Vice President,Collections and Interpretation

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Chicago, IL, US

1 Attachments

30+ days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $ To $ Annually

Position:
Vice President, Collections and Interpretation

Reports to:

Chicago History Museum’s Edgar

D. and Deborah R. Jannotta President & CEO

Location:

1601 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60614

The Opportunity:

As Vice President, Collections & Interpretation at the Chicago History Museum, you will define what stories the museum tells, what it preserves, and how those stories are experienced by the public. This is a newly created role with a clear mandate to reimagine how a major urban history museum reflects, engages, and serves its city.

You will lead the museum’s collections and interpretation strategy by expanding representation, modernizing how collections are managed and accessed, and advancing the museum’s digital transformation to make content more discoverable and engaging for audiences on-site as well as beyond. You will bring research and historical expertise to life through experiences that are dynamic, inclusive, and relevant to Chicago today.

This role is equal parts cultural leadership and operational transformation. You will build and lead high-performing teams, strengthen community connections, and develop a modern, digitally enabled collections ecosystem that unlocks the full value of the museum’s assets. Your work will ensure Chicago’s stories are not only preserved, but activated, making them more resonant and impactful for a broad and diverse public.

• Build teams, systems, and operational infrastructure that sustainably support Collections, Research & Access, Curation & Exhibitions, and Education.
• Bring deep expertise in collections stewardship and interpretation, with the ability to set strategy across acquisition, preservation, access, and exhibition.
• Lead digital and operational modernization efforts that expand access to collections and enhance how audiences engage with the museum on-site and beyond.
• Partner closely with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team as a service-oriented leader, anticipating needs, removing barriers, and enabling peers to succeed.
• Act as a strategic catalyst who inspires, mentors, and empowers colleagues across disciplines to take shared ownership of ambitious goals.
• Combine creative risk-taking with disciplined managerial rigor by setting clear priorities, implementing measurable plans, and driving accountable execution.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for the Chicago History Museum, building relationships with scholars, cultural leaders, and communities across Chicago.
• Center equity, access, and public impact in decision‑making, ensuring the museum’s work reflects and serves Chicago’s diverse communities.

The Chicago History Museum (CHM) serves as a primary destination for learning, inspiration, and civic engagement, connecting people to Chicago’s history and to one another. This mission underpins CHM’s exhibitions, educational initiatives, community-responsive programs, partnerships, research and access services, and collecting activities that serve communities across Chicago.

Founded in 1856 (originally the Chicago Historical Society), the Chicago History Museum (CHM) is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected urban history institutions. After a major renovation and strategic repositioning, CHM adopted its current name in 2006. The Museum stewards more than 23 million artifacts, documents, photographs, and published materials that together form one of the most significant national and regional history…