Stratford Hall

Director of Research and the duPont Library

Title: Director of Research and The Jessie Ball duPont Memorial Library

Reports to: Vice President

Supervises: part-time library staff (assistant and director emeritus), interns, volunteers

Stratford Hall, a national historic landmark, is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Director of Research & The Jessie Ball duPont Memorial Library reporting to the Vice President of Collections & Public Engagement. This is a full-time, semi-remote position with the flexibility to telework for part of the week and work on-site for the remainder (majority) of the week. Summary: The Director of Research & The duPont Library will oversee Stratford Hall’s archival collections, lead institutional research, and direct library staff, interns, and volunteers. In addition to its reference collection of approximately 8,000 books on American history, biography, architecture, gardening, and the decorative arts, the library holds special collections of more than 4,000 rare books, manuscripts, historic photographs, and the Robert E. Lee Memorial Association institutional archives. The duPont Library, established in 1980, houses the collection and provides research access to scholars and the public as well as program space. The ideal candidate will be someone with broad intellectual interests and a dedication to the unique possibilities for connecting history, people, and ideas at a place like Stratford Hall. The Director will play a leadership role in expanding the scholarly and public programming efforts of the Library, growing outreach and collaborative efforts with academic and museum peers, and enhancing public access through digital and other means.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Research history of Stratford Hall and related sites to support mission and programmatic

• Develop and implement on-site and virtual programs/workshops/fellowships/symposia in support of Strategic Plan priorities.

• Co-direct the Summer Teacher Institute with the Director of Collections and Visitor Engagement.

• Develop and support in-person and virtual content in partnership with the Curator to support exhibitions, tour development, etc.

• Maintain an active research and publication agenda. Publish research articles regularly in external publications and Stratford Hall newsletters, reports, guides, online publications, etc.

• Present research findings and Stratford Hall history both through Stratford Hall programs/presentations and at external organizations, conferences, symposia, etc.

• Plan and implement comprehensive digital cataloguing/inventory effort for archival/manuscript collections.

• Develop and nurture institutional partnerships with peer museums, universities, and community organizations.

• Work to increase the duPont Library’s visibility and expand accessibility to researchers and the public.

• Support site-wide interdepartmental research as needed.

• Support fundraising efforts of the development department (i.e., grant writing, public speaking, special tours, research).

• Manage library staff, interns, and volunteers to support Stratford’s mission. Version 2022-7-6

• Work special/institutional events, across departments, as needed.

• Serve as liaison to Board Collections and Research Committee, as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

• M.A. in a humanities field

• 5 years research experience

• Record of publications

• Public speaking experience

• Passion for and experience with publicly accessible scholarship

• Ability to work collaboratively across departments/disciplines

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in a humanities field

• Significant research, writing, and publications experience

• Community outreach experience

• Engaging and scholarly public speaker

• Grant writing, fundraising experience in support of library/archives/collections projects

• Experience managing digital collections/humanities projects.

• Experience researching, mounting, and promoting exhibits.

• Knowledge of Lee family and Colonial American history

About Us:

Stratford Hall is a National Historic Landmark located in Westmoreland County, VA nestled along the Potomac River. A publicly accessible museum and historic site for over ninety years and home to the only two brothers to have signed the Declaration of Independence, Stratford Hall will leverage the upcoming 250th Anniversary of the birth of our nation to reintroduce our broad and diverse stories to our communities and stakeholders. A model of historic preservation and land conservation, Stratford Hall contributes actively to the Northern Neck community and encourages applications from strategic thinkers committed to joining this collaborative and dynamic leadership team as we undergo a transformative strategic planning process.

What We Offer: Stratford Hall offers a generous benefits package and pays competitive salary for the non-profit sector. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating an inclusive and collaborative culture among our staff, which we believe is critical to advancing our mission. Prospects interested in helping to ensure Stratford Hall remains relevant for future generations and in making a difference at our historic site, in our field, and to our community are encouraged to apply.