Job Opening Title:
Executive Director of the Bibliographical Society of America
Name of Employer:
The Bibliographical Society of America
Job Site Location (City AND State):
Remote
Application Deadline:
October 10
Minimum Degree Requirement:
BA
Years of experience required:
5 years
Salary Range:
$75,000-90,000
Job Opening URL:
https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/program/BSAExecutiveDirector2025
Job Description (if URL to posting not available). Include instructions for how to apply.:
The Bibliographical Society of America (BSA) seeks qualified applicants for the position of Executive Director. This is a full-time position that will provide dynamic leadership to one of the country’s oldest and most important humanistic societies.
Applicants are encouraged to join us for a virtual information session on Tuesday 23 September at 3pm Eastern. This will be an opportunity to hear from the search committee directly, including a live Q&A. Please use the link below to register.
Register for the Info Session on 23 September: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_53oKjY-3Q92MIgRVQYnfIQ#/registration
Summary
Working in collaboration with the organization’s elected Council, a sixteen-member body which includes the officers and three classes of four members each, the Executive Director of the Bibliographical Society of America plays a leadership role by proposing, developing, and implementing policies and programs addressing the present and future needs of a community of bibliographical scholars and by administering the Society’s business. The Executive Director reports to the President of the BSA and works closely with the executive officers in the ongoing governance of the Society. The Executive Director advances the broad interests of the Society and its members, endowing this community with vision and purpose.
The ideal candidate for this role is a globally-minded, collaborative leader who is able to articulate a vision for the sustainable growth of the Society. The BSA serves a broad, interdisciplinary membership and is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. The BSA Executive Director must be able to work with a wide range of individuals, including but not exclusive to students, scholars, librarians and archivists, book artists and museum professionals, book sellers and collectors, and donors.
Compensation: $75,000-$90,000, depending on qualifications and experience, plus retirement and health benefits, three weeks paid vacation to start, 13 paid holidays, and 18 paid sick days.
Responsibilities and Job Duties
Coordinates the Society’s activities, including working with the Events Committee and chairs to organize in-person and online events–significantly–the organization of the Annual Meeting.
Engages in donor stewardship, development, and fundraising activities, often in partnership with the President and Treasurer
Oversees the Society’s finances by working closely with the Treasurer and Audit and Investments Committees, including the proper and timely filing of IRS returns and audit reports
Facilitates the work of the Society’s committees, ensuring proper communications and deadline support
Coordinates with editors on maintenance and promotion of the Society’s scholarly journal.
Maintains smooth transitions in the Society’s governance during change-overs in elected and appointed positions
Promotes active engagement with membership, including supporting the Events and Membership Committees, providing clear and timely communication to the membership at-large, and updating the Society’s website
Manages relationships with related scholarly societies and organizations, both national and international
Supervises a part-time administrative assistant, including ensuring regular updating of BSA policies, procedures, and documentation.
Intermittent travel, not limited to representing the Society at significant academic/bibliographic events, including major US rare book fairs
Qualifications
Required
A bachelor’s degree
At least 5 years of experience in organizational administration, including budgeting, events management, and project planning and evaluation
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
Preferred
Graduate-level degree in a related discipline (e.g. History, Literature, Art History, Library Science, etc.) or experience in the governance of a learned society, non-profit, or higher education organization dedicated to the humanities
Experience with fundraising activities, including donor stewardship
About the Organization
Established in 1904 and incorporated in 1927, the Bibliographical Society of America is an international, interdisciplinary scholarly organization that fosters the study of books and other textual artifacts in traditional and emerging formats. BSA pursues this mission by hosting public programs, funding scholarly research, conferring awards, issuing publications, and collaborating with related organizations. The Society is committed to adopting policies and procedures that support and promote equity and inclusion in all of our programs, and to providing equal access to our events and electronic resources to people with disabilities and other access needs.
The BSA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and a member of the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), governed by a board (the “Council”). Member-led committees oversee many aspects of BSA’s programs. The Society publishes the Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America, a peer-reviewed scholarly journal issued quarterly. For more information about the BSA, please visit our website: https://bibsocamer.org/.
Application Instructions ↑
Applications should be submitted in either MS Word or PDF format and should include:
A cover letter addressing the candidate’s interest in the role, qualifications, and experiences advocating for the humanities
A C.V.
A list of three professional references
Archives Gig 