Executive Director

Executive Director — Villa Terrace Museum & Gardens

Villa Terrace Museum & Gardens seeks an experienced, mission-driven Executive Director to lead the organization's artistic, operational, and financial future. Housed in a landmark Mediterranean-style villa overlooking Lake Michigan, Villa Terrace combines historic house museum stewardship, decorative arts collections and exhibitions, formal gardens, and public programming. The Executive Director serves as the organization's chief executive, reporting to and working closely with the Board of Directors.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic leadership: Partner with the Board to set and execute the organization's vision, strategic plan, and annual goals.
  • Translate strategic priorities into operating plans, staff assignments, and measurable outcomes.
• Fundraising & development: Lead all fundraising activities, including individual giving, major gifts, grants, sponsorships, and special events.
  • Cultivate and steward donor and funder relationships personally,
  • Identify and pursue grant opportunities (state and federal historic preservation, arts council, foundation).
• Financial management: Own the annual budget, monthly financial monitoring, and long-range financial planning.
  • Work with the Treasurer/Finance Committee and outside accountant on budgeting, cash flow, and audit/990 preparation.
  • Ensure sound internal controls and compliance with nonprofit financial reporting requirements.
• Board relations & governance: Serve as primary staff liaison to the Board and its committees.
  • Support board recruitment, orientation, and engagement; prepare board materials and reporting.
• Collections, exhibitions & programming: Oversee curatorial direction, exhibition planning, and educational/public programming.
  • Ensure appropriate collections care, historic preservation standards, and interpretive quality.
• Operations & facilities: Oversee day-to-day operations, visitor experience, retail/rental revenue, vendor management, and the historic building and gardens.
• Staff leadership: Develop and enhance organization chart, hire, supervise, and develop staff and volunteers; set a positive, accountable organizational culture.
• Community & external relations: Represent Villa Terrace to donors, members, civic and cultural partners, and the television, online, and print media.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree arts/nonprofit administration, museum studies, history, or a related field preferred.
• Proven experience in facility administration, operation, and vendor relationship management.
• Minimum 5–7 years of senior nonprofit leadership experience, ideally in a museum, historic site, or arts/cultural organization.
• Demonstrated fundraising success, including major gift cultivation and grant management.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, financial statement literacy, and board financial reporting.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfort as a public-facing spokesperson.
• Track record of effective board partnership and staff management.
• Experience with historic preservation, collections stewardship, or historic building museum operations is a plus.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications, range: $100,000–$110,000. The Board anticipates an additional performance-based incentive tied to fund-raising milestones, the organization's operational success and/or the active capital improvement projects; structure to be finalized with the selected candidate. Benefits include health insurance, retirement plan participation, paid time off, and professional development support.

To Apply

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to Thomas Roepsch thomasroepsch@tfroepschcpa.com. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; priority given to applications received within the first three weeks of posting.