The San Juan County Museum Association is seeking an Executive Director for the Salmon Ruins Museum

The San Juan County Museum Association (501c3) is seeking to fill the position of Executive Director to manage the Salmon Ruins Museum and its affiliated components. The Association manages the Salmon Ruins Museum under a lease agreement with San Juan County, New Mexico. The Executive Director works under the general guidance of a 15-member Board of Directors and carries out the Board’s approved policies and instructions related to the Association’s mission statement for the conservation, preservation, and education of the prehistory, history, and cultural resources of the Four Corners Region.

The Executive Director (ED) of the San Juan County Archaeological Research Center and Library at Salmon Ruins, aka Salmon Ruins Museum, has the responsibility for the Association’s role of lessee of the Salmon Ruins facility and compliance with regulations related to the Association’s nonprofit (501c3) status. The selected candidate will be responsible for the preservation and maintenance of the National Register Property of the Salmon Ruins and the New Mexico State Register Property of the Salmon
Homestead Complex as well as the curation, conservation, and security of the Salmon Ruins and other museum and library collections. As Chief Executive Officer and operational head of the facility, the ED is responsible for hiring and performance evaluations of employees; supervision of staff; administration of budgets, accounts payable, and revenues; marketing and tourism programs; legislative and public relations with an emphasis on development, fund-raising, and long-term planning; compliance with approved policies and regulatory mandates; and strengthening community and regional support. The ED serves as the contracting officer and enters into contractual obligations on behalf of the Association. The selected candidate will be responsible for implementing Board of Directors policies and is fiscally accountable to the Board for proper management and expenditure of funds. This person will prepare an annual operating budget for Board approval and present an annual management report at the Association’s annual meeting.

Funding for the museum operations and the Association’s activities is achieved through several means including museum admissions, gift shop sales, donations, grants, fund-raising events, and income derived from the in-house cultural resource management firm (below). Two internal subdivisions of the Association include the Division of Conservation Archaeology (DCA) and the Northwest New Mexico Site Stewards Program. DCA is an archaeological consulting firm staffed by professional archaeologists. This contract program is the primary revenue mechanism for the organization as a whole. With the proper background and credentials, the selected candidate may work directly with the staff archaeologists and participate in fieldwork as necessary beyond administrative and contractual duties. The Northwest New Mexico Site Stewards Program is a volunteer initiative involving local community members who monitor and patrol remote archaeological sites to deter looting and vandalism. This program is funded through grants and donations as they become available.

Strong communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills, and supervisory and administrative experience are required. The scope of the position requires occasional evening work as well as out-of-town travel. The annual salary for the position is approximately $65,000.

Recommended Qualifications for the Executive Director

1. Bachelor’s degree or higher in a discipline related to the mission and function of the Association (MA or PhD in anthropology/archaeology, museum management, or nonprofit operations preferred).
2. 6+ years of experience in Southwest archaeology or 6+ years in museum experience or nonprofit management.
3. Experience in cultural resource management suggested.
4. Experience in building collaborative relationships with communities, government agencies, and the
private business sector.
5. Record of successfully identifying and developing grants and Requests for Proposals.

To apply for the Executive Director position please send 1) a one- or two-page letter of intent and 2) a resume including four references with contact information via US Mail to:
Larry L. Baker
Salmon Ruins Museum
PO Box 125
Bloomfield, NM 87413
OR
Email in PDF format to:
sreducation@sisna.com
Subject: Executive Director Search Committee
Review of applications will begin on September 15, 2023.
The position will remain open until filled.