

Manage vendors and service providers.

Identify and plan for long‑term capital and infrastructure needs.

Lead all fundraising efforts including major sponsorships, donations, and grants.

Lead and manage the museum’s annual signature fundraising events.

Identify and grow the annual operating budget by seeking additional sources of revenue such as, but not limited to, memberships, donations, sponsorships, grants, etc.

Build and steward relationships with individual donors, organizations, companies, the City of Weslaco, and other community stakeholders.

Marketing & Community Engagement

Work with the Social Media Coordinator to develop marketing, branding, and communication strategies to increase museum visitation, visibility of museum gallery exhibits, participation at museum events and programming, and online engagement.

Represent the museum at public events and functions and act as its spokesperson to the media.

Museum Programs, Exhibitions & Collections

Cultivate relationships with local artists and organizations in order to curate regular rotating exhibits in our front gallery.

Work with Operations Manager to develop policies for collections management; including acquisitions, documentation, preservation, and conservation, stewarding the ethical care of all artifacts that have been entrusted to the museum by the citizens of Weslaco.

Develop other museum programming like our Saturday Speaker lecture series and Children’s Summer Camp.

Give lectures to local organizations, businesses, and schools pertaining to the museum, our exhibits, programs, and other related subjects.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Proven leadership experience in nonprofit management, museum leadership, administration, or related field.
• Strong track record in fundraising and revenue generation.
• Experience in managing organizational budgets.
• Excellent communication (written and oral), relationship building, and problem solving.
• Willingness to work nights and weekends as required.

Preferred

• Fluency in Spanish.
• Comfortable with public speaking.
• Experience with accounting and budgeting.
• Experience using Quickbooks.
• Experience with writing grants.
• Experience with planning and organizing events involving food, drinks, and entertainment.
• Experience with standard office software like Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook.
• Experience using Canva.
• Knowledge of rules, regulations, and laws regarding museums and non‑profit organizations.
• Experience with curatorial management at either an art or history museum.
• Experience managing a historic property.
• Experience working with a collections management system like Past Perfect or CatalogIt.
• Experience conducting historical research.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Lifting 50 pounds maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 40 pounds.

Intermittent standing, walking, and sitting; occasional driving.

Using hand(s)/feet for repetitive single grasping, fine manipulation, pushing and pulling, and operating controls.

Occasional bending, twisting, squatting, climbing, reaching, and grappling.

Communicating orally in a clear manner.

Distinguishing sounds at various frequencies and volumes.

Distinguishing people or objects at varied distances under a variety of light conditions.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send your resume and cover letter to Gina Silva, Board President at [e-mail]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to those applications received by Monday, May 25, 2026.

The Weslaco Museum of Local History and Cultural Art is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. As an equal opportunity employer, the Museum does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability, genetic information, or veteran status. Discrimination is prohibited and The Weslaco Museum of Local History & Cultural Art will comply with all applicable state and federal legislation.