Job Description

The Nebraska State Historical Society (NSHS) seeks an experienced and collaborative leader to serve as Director of Collections & Conservation. This role provides strategic, administrative, and professional leadership for all collections and conservation functions, ensuring alignment with NSHS’s mission as a statewide educational and cultural institution. The Director works closely with agency leadership and across departments to advance institutional priorities, address public needs, and guide the long-term stewardship and accessibility of Nebraska’s historical resources.

Look at what we have to offer!
• 13 paid holidays
• Vacation and sick leave that begin accruing immediately
• Military leave
• 156% (that’s not a typo!) state-matched retirement
• Tuition reimbursement (Depending on Agency Budget)
• Employee assistance program
• 79% employer paid health insurance plans
• Dental and vision insurance plans
• Employer-paid $20,000 life insurance policy
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) through the Federal government
• Wide variety and availability of career advancement as the largest and most diverse employer in the State
• Opportunity to be part of meaningful work and make a difference through public service
• Training and Development based on your career aspirations
• Fun, inviting teammates
• A safe and secure environment
At the State, we stand by our core values of treating others with dignity and respect, acting ethically in all situations, and creating an environment where our customer is our top priority. Apply to join our team today!

Leadership, Administration, and Professional Representation

• Provides leadership and administrative oversight for all NSHS Collections & Conservation activities, including: reference and research services; archives and library collections; 3D object and archeological collections; digitization and digital access; and Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center operations.
• Plans, assigns, supervises, and evaluates the work of professional staff, fostering their development and encouraging collaboration across departments.
• Ensures fiscal responsibility and strategic alignment of departmental activities through budgeting, planning, and prioritization in collaboration with the NSHS Finance team.
• Develops short- and long-range plans that balance public access, responsible stewardship, and improvements to staffing, systems, and infrastructure that support sustainable operations.
• Participates as a key member of the agency’s leadership team, contributing to organization-wide strategic planning, resource allocation, and cross-department collaboration to advance NSHS’s mission.
• Acts as a subject matter expert on collections and conservation, providing technical guidance to agency leadership, staff, partners, and the public; advocates for collections priorities and represents NSHS in agency planning efforts, professional forums, and public engagements.

Public Access and Use

• Provides oversight and support for in-person and online research services, digitization, and digital access to ensure collections are accessible, well-documented, and appropriately managed.
• Ensures departmental work supports safe public access, exhibitions, and research use across NSHS facilities and platforms.

Collections Stewardship and Conservation

• Provides direction and oversight for the physical, intellectual, and legal stewardship of collections, including collections care, environmental monitoring, security, inventory, and rights management.
• Directs accessioning, processing, appraisal, collecting, and deaccessioning activities in accordance with institutional policies, professional standards, and applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
• Oversees conservation operations and infrastructure through supervision of the Conservation Center Manager.

Projects, Partnerships and Institutional Support

• Provides leadership for collections-related projects and partnerships across NSHS, including exhibits, loans, active collecting, public programs, and collections care initiatives.
• Collaborates with internal teams to support exhibitions, interpretation, education, and site-based stewardship.
• Ensures compliance with institutional requirements related to collections accountability and records retention.

Planning, Grants, and Capacity Development

• Identifies and oversees grant- and contract-funded projects; ensures required documentation and reporting are completed.
• Leads planning efforts to address backlogs and expand access as resources allow.
• Advises agency leadership on long-term stewardship risks, facility needs, and collections-related policies.
  Other duties as assigned within the scope of classification.

Requirements / Qualifications:

Preferred Qualifications: Advanced degree (Master’s or higher) in a relevant field, or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience. Experience overseeing multiple functional areas such as archives, libraries, museum collections, digitization, or conservation. Personnel management, grant development, and project management experience. Experience working within a public-sector, nonprofit, or statewide cultural institution. Familiarity with collections management systems and digital asset platforms.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in history, historic preservation, public/business administration or other field related to area of responsibility including: American studies, architecture, archeology, anthropology, archival studies, historic preservation, library science, museum studies or related field AND two years’ experience in cultural resource management; OR a Master’s degree in any of the above-mentioned fields. Experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of professional standards and best practices for collections stewardship, archives, libraries, digitization, and conservation.
• Knowledge of applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and policies related to collections and cultural resources.
• Ability and desire to lead, supervise, mentor, and evaluate professional staff.
• Strong organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance competing priorities.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical information to diverse audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external partners.
• Willingness and ability to adapt to evolving technologies, systems, and professional practices.

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