An invitation to apply for the position of

Executive Director, Collections and Programs

The Mütter Museum and Historical Medical Library at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Search

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia (the College), home of the Mütter Museum (the Museum) and Historical Medical Library (the Library), seeks a dynamic, innovative, strategic and accomplished leader to serve as the Executive Director of Collections and Programs (Executive Director) at an important juncture in the College’s history.  Reporting to the College’s President & CEO, the Executive Director will provide strategic oversight of collections and educational programming in America’s finest museum of medical history and the College’s Historical Medical Library (the Library). The Executive Director will be an integral part of one of the most revered professional medical organizations in the United States.

Housed in a striking Beaux-Arts building deep in the heart of Philadelphia, the College’s 22^nd Street location was dedicated as a National Historic Landmark in 2002. The Museum displays its beautifully preserved collections of anatomical teaching specimens, models, and medical instruments in a 19th-century “cabinet museum” setting. The College is also home to the Center for Education (the CfE) and The Mütter Research Institute (the MRI) – both significant and integral areas of the College that make it the invaluable, historical resource it is to the medical community and the public audiences it educates and serves.

An experienced museum professional, the Executive Director will help the College tell great human stories of the past, present and future. Through its collections and educational programming, the College will demonstrate and deliver a message of hope that advances in medicine and science will continue to make the medical conditions reflected in the Museum and Library collections things of the past.  This vision will attract and engage the public and the medical community to explore and utilize the College in new and innovative ways.

This is an exciting opportunity to work with a beloved institution to develop a thoughtful and innovative strategy for how the Museum and Library use the collections to further the mission of the College and tell its story to a wider audience. The Executive Director will be an inspiring and engaging change agent who will leverage and expand upon the College’s 250-plus years of success and influence on medical history and education. As a key member of the leadership team, working with the President & CEO and the Museum, Library, and CfE teams, the Executive Director will take on the challenge of creating and implementing a cohesive and comprehensive strategic plan that will guide the next chapter of the Museum and Library and their programming. A superb manager of people and a strong advocate, the Executive Director will break down existing silos and bring together the integral functions of the Museum, Library, and CfE to ensure success and optimal performance as a cohesive team. Capitalizing on the Museum’s international reputation, the Executive Director will also be a leading influence and voice in important conversations surrounding the ethical acquisition and display of medical specimens and artifacts, not only in the Museum, but also in medical collections world-wide.

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia has retained Isaacson, Miller to assist with this search. Confidential inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed to: www.imsearch.com/8490.

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.