Executive Director

ORGANIZATION AND POSITION

The Charles Allis Art Museum (The Allis) is a treasured community asset and gathering place in Milwaukee, WI. The Allis, is a historic home turned cultural gathering space – where art, history, and community come together in ways that feel relevant, accessible, and alive. Located on Milwaukee’s East Side, the museum is entering a new chapter – one that builds on the legacy of Charles and Sarah Allis while reimagining what museums can be today. Today, the Allis enriches Milwaukee’s quality of life by creating opportunities for residents and visitors to experience history, culture, and the arts through contemporary art exhibitions and programming. In many ways, the story of Sarah and Charles Allis is the story of Milwaukee.  It’s one of migrations, industry, and generosity.  As their fortune grew along with the family business, they made provision to serve the community in perpetuity, by bequeathing to Milwaukee a most magnanimous gift: their enormous art collection and their home, which was purpose-built to be a public art museum they dreamed of for the city.  The Allis enriches Milwaukee’s quality of life by creating opportunities for residents and visitors to experience history, culture, and the arts.

The Charles Allis Art Museum is seeking a skilled and mission-driven Executive Director to lead the organization through a critical phase of transition and growth and is essential in supporting long-term sustainability. The Executive Director will focus on maintaining strong operational oversight while supporting the museum’s 2026 priorities in collaboration with the Allis Board. These priorities include funding and financial compliance with Milwaukee County, board development, fundraising, public engagement, and preserving the historic integrity of the Charles Allis property. The next Executive Director will ensure the Allis is becoming a place where: Artists are supported and celebrated, community gathers in meaningful ways, history is experienced, not just observed, and where creativity is accessible to all. They will support our vision of being an unparallelled space that serves artists and the community – a place of collaboration and creativity.

To learn even more about all the exciting happenings at the Charles Allis Art Museum, please visit us at: www.charlesallis.org

RESPONSIBILITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Serve as the public face of the museum, representing the Allis in all external matters including County oversight, reporting, and compliance.
• Lead efforts to meet Milwaukee County funding benchmarks and manage timely submission of all required financial documentation, reports, and project updates.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of a comprehensive annual report to the Milwaukee County Board.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the board and staff, fostering clear communication and accountability.
• Collaborate with board leadership to facilitate recruitment, development, and governance best practices.
• Prepare and present board meeting materials, updates, and strategy sessions.
• Oversee daily museum operations including staffing, exhibitions, facilities, rentals, and events.
• Supervise and support the Collections & Operations Manager and other museum contractors and vendors.
• Ensure compliance with existing County agreements, including insurance coverage, ADA and safety regulations, and public records laws.
• Support board-led fundraising initiatives, including grant writing, donor cultivation, and the annual campaign.
• Track, report, and document all revenue and expenses in alignment with audit and reimbursement standards.
• Re-engage past members and supporters, while expanding outreach to new audiences.
• Support communications and marketing efforts to raise visibility of the mission and progress.
• Cultivate relationships with elected officials, funders, artists, and partner institutions.
• Passionate about community engagement and the arts.
• Highly organized, with excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Collaborative leader with a strong sense of accountability.
• Comfortable balancing short-term deliverables with long-term visioning.
• Passion for the mission and future vision of the Allis.
• Skilled in public speaking and external relations with media, funders, and civic leaders.
• 3+ years of demonstrated leadership experience including organizational management and staff supervision.
• Proven ability to manage budgets, compliance, and government contracts and relationships.
• Prior experience in guiding programs and/or organizations through transition and growth.

COMMITMENTS FROM THE ALLIS

Charles Allis Art Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Service Provider. Our programs, services, and employment are available to all individuals on an equal basis regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability (including those with sight or hearing impairments), marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, arrest or conviction record, the ability to speak English and any other category protected by federal or state law. The Allis Board of Directors and senior leadership staff look toward and support bold exhibition and programming choices that reflect upon and draw attention to critical issues in our society, including racial inequities, gender discrimination, and LGBTQIA+ equality.  We welcome applications from people who identify as members of marginalized groups, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, Asian Immigrants, and LGBTQIA+ people.

Our Values in Action

• Art as a Catalyst – We believe art inspires connection, reflection, and change
• Community First – We create welcoming spaces that reflect Milwaukee’s diversity
• Creative Expression & Growth – We support artists and learners at every stage
• Connection to Place – We honor this historic home while making it relevant today
• Stewardship & Sustainability – We are building a strong, lasting future

The salary range for this leadership role starts at $80K annually.

Please check out our upcoming exhibitions here: www.charlesallis.org/exhibitions/upcoming