Director, Research, History and Cultural Expression

We are looking for a Director, Research, History and Cultural Expression
The  Director, Research, History and Cultural Expression  provides strategic and operational leadership for the Museum’s research and curatorial activities in history and cultural expression, including areas such as sports and leisure. The incumbent will lead the planning, development, and implementation of research initiatives, ensuring alignment with the Museum’s mandate, corporate priorities, and scholarly standards.

The primary objectives are to advance impactful research; foster innovation and research excellence; ensure effective dissemination of research through exhibitions, publications, and public programming related to Contemporary Canada and the world; and contribute to enterprise-wide strategy, policy development, and organizational performance as a member of the senior management team.

What we are looking for

Commitment and Engagement

Collaboration and Cooperation

Innovation and Change

Strategic Thinking

Accountable Management.

Qualifications

Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in historical research, curatorial practice, cultural studies, or a related scholarly or cultural heritage field, including responsibility for complex research initiatives and public-facing interpretation.

Minimum of five (5) years of experience in a senior management or leadership role, with accountability for setting strategic direction, managing through subordinate managers or supervisors, and overseeing multidisciplinary professional teams.

Demonstrated experience building and sustaining relationships with academic institutions, cultural organizations, and other partners, including managing diverse perspectives and navigating issues related to representation, interpretation, and public engagement.

Experience leading the dissemination of research through exhibitions, publications, and public programming, with a focus on contemporary and/or globally contextualized themes.

Experience providing strategic advice to senior executives and contributing to organizational policy, planning, and governance in a complex, public sector or cultural institution environment.

Knowledge of

Research methodologies, curatorial practice, and cultural heritage scholarship, including interdisciplinary approaches used in history, cultural studies, and related fields such as sports, leisure, and contemporary cultural expression.

Museological and curatorial standards and governance, including research design, exhibition development, collections stewardship, and public interpretation within a national museum context.

Ethical frameworks and best practices in research and interpretation, including responsible scholarship, cultural sensitivity, and inclusive and community-informed approaches to knowledge production and dissemination.

The Museum’s mandate, strategic priorities, governance framework, and public trust responsibilities.
Canadian legal, policy, and ethical requirements affecting cultural heritage research, collections stewardship, intellectual property, and public dissemination of research.

Emerging trends, challenges, and best practices in museology, historical research, and cultural interpretation, including developments in public institutions in Canada and internationally.

Museum operations, including collections management, publishing, research dissemination, and exhibition development in a national and international context.

Principles and practices of public sector administration, including financial and human resource management in a unionized environment.

Canadian history and heritage, and an understanding of diverse cultural expressions, identities, and narratives shaping Contemporary Canada and global perspectives.

Relevant…