Strategic Director, History & Collections

Museum-of-Western-Colorado; Grand Junction (CO); On-site; USD 59,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

The Museums of Western Colorado seeks a Director of History & Collections to provide strategic leadership for the institution’s history collections, exhibitions, and public programs. This executive role directs preservation, interpretation, and ethical stewardship in line with AAM standards.

Leading a multidisciplinary team, you will shape long-range plans, supervise staff, manage budgets, and foster community engagement while advancing scholarly research and inclusive storytelling across

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in History, Public History, Museum Studies, Anthropology, or a related field.
• Master’s degree preferred, especially with specialization in Western U.S. history, cultural heritage, or museum studies.
• Minimum 5 years of museum experience in collections management, curatorial work, or historical interpretation.
• Minimum 3 years of supervisory experience.
• Experience with collections databases, digitization workflows, and metadata standards.
• Experience working with diverse communities and inclusive historical narratives.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction for the History & Collections Division, including long-range planning for collections care, exhibitions, research priorities, and public engagement.
• Serve on the senior leadership team, contributing to institutional strategy and accreditation preparation.
• Develop and manage the division’s annual budget, including staffing, collections care, exhibitions, and special projects.
• Supervise and mentor curatorial and collections staff, including the Curator of Exhibits and Curator of Archaeology.
• Oversee researcher access, staff requests, and public inquiries related to historical collections.
• Lead development, implementation, and regular review of the Collections Management Policy and emergency preparedness procedures.

Skills

Historical research methods

Museum collections systems

Written and verbal communication

Project management

Cross-department collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in History or related field

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Collections management software

Digitization workflows

Job description

The Museums of Western Colorado seeks a Director of History & Collections to provide strategic leadership for the institution’s history collections, exhibitions, and public programs. This executive role directs preservation, interpretation, and ethical stewardship in line with AAM standards.

Leading a multidisciplinary team, you will shape long-range plans, supervise staff, manage budgets, and foster community engagement while advancing scholarly research and inclusive storytelling across