Director of Archaeology

Company: The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Job Title: Director of Archaeology
Department: Collections, Conservation, and Museums

Position Reports To: Vice President, Collections, Conservation, and Museums

PRIMARY FUNCTION:
Directs the Foundation’s Department of Archaeology, comprised of an active field archaeology program, curatorial research and interpretation, preservation and management of artefactual and environmental collections, public educational programs, and publications. In conjunction with divisional leadership: establishes departmental priorities; develops and manages short- and long-range departmental plans; develops and manages staff, budgets and resources; participates in fundraising and donor stewardship; and develops a strong public profile/presence for all facets of the Foundation’s archaeology program.

WORK TO BE PERFORMED:

Administration
Establishes departmental procedures, priorities, and goals for: stewardship of archaeological resources on all Foundation-owned properties; management of the Foundation’s field archaeology program; standards and goals for curatorial research and interpretation; management of the archaeological collection (60+ million artifacts and environmental specimens); and development and implementation of public programs.

Oversees the operations of the archaeology department including staff hiring, training, goal setting, performance development, and execution of corrective actions when necessary, following established Foundation policies and procedures. Facilitates productive working relationships.

Oversees the work of staff archaeologists, participates in decisions about site/research projects, ensures that fieldwork and report writing are executed to the highest professional standards, and ensures that archaeological elements of multi-divisional undertakings are coordinated and completed on time.

Oversees the work of archaeological collections curators and ensures collections are properly researched, analyzed, managed, and preserved in accordance with Foundation policy and professional standards. Coordinates conservation priorities with the conservator of archaeological materials.

Oversees the department’s public programming, including the development and implementation of field schools, youth and adult public programs, publications, and other learning opportunities as sponsored by the Foundation.

Budget and Equipment
Prepares and manages the departmental operating and capital budgets in concert with division priorities, providing routine status reports. Approves expenditures and purchases for the department. Monitors all expenditures to ensure that they are accurate and current. Stewards donor- and grant-funded departmental expenditures.

Oversees acquisition and care of materials, equipment, and facilities (Archaeological Collections Building and Packet’s Court Collections Storage Facility) used by the department.

Professional Profile
Develops professional relationships with colleagues at other institutions to stay abreast of current directions in scholarship in order to ensure the Foundation’s archaeology program is vibrant and nationally recognized.
Develops a strong public profile for the department by representing the Foundation at professional meetings, conferences, and other outreach opportunities as funding allows.

Develops strong relationships with donors and constantly monitors stewardship of relevant donor relationships.

Serves on appropriate Foundation and Division committees.

Sits on the Senior Management Team for the Collections, Conservation and Museums Division.

Undertakes other tasks and assignments as appropriate.

SUPERVISION TO BE EXERCISED:

Direct: General supervision of staff archaeologists and curators of the archaeological artifact and environmental collections.

Indirect: Associate and assistant curators, laboratory and field technicians, research fellows, interns, and volunteers.

DIRECTION RECEIVED:
Direct: General supervision from the Vice President for Collections, Conservation, and Museums.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Must have demonstrated broad knowledge of historical archaeology, encompassing field work, curation and interpretation of collections, collections preservation and management, and European-American material culture; must be a nationally recognized leader in his/her field; must have superior research and writing skills with a proven track record of definitive, highly regarded and published research; must have outstanding skills as a public speaker and/or teacher; must have supervisory and administrative experience managing archaeological programs.

The above generally gained through a four-year degree in anthropology, archaeology, history or a closely related field plus at least ten years archaeological, curatorial, research, and/or related experience.

Preferred Qualifications:
Graduate degree(s) in anthropology, archaeology, or closely related field and fifteen or more years of archaeological, curatorial, research, and/or related experience.

How to Apply:
Please visit our website at:
http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org