Paul Revere Memorial - Executive Director

The Paul Revere Memorial Association (PRMA) seeks an Executive Director to lead one of the nation’s most iconic historic house museums and public history organizations as its long-serving, highly esteemed ED prepares to retire. The PRMA operates a nationally recognized, award-winning, AAM-accredited museum campus that focuses the visitor experience on its key asset, the Paul Revere House. PRMA’s mission is to inspire a deeper appreciation for the relevance of American history by sharing the life, legacy, craftsmanship, and iconic home of artisan, businessman, patriot, and citizen Paul Revere. It does so through the research-driven activities of preservation, education, collecting and exhibitions, publications, and public programs as well as mutually supportive community engagement.

The successful candidate will be positioned to build upon PRMA’s extraordinary accomplishments during the last four decades. A few examples illustrate the range of problem-solving involved:

• Purchasing and restoring a neighboring building, creating a campus that expands historic interpretation into the nineteenth century while providing space for education, visitor amenities, a museum shop, offices, and accessibility improvements.

• Building a trusted website that attracted 450,000 unique users in 2025 and extends PRMA’s educational mission worldwide.

• Developing strong community relationships that support educational programming, infrastructure projects, and collaboration with city officials and neighborhood partners.

• Growing the endowment from $175,000 in 1987 to a multi-million-dollar level while purchasing property, expanding operations, and weathering a global pandemic.

• Cultivating relationships that support the institution’s work, from collections research and interpretation to facilities issues and fundraising.

With these challenges successfully addressed, PRMA is positioned to enter its next chapter. The new Executive Director, in partnership with the Board and staff, will focus on several key priorities:

● Leadership During a Period of Historic Visibility and Opportunity: PRMA is commemorating Paul Revere’s Revolutionary War service, the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution (2026–2031), and the 350th anniversary of the Paul Revere House and Boston’s 400th anniversary in 2030. These milestones present opportunities for expanded programming, partnerships, fundraising, and visibility.

● Developing PRMA’s Next Strategic Vision: The organization is preparing for a new phase of long-term planning focused on audience engagement, preservation, climate resilience, campus planning, technology, security, interpretation, fundraising, and partnerships.

● Strengthening Organizational Capacity: While financially stable, PRMA seeks to expand philanthropic support and strengthen operational systems, technology infrastructure, and collections digitization efforts.

● Building on PRMA’s Role within Boston’s Historic and Cultural Community: PRMA seeks to deepen partnerships with Boston National Historical Park, the Freedom Trail Foundation, neighboring historic sites, and community organizations while increasing its visibility as the trusted resource for “all things Paul Revere.”

Responsibilities and Expectations

The Executive Director will be a collaborative, mission-driven leader with experience in museums, historic sites, or public history organizations. The successful candidate will bring strategic judgment, diplomacy, financial acumen, fundraising ability, facilities experience, and a passion for history, preservation, education, and public engagement. Expectations include:

● Provide leadership across preservation, interpretation, operations, finance, advancement, visitor experience, and community engagement.

● Work closely with the Board to support governance, strategic planning, and institutional sustainability.

● Serve as an ambassador for PRMA within Boston’s cultural, educational, tourism, preservation, and civic communities and within the broader museum and public history fields.

● Maintain strong relationships with Boston National Historical Park, the Freedom Trail Foundation, neighborhood organizations, donors, descendants of Paul Revere, and other stakeholders.

● Lead fundraising and external relations efforts, including individual, foundation, corporate, and government support.

● Support and mentor staff while promoting communication, effectiveness, professional development, and shared purpose.

● Oversee the stewardship, preservation, maintenance, and interpretation of PRMA’s historic properties and collections.

● Support exhibitions, educational programs, digital initiatives, publications, and interpretation that engage diverse audiences.

● Ensure sound financial management through budgeting, resource allocation, infrastructure oversight, collections digitization, and long-range planning.

● Advance the museum profession by recognizing challenges, seizing opportunities, and developing creative solutions.

Experience, Skills, and Attributes

● Leadership experience: At least six years of senior leadership experience within a museum, historic site, public history organization, cultural nonprofit, or educational institution.

● Operational and managerial capability: Ability to oversee day-to-day operations while strengthening systems and infrastructure in ways that respect institutional culture and mission.

● Fundraising and relationship development: Experience cultivating support from individuals, foundations, corporations, government agencies, and community partners.

● Financial and business-management skills: Experience managing budgets, earned revenue, financial planning, and organizational resources.

● Facilities and capital project management: Experience working with facilities, contractors, and related professionals.

● Public-facing leadership and communication: Strong communication skills and the ability to represent PRMA effectively with key constituencies.

● Collaborative leadership style: Emotional intelligence, diplomacy, collegiality, accessibility, flexibility, and effectiveness with diverse stakeholders.

● Board and community engagement: Experience working closely with boards, volunteers, and community partners.

● Public history, interpretation, or educational experience: Familiarity with interpretation, exhibitions, educational programming, or visitor engagement.

● Historic preservation and stewardship: Appreciation for historic buildings, collections, and preservation practices.

● Education: A bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is required; a master’s degree is preferred. Additional credentials in history, museum studies, historic preservation, nonprofit management, education, public humanities, or related fields are valued.