Whitney Plantation is the only plantation museum in Louisiana with an exclusive interpretive focus on slavery. The museum is a 501(c)3 with a mission to educate the public about the history and legacies of slavery in the United States. Located on the site of a former sugar, rice and indigo plantation in St. John the Baptist Parish, Whitney Plantation maintains 14 original buildings that form the core of the Whitney Plantation Historic District. Through memorials, artwork, exhibits and tours, Whitney Plantation helps the public understand the present day by educating them about the past.
Whitney Plantation opened to the public in December 2014 and is still a growing organization. Since opening, the museum has greeted over 400,000 people. In 2019, the museum’s visitation was 106,000. Though the coronavirus pandemic has caused a downturn in visitation, Whitney Plantation is still poised for dramatic growth in the coming years. Visitors to the museum come from all over the world – 20% are international – and from around the United States. Staff, visitors and board members are ethnically and racially diverse, and the greatest share of visitors are young adults in the 18-44 age bracket.
About the Position
The Director of Historic Preservation and Facilities will serve as a key member of the museum’s leadership team, reporting to the Executive Director. This position has no direct reports. This is a new position at the organization, and the first Director of Historic Preservation and Facilities will be instrumental in setting standards of maintenance, preservation and restoration of the buildings on site. In the first year, a significant amount of time will be spent assisting with repair of structures that were damaged in Hurricane Ida, as well as performing historically appropriate restorations of buildings that can be added to the interpretive experience for visitors. The DHPF will represent the needs and requirements of Whitney Plantation to outside planners who will create a campus-wide master plan and interpretive plan in 2022-2023.
- Create and carry out a plan for preventive maintenance for all buildings on the site. This includes historical buildings on the National Register of Historic Places; relocated historical buildings and new builds.
- Adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for historic preservation in any repair, maintenance or restoration work • Maintain a relationship with the SHPO; advise the Executive Director on relevant tax credits, grant opportunities and partnerships
- Serve as point person for relevant consultants in architectural and interpretive planning; advocate for and execute proper restoration of buildings
- For emergency preparedness, ensure the site is properly secured for hurricane season
- Serve as the point person for facilities contacts, including HVAC technicians, electricians, plumbers, and fire and security companies. •
- Ensure regular maintenance and inspections are performed on campus-wide HVAC units, electronic gate, fire extinguishers, generators, and fire-prevention systems.
- Ensure the museum is in compliance with all local laws and regulations as they pertain to facilities. This includes pulling permits for construction as necessary; coordinating regular inspections of the fire hydrants, fire extinguishers and alarm systems on site
- Serve as main site contact for any outside construction or preservation contractors; ensure work is held to highest standard; review contracts with the Executive Director
- Develop strategic partnerships with universities and museums in the area.
This is a 40 hour per week job with a flexible schedule. Some after-hours work and weekends will be necessary, especially in the case of an emergency. This employee will be expected to respond after-hours to alarm calls and facilities emergencies. Significant experience with historic preservation projects, knowledge of SOI standards, and carpentry skills are a requirement of this job. Knowledge about historic preservation statutes and best practices is a requirement of this position; an educational background in preservation is advantageous but not a requirement. This is a physically demanding job that will require the employee to work outdoors, frequently work with their hands, and lift or move up to 50 pounds.
A 2 bedroom, 1 bath house is available on site as housing for the Director of Historic Preservation and Facilities.
Please submit a cover letter and resume for consideration to Ashley Rogers, Executive Director:
arogers@whitneyplantation.org