Interim Executive Director

The 5/14 Memorial Commission was established in the fall of 2022 by Governor Kathy Hochul and former Mayor Byron W. Brown to plan a memorial that honors the lives lost and the lives impacted by the racially-motivated mass shooting that took place at the Jefferson Avenue Tops Friendly Markets on May 14th, 2022. The commission consists of residents, local artists, faith-based leaders, business leaders, and family members of those whose lives were lost and were impacted by the mass shooting.

5/14 Memorial Commission’s Mission Statement

“The mission of the 5/14 Memorial Commission is to respectfully develop a living and lasting memorial that will honor the survivors and the lives lost during the racially motivated mass shooting in East Buffalo. The living memorial will embrace the wishes of the families, honor the legacies of their loved ones, reflect the wishes of those who lived through the experience, and provide ongoing transparency and comfort to members of the community.”

Work Objective:

This individual will be responsible for building the framework for overseeing the start-up of the organizational and operational aspects of the Buffalo 5/14 Permanent Memorial and Museum, as well as the building and implementation of a strategic plan to ensure the monument fulfills its purpose as a living memorial to the victims of the 5/14 in perpetuity. This position reports to the Buffalo 5/14 Memorial Commission and its strategic partners.

Essential Functions:

The list of essential functions is intended to be representative of the duties and responsibilities expected of the individual appointed to fill this position. The list is not exhaustive, and the omission of an essential function does not preclude the applicant from fulfilling logically similar duties at a later date.

• Provides the Buffalo 5/14 Memorial Commission with vision and leadership for the institution’s development and success.
• Manages all grant writing, donor communications, and gift/grant management.
• Establishes and oversees all financial and program budgeting.
• Conceptualizes a plan for maintenance, display, and general welfare of the memorial, including interior and exterior elements, in accordance with the highest professional standards.
• Works with the Buffalo 5/14 Memorial Commission to develop a diverse schedule of activities and programming to engage and educate the public, with an emphasis of school-aged children, to the memorial’s mission.
• Oversees the creation of informational materials including newsletters, website, social media, and press releases to establish a presence and raise awareness for the memorial.
• Serves as a spokesperson and advocate of the museum (in addition to members of the Board of Directors and the Public); effectively represents the institution to community, professional, and governmental partners.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Buffalo 5/14 Memorial Commission.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Expert level knowledge of museum management, with an emphasis on preserving the memory of a specific event, movement, or person(s).
• Experience facilitating and guiding fundraising initiatives and capital improvement campaigns.
• Demonstrated experience supervising a staff and/or volunteers.
• Excellent managerial, planning, organizational and administrative skills; strong interpersonal and written/oral communication skills; high level of presentation, negotiation, problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to proactively seek out relevant grant programs and prepare submissions at the discretion of the Buffalo 5/14 Memorial Commission Board of Directors.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Residency must be established within 90 days of starting date of employment.
• A bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 5 years of leadership experience in not-for-profit management is required.
• Experience in museum management, history, curatorship, or closely related fields is preferred.