Museum Manager - Exhibitions

Salary: See Position Description
Location : Wilmington, NC
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 202600163
Department: CAPE FEAR MUSEUM
Opening Date: 06/16/2026
Closing Date: 7/15/2026 11:59 PM Eastern


Position Information
New Hanover County is seeking an experienced Museum Manager of Exhibitions to join our team at Cape Fear Museum of History and Science. This role serves as the museum's lead project manager for traveling exhibitions, onsite exhibition development and major initiatives relating to Market Street campus and is the onsite operations manager for this site.

Reporting to the Museum Director, the Museum Manager of Exhibitions provides strategic leadership and project management for the Research, Collections, Design & Fabrication team, ensuring adherence to professional museum standards and best practices while supervising staff in support of the Exhibitions unit's mission and goals. The Manager also works collaboratively with the County Facilities Management, Parks and Gardens, Museum leadership & staff, consultants, and contractors to oversee planning, implementation, scheduling, prioritization, and operational coordination for complex capital and operational projects. This includes the current initiative to renovate and repurpose the museum's Market Street facility into a hub for collections housing, research, exhibit design, and fabrication operations.

Essential Duties include: Leadership & Strategic Managemen t

• Provide leadership for the Exhibitions Unit by developing long-range goals, strategic priorities, operational plans, and budgets to accomplish museum objectives.
• Serve as the primary manager supervising the Research, Collections and Design & Fabrication team, including prioritizing and assigning work, conducting performance evaluations, ensuring staff training and professional development, and making hiring, disciplinary, and termination recommendations.
• Facilitate museum-wide communication regarding Exhibition unit mission, priorities, goals, project timelines, and operational needs.
• Provide strategic direction to the team members responsible for collections stewardship, exhibition development, collections access, research initiatives, fabrication operations, and facility utilization.
• Collaborate with other museum units to support institutional strategic planning, accreditation readiness, operational coordination, and public engagement initiatives.
• Serve as spokesperson and advocate for the operational, staffing, facility, and project needs of the Exhibition Unit.

Project & Facility Management

• Serve as the museum's lead project manager for in-house exhibition development, traveling exhibitions, and facility renovation, repurposing, and operational transition projects associated with the Market Street campus.
• Coordinate planning, scheduling, implementation, and operational oversight for exhibition projects, renovation and repurposing of the facility into a hub for collections housing, research, exhibit design, and fabrication, and coordinate maintenance requests.
• Work collaboratively with the Museum leadership, County Facilities Management, County Parks and Gardens, consultants, contractors, architects, engineers, and museum staff to implement facility improvement and capital projects.
• Oversee project timelines, deliverables, budgets, procurement coordination, contractor performance, and operational readiness for assigned projects.
• Coordinate facilities maintenance operations with New Hanover County Facilities Management, County Parks & Gardens, and museum staff to maintain building appearance, operational functionality, collections stewardship needs, and life safety.
• Perform field inspections of Market Street campus to ensure collections spaces, fabrication areas, and operational systems meet museum standards and project requirements, and work with Grace Street Operations Manager to ensure the same for collections and exhibitions at Grace Street.
• Manage operational coordination for collections storage improvements, fabrication spaces, research areas, and exhibit support functions.
• Assist in implementation of Capital Improvement Projects and other strategic facility initiatives.
• Serve as onsite operations manager for the Market Street facility and coordinate daily operational needs associated with collections, exhibitions, fabrication, and research functions.

Research, Collections, Design & Fabrication

• Manage the exhibition planning process for both in-house and traveling exhibit programs - establish exhibition priorities, schedules, workflows, and resource allocation across the Exhibitions Unit.
• Support team members in the research, development, production, installation, maintenance, and evaluation of temporary, permanent, traveling, digital, and pop-up exhibitions.
• Collaborate with museum staff, community partners, scholars, and consultants to develop exhibitions that support the Museum's mission and strategic priorities.
• Support the Historian and Science Content Developer in strategic research initiatives, programming and community outreach
• Support the Museum Design Coordinator in managing exhibition project timelines, budgets, fabrication schedules, contractor coordination, and installation logistics, and outreach initiatives.
• Support Curator to develop and implement long-range collections stewardship and collections storage plans in accordance with professional museum standards and best practices.

Financial & Administrative Management

• Develop and manage departmental and grant budgets related to collections, exhibitions, research library, projects, facilities, and operations.
• Review invoices, approve expenditures, coordinate procurement activities, and monitor project budgets to ensure sound fiscal management and compliance with County procedures and grant requirements.
• Prepare reports, project updates, budget summaries, grant materials, and operational documentation as required.
• Recommend, write, review, and administer grants supporting collections management, exhibitions, facility initiatives, and strategic projects.
• Manage contracting process for Exhibition Unit needs with County Contract Management process and purchasing requirements.

Community & Professional Engagement

• Work with donors, scholars, community partners, contractors, and colleagues internally and externally to support stewardship, research, exhibitions, and public engagement initiatives.
• Attend relevant public events and represent the museum in public speaking engagements, professional forums, media appearances, and community meetings.
• Maintain professional partnerships and collaborative relationships with museums, lenders, contractors, consultants, and community organizations.

Emergency Preparedness & Additional Duties

• Develop, implement, and maintain policies and procedures governing disaster preparedness and emergency response related to collections, exhibitions, fabrication operations, and facilities in collaboration with museum leadership and County staff.
• Ensure staff are trained in emergency preparedness, collections response, safety procedures, and operational protocols.
• Provide competent leadership in routine and emergency situations.
• Perform work during emergency and disaster situations.
• Serve as weekend Staff Duty and Manager on Call at either campus on assigned rotation.
• Support Museum educational programming and development events as needed.
• Performs work with regular and predictable attendance consistently meeting the scheduling needs as required by the county.
• Performs work during emergency/disaster situations.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

New Hanover County is dedicated to the recruitment and recognition of a talented and diverse workforce that is committed to public service. Our shared values of professionalism, innovation, equity, integrity, stewardship and accountability guide the way we conduct ourselves and deliver services to our customers. New Hanover County celebrates diversity in our employees' backgrounds, beliefs, identities, and abilities, while supporting growth opportunities for all. Our talented team has a passion for providing care and services that effect change on the everyday lives of the citizens they encounter. The differences that unite us are a reflection of the community we serve. If this sounds like an organization that models the values you uphold, we invite you to join our team at New Hanover County.


Hours: Typical schedule is Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. Evening, weekend, holiday, and onsite project oversight work will be required as needed.
Must be available to report for emergency work assignment during emergency situations.


Employment Type: Full-time, exempt


Salary Information: The hiring range for this position is $68,495 - $92,468 annually, plus a competitive benefits package. Salary will be determined based on qualifications, internal equity, budget, and market considerations.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:
Master's Degree in Project Management, Museum Administration Management, Public Administration or related field; and seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in project management, exhibitions management, facility operations, collections management, or related museum leadership work; or an equivalent combination of training and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the position.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience managing complex museum capital projects, facility renovations, or major operational transitions.
• Experience working with County or municipal facilities management processes.
• Experience administering contracts, procurement processes, and project budgets.
• Knowledge of AAM standards, collections care, and museum facility requirements.
• Grant writing and project funding experience.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
• Strong project management, organizational leadership, budgeting, and operational planning skills.
• Knowledge of capital project coordination, contractor oversight, procurement, and facilities operations.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously and establish strategic priorities.
• Ability to supervise, mentor, and support staff in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively with County staff, contractors, consultants, donors, scholars, and community partners.
• Knowledge of museum operations.
• Skilled in preparing reports, project documentation, and grant materials.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Licenses/Certifications

REQUIRED:

• Valid Driver's License (from any state) and good driving record required at time of application.
• Valid North Carolina Driver's License required by first date of employment with good driving record.

Other Information

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions
Work is performed in museum office, galleries, collections storage, fabrication, Museum park, and construction/renovation environments and may require lifting, climbing, standing, walking, bending, and movement of materials and exhibit components consistent with museum operations and project management activities.

Applicant Information:
After the closing date for this position, applications will be screened by Human Resources. Applicants referred to the department will receive an email requesting important information pertinent to the position applied for. All updates regarding an application can be viewed through your applicant portal.

In compliance with G.S. 153A-94.2(b), if this position requires an applicant for employment to work with children in any capacity, the county must require the applicant to undergo a criminal history record check conducted by the SBI for all offers of employment made after October 1, 2025. These checks must be performed in accordance with G.S. 143B-1209.26, which authorizes the SBI to provide fingerprint-based state and national criminal record checks to cities and counties. Additional information on how to complete this required check will be provided to the selected candidate after an offer of employment is accepted.


New Hanover County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
New Hanover County offers a competitive benefits package designed to encourage and support your health, well-being and productivity to include

• Employer paid 401k deferred compensation contributions (5% for sworn law enforcement and 2.5% for all other benefits eligible positions);
• Retirement plan through the NC Retirement system;
• Paid sick and personal leave + 13 paid holidays per year;
• Paid parental leave;
• Paid community services leave to give back to our community;
• Education leave to obtain a degree within your line of work;
• Medical, dental, vision insurance + many other insurance options;
• Employee assistance program;
• 100% employer paid long term disability;
• Onsite, employer-paid health and wellness center which includes a nurse practitioner and physical therapist;
• Professional development trainings & leadership initiatives;
• Opportunities to make a difference in your community;
• And so much more!

Benefit options for eligible positions include medical, dental, elective supplemental insurance options including short-term disability, vision, flexible spending accounts, voluntary term life, cancer, accident, and critical illness policies. Employees who elect medical and dental insurance within the specified timelines provided during on-boarding, will have coverage effective on their date of hire. For more information about New Hanover County benefit options, including our benefit rates, please click


Please check out our careers page at for more information on why New Hanover County is a great place to work.
Note: All positions listed as temporary, casual part time, volunteer, and intern are not eligible to receive benefits. P art-time position with fewer than 20 scheduled hours per week will not include benefits.
01


Do you have a Master's Degree in Project Management, Museum Administration Management, Public Administration or a related field?

• Yes
• No

02


If you indicated you have a Master's Degree in a related field, what is the degree and how is it related?
03


Indicate your years of progressively responsible work experience in project management, exhibitions management, facility operations, collections management, or related museum leadership work.

• No work experience
• Less than 3 years work experience
• 3 years but fewer than 7 years work experience
• 7 years or more work experience

04


How many years of experience do you have supervising paid staff?

• No supervisory experience
• 1 year but fewer than 2
• 2 years but fewer than 3
• 3 years or greater

05


Do you have a valid North Carolina Driver's license?

• Yes
• No

06


Are you eligible to obtain a NC Driver's License?

• Yes
• No
• n/a - already have NC DL

07


Have you had your driver's license suspended or revoked for any reason in the last three years?

• Yes
• No

08


Have you had 2 or more driving violation tickets in the previous 12 months or 3 or more in the previous 25 months? Please note: Answering yes to this question will not automatically disqualify you from consideration for the position.

• Yes
• No

Required Question