John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

Boston, MA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

m/Oppenheim Associates is assisting the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in the search for a marketing-savvy Executive Director to position the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum at the center of an interactive worldwide dialogue on President Kennedy’s legacy and the continued significance for our modern world of the ideas, policies and programs that he advanced throughout his life and presidency.

The Executive Director serves as the primary public ambassador of the Foundation, working closely with leaders throughout the greater Boston community while also engaging national and international partners to strengthen the Library, its collections, exhibitions and programs. The Executive Director will provide leadership to a professional and administrative staff of 20; raise and manage a $7M annual budget and expand an endowment currently in excess of $40M; promote and enhance Foundation programs (including the Profile in Courage Award, New Frontier Award, and Profile in Courage Essay Contest); collaborate with National Archives professionals who run the Library and steward the collections; and partner with other educational nonprofits, businesses, foundations and government organizations to position the Library to be what Jacqueline Kennedy described as “…a vital center of education and exchange and thought…”.

The Foundation will have significant opportunities to orchestrate an integrated fundraising campaign as awareness of the Library, its archives and collections builds in 2017, the 100th anniversary of President Kennedy’s birth. A Centennial Exhibition at the Library will explore the ideas, values and accomplishments of the “Thousand Days” of John F. Kennedy’s presidency. Events at the Library surrounding the Centennial will provide a productive new context for engaging the public and donors on how the Presidential Library can bring knowledge of President Kennedy’s legacy to new generations through expanded public programs, exhibitions, online education and social media outreach.

As part of the Centennial effort, the Foundation plans to accelerate the process of digitizing the archives, and will fund, develop, and market new web and internet initiatives that will expand Library audiences. As the Centennial Exhibition draws to a close in the final months of 2018, Foundation and Library staff will integrate some Centennial concept into the Library’s permanent exhibitions, education and public programs.

Your suggestions and nominations are most welcome, and feel free to distribute this note and the position description as you deem appropriate. Key to success will be significant fundraising experience, especially the ability to systematically diversify and increase contributed revenue; an ability to forge ambitious, respectful, productive collaborations with government professionals who operate under their own mission and with particular constraints; and the ability to drive public awareness and embrace with different public and donor constituencies in Boston, nationally and internationally as measured by attendance and social media and website metrics.

For additional information, please contact Mark Oppenheim, Lisa Grossman or Lee Kappelman at info[at]moppenheim[dot]com.

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