Job Listing: Assistant Director (Virginia Quilt Museum)

Title: Assistant Director

Employee Classification: Full-Time, exempt

Reports to: Executive Director

Salary Range: $40,000 – $42,000

Location: On-site at The Virginia Quilt Museum in Dayton, Virginia

Travel: 0-10%, primarily in Virginia, occasional regional travel required

Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm are the expected work hours, some flexibility for evening events is needed. Evening events are planned well in advance.

About The Virginia Quilt Museum
The Virginia Quilt Museum (VQM) is the only museum dedicated to quilting in the Mid-Atlantic region. The museum’s mission is to cultivate and preserve the quilting arts in Virginia. The Virginia Quilt Museum’s goal is to inspire and engage a diverse community by building and preserving quilt collections, sharing historical and contemporary exhibitions, and providing education opportunities for all ages. VQM has a permanent collection of 300 plus quilts, over 60 sewing machines, and welcomes over 6,000 visitors each year. The museum has two floors of exhibition space and rotates exhibitions three to four times a year. Along with exhibitions the museum hosts both in-person and virtual programs and events. In 2026 the museum will participate in the semiquincentennial of the American Revolution with a six month exhibition Stitching Together History: 250 Quilts Commemorating the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Position Summary

The Virginia Quilt Museum is seeking an Assistant Director to manage the day to day running of the Museum. This position will manage the museum’s gift shop, manage programs and events, run the volunteer program, coordinate group tours, and assist with development activities. This role requires a creative and strategic thinker with outstanding organizational skills, strong interpersonal instincts, and an ability to thrive in a small but very active working environment.

The ideal candidate is tech-savvy, detail-oriented, excels at customer service, and is comfortable working with little supervision. This person must be comfortable interacting with visitors of all ages along with working with staff, volunteers, and Board members. The successful candidate is able to think critically, and must be approachable, enthusiastic, and able to multitask and prioritize effectively.

Key Responsibilities

Program & Event Management- 25%

• Works closely with the Executive Director and Boards members to select and develop programs for the museum
• Handles all administrative aspects of programs including creating registration forms, adding programs to VQM website, and coordinating advertising with VQM’s marketing firm
• Communicates with speakers and teachers to schedule programs
• Is the point of contact for visitors with questions about programs
• Tracks programs registration
• Ensures that classroom is setup and ready for programs and events

Gift Shop Management - 20%

• Places orders for inventory from vendors and consignors
• Researches new inventory and evaluates sales trends
• Prices items and stocks gift shop
  • Seasonally changes gift shop displays
• Packages and ships all online shop orders
• Communicates with consignment artists on a routine basis

Volunteer Management - 20%

• Recruits and supervises volunteers, work study students, and community service volunteers
• Schedules volunteers and fills in at front desk or gift shop when volunteers are not available
• Trains volunteers and keeps volunteers up-to-date on museum happenings
• Maintains and updates written training materials as necessary including monthly docent notes

Development  - 15%

• Enters memberships and gifts into Little Green Light database
• Prints and mails acknowledgement letters and membership cards weekly
• Assists Executive Director with writing and updating appeal and acknowledgment letters

Schedules Group Tours - 10%

• Respond to all requests for group tours and presentations
• Schedules staff and/or volunteers for tours and presentations
• Completes contract with group and makes sure payment is completed

Administrative and Miscellaneous Tasks - 10%  

• Keep museum stocked in all supplies including office supplies, exhibition items, paper products, and cleaning supplies
• Update museum website with new programs, exhibitions, and events
• Assists with exhibition changes

Qualifications

• 2-3 years experience working in a museum, historical site, library, or other related field
• College degree preferred, preferably in history, textiles, women’s studies, or other related fields
• Management experience preferred
• Comfortable with Microsoft Office products, Google workspace, project management platforms, and fundraising databases
• Outstanding communication and public speaking skills
• Excellent organizational skills and aptitude in problem-solving
• Impeccable attention to detail
• Interest in quilting, fiber arts, and women’s history

The physical demands of this position include being able to lift 40 pounds, climb ladders, climb stairs, and stand for up to one hour at a time.

Benefits

• A reimbursable $300 a month stipend for qualified medical expenses
• Week between Christmas and New Years off as paid time off
• 3 additional weeks of paid time off
• 2 weeks of sick time

To apply please send a resume and cover letter to director@vaquiltmuseum.org with the subject line Assistant Director. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with an anticipated start date of March or April of 2026.

Research shows that women and people from underrepresented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for this role. If you have customer service experience, an interest in quilts or textiles,  and much of this job description intrigues you, then please apply for this position.