Job Description

Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum has retained Tapestry Talent, Search + Consulting to conduct the search for an Executive Director. Applicants will be accepted through late June, 2025.

About the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum

Preserving History for Creative Use Today

Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum (HWT&PM) enjoys international renown as a vibrant working museum, the steward of a significant printing history collection, notably, the world’s largest collection of wood type along with presses and original tools used for making and printing wood type. Located in charming Two Rivers, Wisconsin, on the western shore of Lake Michigan between Milwaukee and Green Bay, HWT&PM stands on the shoulders of the Hamilton Manufacturing Company, established in 1880, once the most prolific wood type and cabinet manufacturer in the US.

Located in a historic former factory on the lakefront, Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum marries history with contemporary letterpress and type design through the display of its vast collection, hands-on teaching, and as the host of the annual Wayzgoose Conference for letterpress printers, font nerds, and printing history lovers to gather and share. Visitors can tour the Museum’s type making equipment, take part in fun classes and events, print from original wood type, and learn about typography and the rich history of American printing. The museum store sells Hamilton-made letterpress posters and newly cut wood type, as well as cards, books, and prints by contemporary artists. Hamilton leads global conversations as part of a dynamic worldwide community, sharing opportunities to learn, study and promote the art of letterpress with similar museums around the world.

With the retirement of the current Executive Director, the HWT&PM is at an exciting time to reimagine how to best interpret its collections in contemporary and multidisciplinary ways. As a working museum where artists, students, and the global community come to explore and engage, Hamilton connects people through the power of letters, language, and graphic arts. With a solid endowment, funding from a variety of corporate sponsors and foundations, and public pride and support from the Two Rivers community, Hamilton is well-poised for growth.

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About the Executive Director Position

The Executive Director will lead a dynamic working museum, in collaboration with committed staff – four full time and several part-time – and volunteers. This experienced museum leader will guide Hamilton in the implementation of its bold strategic vision; the curation and stewardship of a vast and substantive collection; and the fundraising and marketing to grow Hamilton’s presence as a leading voice in the contemporary design and print world. The next Executive Director will be a charismatic, creative leader, representing Hamilton with passion, strategic vision, and strong organizational skills. The Executive Director will report to the Museum’s Board of Directors, engaging them in strategic activities to further an aligned mission and vision. They will ensure the HWT&PM is at the center of global conversations around the preservation and historical relevance of wood type and letterpress printing.

Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications, within a range of $110,000 - $135,000.

Responsibilities

Operational and Strategic Leadership

• Implement Hamilton’s strategic plan that is grounded in welcoming a variety of audiences and visitors to the Museum.
• Plan, coordinate, and direct the Museum operations including finance, collections, exhibits, facilities, HR, and educational and public programming.
• Lead the team with integrity and grace, establishing clear expectations and accountability, seeking professional development for staff, and envisioning an HR structure that plans for key future roles.
• Serve as liaison between Board and staff.

Community Engagement and Visibility

• Direct the overall development of public relations and marketing efforts, coordinating an effective communications plan that continues to raise the profile of the Museum.
• Engage effectively with a wide variety of individuals and groups including Two Rivers local city and community leaders and the broader letterpress and museum communities.

Fundraising and Resource Development

• Serve as chief representative for the Museum. Lead and participate in all facets of development and fundraising, including cultivating relationships for the purposes of acquiring major gifts, planned and annual gifts, grants, and pursuing other forms of financial support.
• Recommend opportunities to grow and develop new revenue streams, including increasing museum memberships.

Collections and Programming Oversight

• Assess, consult, and advise on the management of collections, and on building an infrastructure that supports essential documentation, preservation, and security for all items in the Museum’s care.
• Work closely with the Director of Programs to use the collections and working tools to establish programs and activities in support of the Museum’s mission.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Eight or more years of experience as a strong leader and people manager within a museum setting, ideally with a studio component.
• Demonstrated success in stewarding donors and developing new funding relationships.
• Experience serving as the face of an organization with the community and all types of external stakeholders, strengthening the influence and reputation of an organization through effective marketing, public relations, community relations, and public speaking.
• Experience in cultivating a culture of professionalism within a supportive organizational structure and mission-focused plan.
• Experience building an art-focused institution, including applied knowledge of research, conservation practices, exhibition design, and collections management.
• A Master’s degree in Humanities, History, Non-Profit Management, Arts or Business Administration.
• Ability to travel occasionally to attend conferences or to meet with donors and partners, as needed.

Required Attributes for Success

• Ability to inspire authentic passion for the museum’s mission and history.
• Visionary, strategic, and action-oriented leader with strong implementation skills and a willingness to take thoughtful risk.
• Exceptional communicator with the ability to attract and involve distinctive Museum champions.
• Strong leader and team builder, fostering a culture of professionalism, cooperation, and accountability.
• A good sense for the art and science of fundraising.
• Highly organized, able to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Results-driven with a commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
• Strong interpersonal skills and high EQ.
• A vivid interest in art and industry.
• A positive, creative demeanor, approaching problem solving with curiosity.
• Ability to have hard conversations with diplomacy and candor.
• A roll-up-the-sleeves attitude to work alongside the team.

Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum is an equal opportunity employer.

About Two Rivers, Wisconsin

A city of 12,000 residents on the western shore of Lake Michigan, Two Rivers offers an easy lifestyle, with access to urban amenities in nearby Manitowoc, Appleton, Green Bay and Milwaukee; a charming downtown with no traffic issues, and outdoor access. Once a manufacturing town, Two Rivers now is a must-see harbor town along the Wisconsin shoreline route of the Ice Age Trail and to Door County, with treasures such as the Hamiton Wood Type & Printing Museum, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, great fishing, beautiful beaches, and many opportunities to hike, bike and paddle. Quality of life is high, with affordable housing, good schools, and an energized downtown. More at: Explore Two Rivers | Two Rivers Wisconsin

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