Executive Director, Museums of Tolerance - Los Angeles, United States - Korn Ferry Executive Search

Description

Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) is a global Jewish human rights organization that confronts anti-Semitism and hate, defends the safety of Israel and Jews worldwide, and teaches the lessons of the Holocaust through awareness, advocacy, justice, education, and its Museums of Tolerance. With a constituency of over 400,000 member families since its founding in 1977, the SWC has an international footprint through its Museums of Tolerance, Moriah Films, and the Digital Terrorism + Hate Project.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, it maintains operations in New York, Chicago, Miami, Toronto, Paris, Berlin, Jerusalem, and Buenos Aires. It is an accredited Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) at the United Nations, UNESCO, the Organization of American States, the Latin American Parliament, and the Council of Europe and maintains relationships with the highest levels of governments throughout the world.

In 1993, the Center opened the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles to worldwide acclaim. The Museum has served as the Center's flagship educational arm, challenging visitors to confront bigotry and racism, and to understand the Holocaust in both historic and contemporary contexts.

In addition, the Center developed Moriah Films to produce theatrical documentaries to educate global audiences. Moriah has produced 17 documentaries to date, two of which have received the Academy Award for best feature documentary, The Long Way Home and Genocide.

Museums of Tolerance - Los Angeles and Mobile Museums

• The Museum has served over 7 million visitors with 350,000 visiting annually, including 100,000 students this year alone, who will participate in a three-hour Museum visit and lesson. Over 3 million children and youth have participated in the Museum experience and its programs. Over 200,000 adults have been trained in the Museum's customized, professional development programs which include Tools for Tolerance, Teaching Steps to Tolerance, Task Force Against Hate, National Institute Against Hate Crimes, Tools for Tolerance for Teens, and Bridging the Gap. The Tools for Tolerance program has served over 150,000 law enforcement and criminal justice professionals from throughout California, across the United States, and around the world, and this year will provide professional training to over 10,000 police professionals. The Museum's educator professional development programs support school communities in California, around the US, and across the world in advancing anti-bias and social justice education, inclusion, and equity. The Mobile Museums of Tolerance is a newly launched network of traveling mobile education center utilizing innovative technology and interactive lessons to bring a message of tolerance directly to communities across the State of Illinois, empowering visitors to combat anti-Semitism, bullying, racism, hate, and intolerance and to promote human dignity. By the end of 2024, a fleet of six new mobile museums will be launched in New York, Florida, California, and Hawaii.

Moriah Films

• Moriah Films is the two-time Academy Award-winning film division of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. It has produced 18 documentaries that have examined the tragedy of the Holocaust, seminal events in modern Jewish history, the creation of the State of Israel and the lives of epic personalities of the 20th and 21st centuries. Moriah Films' in-house production studio is a state-of-the-art film, video, and sound editing facility using the latest and most cutting-edge technology available in the industry. Over one billion people around the globe have seen Moriah's films, including Oscar winners Genocide and The Long Way Home, in theaters, on cable, and on every major streaming platform. Moriah Films is currently completing its newest documentary which will be released this year on David Ben-Gurion.

At the end of 2023, Jim Berk was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and tasked with succeeding the organization's Founder, Rabbi Marvin Hier. He has embarked on a multi-faced re-envisioning to reinforce the organization's founding principles of advocacy, justice, education, and tolerance, as the organization looks to aggressively expand existing programs and launch new initiatives. For the past 25 years, Mr. Berk has served as CEO of several global companies and has an extensive background running entertainment, leisure, education, and social impact companies. He also has a proven track record in building dynamic leadership teams and creating successful growth companies.

For more information about Simon Wiesenthal Center's history, please visit:

The Executive Director of the Museums of Tolerance (MOT and MMOT) is a highly visible role that will serve as the pinnacle staff member of the Museum and play a critical role in the strategic development and success of Simon Wiesenthal Center. This individual is responsible for leading and managing the Museum, its exhibits, programs, as well as engagement with stakeholders and the community in Los Angeles and beyond. The Executive Director of the MOT oversees a team currently comprised of executives in Educational Development, Education Programming, Grant Development and Management, Archive and Preservation, Operations, Security, Marketing, Events and Mobile Museums of Tolerance.

This leader, working with the support of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), is responsible for creating the overall development vision, strategies, and metrics for the Museums and their expansion in both its physical footprint, exhibit offerings, educational curriculum, and domestic and international expansion. They will work closely with the CEO and CMO to develop opportunities for development of gifts, grants, and new sources of revenue. They will have a creative and entrepreneur spirit that is unafraid to be bold and innovative in positioning the Museum as the heartbeat of the Los Angeles Jewish community, a source of creative inspiration and storytelling, an educational institution, and a place for groups to gather to talk, learn, listen, and grow.

As the primary spokesperson for the Museum, the Executive Director will possess drive, commitment, and passion for MOT's mission. They will have a desire to build upon the human rights laboratory and education center that has been dedicated to challenging visitors to understand the Holocaust in both historic and contemporary contexts, and confront all forms of prejudice and discrimination in our world since its opening in 1993.

The Executive Director will be an invaluable member of a passionate and dynamic team dedicated to making a significant impact within the global Jewish and secular communities. The Executive Director understands Jewish community, and the institution's mission to use the Jewish experience as a basis to fight for all marginalized communities and hate.

The Executive Director will work closely with the CEO and the senior management team as they develop a bold strategic plan for the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and have a voice in the entire organization's key decisions as a member of the CEO's senior leadership team, which will be comprised of . f dynamic andinnovative thought partners.

Key Responsibilities

Specific duties and responsibilities of the role include, but are not limited to, the following:

Program Development and Management

• Oversee all aspects of the Museum including operations, programming, exhibit development, educational programming, visitor services, retail operations, special events. Build, re-envision, and expand donor relations, development, and staff.
• Provide knowledge, scholarship, and industry stature to maintain and enhance the programs of MOT.
• Maintain and grow MOT's collaboration with other leading museums in the industry.
• Encourage scholarly activity to strengthen MOT's profile amongst other leading Jewish heritage museums and organizations with extensive educational outreach.
• Strengthen existing programming across youth development, teacher resources, lifelong learning, professional development, and the annual speaker series.
• Create in-person and digital programs to further MOT's impact within the Los Angeles and national community.
• Enhance MOT's programming within the broader Simon Wiesenthal Center strategic planning processes.
• Identify needs and develop training programs and events to expand staff capacity.
• Develop new opportunities for the Museum(s) to be used during evenings and other times when the facility is not in full use.
• Work with the CEO to identify and develop bold new initiatives to increase impact and raise the profile of the museum as a convening center and a safe place for collaboration.

Executive Leadership

• Provide leadership as the Museum looks to innovate and expand while still respecting MOT's history and past success.
• Evaluate existing personnel and organization to determine the best structure to provide best-in-class operations and implementation of programs.
• Recruit, retain, and motivate the Museum team by developing a positive culture and ensuring opportunities for career growth.
• In conjunction with the Chief Executive Officer and other Simon Wiesenthal Center leadership, work collaboratively with the SWC Board of Directors and it's MOT Trustees committee.
• Further MOT's commitment to social justice and advocacy, through partnership with the Executive Vice President of Social Justice and Advocacy and other Simon Wiesenthal Center leadership.
• Work with the Chief Development Officer at Simon Wiesenthal Center to identify and support new opportunities to drive revenue for the Museum's current operations and expansion.
• Work collaboratively with SWC divisional leadership to collaborate on storytelling, new programming, content creation, and new opportunities outside the Museum to enhance the Museum's impact and reputation.
• Work with the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Simon Wiesenthal Center to create strategic plans and annual budgets for MOT.
• Lead and determine the best organizational structure and leadership team to motivate and manage a full-time staff of 50+ and hundreds of volunteers.

Fundraising and External Engagement

• Further existing and develop new relationships in the Jewish community and within Los Angeles and the United States.
• Collaborate with Simon Wiesenthal Center development leaders on a fundraising strategic plan to expand institutional revenue and the museum's impact nationwide.
• Diversify MOT revenue sources into major gifts, planned giving, corporate sponsorship, and other related opportunities.
• Expand existing and create new partnerships with local and national museums, non-profits, educational institutions, and corporations to increase MOT visibility.
• Leverage domestic and international partnerships to increase the annual visitation of MOT by educators, corporations, and first responders.

Experience and Professional Qualifications

The MOT seeks a strategic, dedicated, and enthusiastic executive who values MOT's commitment to prevent hatred and genocide from occurring to any group now and in the future. Given MOT's acclaim from national and international leaders, the ideal candidate will have respect for its prior accolades and a vision for its future growth and development.

The Executive Director of MOT will possess proven leadership in related museum, education, or non-profit roles, a passion for fundraising, a desire to further strengthen the image of the museum, and an engaging personality to serve as its primary representative.

Other desired qualifications and leadership characteristics include:

• Ten plus (10+) years of executive leadership experience in roles of increasing seniority.
• Exceptional fundraising experience across individual, corporate and foundation, and ideally, planned giving.
• A willingness to partner with Simon Wiesenthal Center staff for development and strategic initiatives impacting the MOT.
• A desire to strategize and collaborate with Simon Wiesenthal Center staff and non-executive leadership.
• Excellent communication skills, including written, verbal, and interpersonal.
• Experience serving as an external spokesperson, outlining institutional vision, mission, and priorities to a variety of key stakeholders.
• Robust budgetary management experience to effectively oversee the resources of MOT.
• Prior experience working within a Holocaust or Jewish heritage museum preferred.
• A bachelor's degree in a relevant field from an accredited institution is required. A master's or advanced degree in Holocaust Studies, Museum Administration, History, Art, or related field preferred.

Personal Attributes

The Executive Director, MOT demonstrates:

• A strong set of positive and guiding core values and principles, and a commitment to and passion for the mission of MOT and The Simon Wiesenthal Center.
• An entrepreneurial spirit and business savvy to make decisions effectively and grow MOT's impact.
• Personal ethics and a commitment to personal and organizational transparency.
• A growth focused mindset with a desire to help implement successful fundraising strategies across individual, corporate, foundation, planned, and grassroots development initiatives.
• Charismatic leadership with a desire to build a high functioning, innovative, and growth-focused museum team.
• A desire to serve as a catalyst for positive change within SWC.
• A collaborate operating style who believes we are more effective working together in alignment and understands the value of listening to those below as much as those above.
• Willingness to make foundational changes to build a best-in-class development group.
• Genuine interest in forming a partnership with the CEO as a critical member of the executive team.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center offers a competitive annual salary range of $300,000 to $350,000 based on experience and qualifications.

Korn Ferry shall provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified candidates, and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected basis.