Director (Chief Executive Officer) | Directrice ou directeur (présidente-directrice générale ou président-directeur général)

For more than 60 years Vancouver Maritime Museum (VMM) has been sharing stories about maritime heritage in British Columbia and the Canadian Arctic that reflect a diverse range of voices. Its mission is to be a centre for dialogue, research, expression, and experience regarding the maritime heritage of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans and its vision is to be a world class maritime museum and heritage centre. It strives to build a shared sense of belonging within its community by inspiring visitors to appreciate the profound relationship between humans and the sea.
VMM is nestled in Vanier Park in the Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver, an ancestral fishing ground known as Sen̓áḵw to the Squamish Nation. Strengthening its connections with First Nations communities, VMM offers activities curated by First Nations representatives, through workshops, collecting, and collaborations with First Nations and other cultural institutions. The museum is committed to highlighting a greater diversity of stories reflecting Indigenous coastal communities and people from diverse west coast cultures, pro-actively seeking out and documenting the maritime heritage of the future.
Selected in 2020 by The Georgia Straight as one of the top museums in Vancouver, VMM tells the stories of the people, vessels, and diverse maritime heritage of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans. It seeks to build partnerships with interested organizations to engage its diverse community, stakeholders, and visitors with inclusive educational and experiential events. VMM conforms to the highest ethical, industry, and fiduciary standards to ensure that the trust and confidence of the community, individuals, institutions, and maritime industry are maintained and nurtured. As the primary repository for maritime history on the west coast of Canada, VMM houses more than 15,000 artifacts, a significant portion of which is owned by the City of Vancouver but managed, preserved, curated, and exhibited by the non-profit Vancouver Maritime Museum Society. Built principally on cultural and scientific artifact donations, VMM holdings reflect the region’s maritime history drawn from European, Asian, North American, and Indigenous sources. Programs cover a vast range of marine-related topics, including shipwrecks, lighthouses and steamship lines, coastal trade, deep-ocean exploration, and the interaction of coastal communities with the sea. McCann Archives, named for the VMM’s late Curator Emeritus, consists of archival materials related to vessels, shipping companies, and maritime personalities. The collections exist in a variety of formats, including 60 metres of processed textual records, approximately 125,000 photographs, 2,700 ship plans, and maps and charts dating from 1892 to the present day. The Archives is accompanied by a library, which houses more than 12,000 books related to maritime history and education. Among VMM’s most visited permanent exhibits is the National Historic Site, St. Outdoor displays include the NASA undersea research vessel Ben Franklin and the boiler of the Beaver , the first steamship in the Pacific Northwest. The museum hosts extensive galleries of model ships, a Children’s Maritime Discovery Centre, a re-creation of the forecastle of Captain Vancouver’s ship Discovery , and an extensive collection of maritime art that reflects local historic and contemporary artists.
In 2019, VMM served more than 70,000 participants through a wide range of public programs, school programs, and outreach, including workshops, lectures, book readings, tours, and other events. School programs and educational outreach resources reached more than 6,000 students and adults. The Museum Shop specializes in maritime books, models, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police souvenirs. With one of the best views in town, the museum has a robust rental program for corporate and private events. The VMM regularly participates in and partners with community events such as Divers’ Weekend, Richmond Maritime Festival, Heritage Harbour, and Riverfest.
Led by Board Chair Peter Bernard, the VMM board of trustees are from diverse parts of the community representing areas of archeology, public relations, communications, First Nations, naval architecture, shipbuilding, legal, government, education, and port management. The resilience of VMM’s staff, volunteers, and board members in the face of COVID resulted in membership growth and balanced 2020 financial results.
Community
It was designated a City of Reconciliation on July 8, 2014, with a view to form a sustained relationship of mutual respect and understanding with local First Nations and the Urban Indigenous Community. The City of Vancouver has committed to a new culture plan, Culture/Shift, to transform how arts and culture are integrated into every facet of the city and the decisions that shape it in ways that equitably reflect its diversity. Coupled with a renewed master plan for the city’s parks, VanPlay, Vancouver is poised to benefit from abundant opportunities for inclusion and access. MacMillan Space Centre, Museum of Vancouver, Vancouver Academy of Music, and the summer Shakespeare festival, Bard on the Beach.
Hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics launched Vancouver into international renown as a world class city. It is consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world, celebrated for its striking natural beauty and easy access to beaches, mountains, and the great outdoors. This diversity contributes to a thriving art, theatre, and music scene. Arts and culture aficionados can enjoy a multitude of events, including the Vancouver International Film Festival, Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Vancouver Folk Music Festival, and Festival d’été francophone de Vancouver. The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival presents theatre, dance, music, and multimedia performances by Canadian and international artists. The city is also home to more than 50 professional theatre companies that host acclaimed operas, musical performances, and Broadway shows, as well as numerous museums, galleries, and visual art organizations.
Both Condé Nast Traveler and Food & Wine magazines recently named Vancouver as one of the world’s best food cities. Local and exotic fresh ingredients and seafood that reflect the area’s varied cultures are readily found in many local farmers’ markets and at the Granville Island Public Market. For students seeking careers in film and television, the Vancouver Film School provides world-class training and hands-on production experience. The city is also a popular filming location.
The Executive Director will be a transformative champion for VMM’s exhibition, educational, and program offerings while elevating its stature as a destination for and within Vancouver. This individual will have exceptional business acumen in seeking first to understand the diverse communities VMM serves and then being a visible leader in guiding VMM to its next level of growth in service to its audiences. Committed to advancing reconciliation, equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism for all people, the Executive Director will act as a liaison between the city, First Nations communities, tourism agencies, and a multitude of distinct yet interrelated public, private, and government stakeholder groups. As VMM’s lead fundraiser in advancing its mission, vision, and values, the Executive Director will partner with and report to the board of trustees in driving their effectiveness in governance, policy making, and community ambassadorship. They will collaborate with the board and staff to drive financial support that results in dynamic and accessible exhibitions, collections, and facilities. Strategic and Community Leadership
Develop mutually beneficial strategic partnerships and actively engage in building a deeper sense of community with civic and public leaders, educational and community organizations, and non-profit partners, including the Parks board and organizations that share Vanier Park.
and ensuring the origins of all items in the collection.
Collaborate with diverse communities to determine appropriate ways to design, deliver, evaluate, and reinvent programs and services.
Oversee an effective communication strategy that includes a strong digital presence, social media, press releases, newsletters, and other communication tools to promote the museum’s exhibitions, programs, and special events.
Explore needs, feasibility, and aspirations for new facilities.
Exemplify a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of the VMM, including in its strategy, programs, education, community, governance, and otherwise.
Demonstrate a staunch commitment to the values of inclusion, diversity, equity, respectful workplace behaviour, and access.
Perform other strategic and community leadership responsibilities as needed.
Advance active stewardship and cultivation of individual, foundation, and corporate supporters and champion new voices that focus on organizational diversity and community priorities.
Grow membership programs and audience participation through proactive community engagement, effective marketing, and meaningful in-person and digital communication.
Drive diversified contributed revenue streams with the Development team to attract support from foundation prospects, corporate sponsors, and special event entities.
Embrace new earned revenue opportunities through an array of activities that increase brand awareness, on-site visitation, and international participation.
Lead a museum-wide commitment to fund the implementation of growing information technology initiatives that include resources for the digitization of the collection, donor management databases, and accessible online streaming, and on-demand programs.
Serve as an effective partner to the board’s policy-making role by researching and recommending best practices, procedures, and plans that lead the organization to the successful implementation of board decisions.
Support board prospect identification, cultivation, and recruitment activities that result in a diverse and engaged group that actively serve as community ambassadors.
Partner with the Board Chair to bring and model best practices in equity, diversity, inclusion, and respectful workplace behaviour in all aspects of the VMM, including with the staff and board, and develop action plans that implement those policies and practices.
Provide overall management and supervision to the museum staff, set performance goals and objectives, and encourage staff’s creativity and professional development.
Ensure a workplace environment that fosters employee engagement, satisfaction, and a high level of professional performance.
Mentor an experienced and committed team of volunteers and professionals who deliver VMM’s high-quality mission expected by audiences, communities, and creators alike.
Monitor the budget throughout the year, present monthly and periodic reports to the finance committee, and develop appropriate internal controls related to all financial matters.
Establish financial and operational policies with appropriate checks and balances between departments and with the board.
Direct the use of capital and operating funds and identify needs for facilities, equipment, technology, and operations.
Ensure that the necessary organizational structure, policies, system controls, and procedures are in place and regularly reviewed for effectiveness.
Participate in museum and maritime industry meetings, share and implement current best practices, and ensure best practices and standards with staff.
The Executive Director will have a passion for maritime history and relevance as an inspiring, genuine, and resourceful leader who values teamwork and collaboration with others. Motivated by an effective use of time and resources, the Executive Director will bring a balance of interpersonal skills and understanding of multiple viewpoints. Versatile, flexible, and tenacious, this individual will be an intellectually curious, innovative, and receptive to new ideas. The Executive Director embodies respect for diversity and fosters social inclusion in a respectful, accessible, and meaningful way.
Planning, Organization, and Priority Management – The ingenuity to collaboratively establish strategic goals while assessing risks, organizing activities, and operationalizing priorities to meet or exceed mutually agreed upon expectations.
A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) and a minimum of seven years of senior management expertise are required. Experience serving on or working with a board, supervising senior staff, managing a budget, and expanding revenue opportunities is needed. A passion for and knowledge about maritime culture, history, and communities is expected. International candidates will be considered but Canadians and those who are currently eligible to work in Canada are preferred.
VMM offers competitive compensation, anticipated in the range of $120,000 to $140,000, plus benefits that include extended health and dental insurance, life insurance, and vacation time. The employee may participate in the Vancouver Employee Pension Plan after one year of service, which currently contributes 9.Vancouver offers a high-quality work-life balance in a dynamic multicultural city that is surrounded by stunning natural beauty and abundant recreational opportunities.
Vancouver Maritime Museum Society is an equal opportunity employer and values a society that respects diversity and fosters social inclusion. VMM seeks to work with diverse communities in ways that each community identifies as respectful, inclusive, accessible, and meaningful.