*Director of the Botanic Garden*
Smith College, the largest independent women’s college in the U.S., seeks a Director of its Botanic Garden. The Director reports to the Provost and Dean of Faculty, ensuring the full integration of this celebrated living collection with the College’s liberal arts mission of teaching, learning, and research. The Botanic Garden, with a national and international reputation, is a premier garden among college and university gardens. The accredited Campus Arboretum, the Lyman Conservatory, the Systematics Garden and the Rock Garden are extraordinary assets, encompassing well-documented and biologically diverse collections that serve students and researchers around the globe. Situated in an Olmsted-designed arboretum, the Botanic Garden hosts a rich learning and research ecosystem, welcoming an increasingly diverse community of users engaged in botany, horticulture, and landscape studies. The director heads a staff of 14 with an annual budget of ~$1.2m. The new Director will join Smith at a propitious moment. With an endowment of $1.7B, Smith is financially strong and committed to expanding the curricular impact of its unique collections. The new Director will be a key partner with faculty and staff in advancing botanical and environmental literacy among students and the public, fostering student research, and leading plant conservation efforts. New opportunities for collaboration among Smith’s three unique college collections – the Museum, Library and Botanic Garden – are a key focus of Smith’s strategic plan. As the college embarks on the centerpiece of its capital plan over the next five years – the redesign of Neilson library by the renowned designer Maya Lin – the Director will play an important role in campus landscape planning. The new Director will be responsible for the leadership, care and management of the Botanic Garden as an integral part of the mission of the college. This will require careful oversight of the primary operations of the botanic garden, which include: improvement and maintenance of the living collections as an instructional garden; public programming, education and outreach; and ancillary teaching and research activities in the area of botany, horticulture and landscape studies. *DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES* *Management & Administration:* Manage the operations of the living collections in a manner that enhances the scientific value and beauty of the campus. Cultivate strong relationships across the college, including with academic departments and other users of the collections and facilities including the Department of Biological Sciences, the Landscape Studies Program, the Department of Education, the Center for Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability (CEEDS), the Environmental Science and Policy Program, the Art Department and others. Develop and maintain strong working relationships with professional botanic gardens within and outside the US. Serve on appropriate campus committees. Manage the budget and endowed funds of the Botanic Garden. Partner with Development and Alumnae Affairs in communicating the campus strategic vision and goals, fundraising, and general outreach. *Academics*: Establish and maintain strong collaborative relationships with Smith faculty to ensure that the botanic garden resources meet their research and teaching needs. Create an inclusive learning environment for students. Facilitate access to the living collections by outside researchers and academic collaborators. At the discretion of the Provost and by agreement with the academic unit(s) involved, the position may involve teaching, mentoring student projects, curricular collaboration, and research, within an academic department appropriate to expertise, on a flexible basis. *OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES* · Lead the continuing evolution of a living collection integrated in an academic institution, including creating a new strategic plan that looks toward the next half-century of interdisciplinary work the botanic garden will foster · Cultivate a culture of positive change and collaboration during a period of transformation · Forge strong partnerships within and outside of Smith, making the botanic garden an interdisciplinary crossroads and world-wide destination for a broad community of scholars and students *QUALIFICATIONS * The Director of the Botanic Garden will be an accomplished and creative leader, committed to the mission of a women’s college. The successful candidate will bring many of the following talents to this work: · Professional knowledge of botany and horticulture, landscape design and historic preservation – as well as the administration and maintenance of living botanical collections. · At least five years of proven operational leadership in a complex organizational setting, including the effective management of fiscal, human, and physical resources; ability to continually assess Botanic Garden programming to enhance its support for teaching, learning, and research at Smith. · Minimum qualifications include a master’s degree in a discipline appropriate to the leadership of a Botanic Garden in a research-intensive environment. · The ability to be an engaging and thoughtful spokesperson for the future of the Botanic Garden and the college’s role in shaping this future with internal and external partners. · A lively intellect and comfort with working in a fast paced environment; a record of innovation and creativity achieved by working collaboratively with others. · Resilience and stamina for the tasks at hand; personal equanimity in dealing with a broad spectrum of personalities; a positive outlook and a good sense of humor. · Demonstrated expertise in working with diverse communities including first-generation, multiethnic, and multilingual students and staff as well as alumnae, donors, visitors and others. · A successful history of staff recruitment, development, and team building, including a demonstrated commitment to building and supporting a diverse staff. · A history of writing and communicating well to varied audiences in person, in print, and across varied media. *APPLICATIONS MAY BE DIRECTED to * *https://smithcollege.hiretouch.com/job-details?jobID=36474&job=ad0153-director-of-botanic-garden* <https://smithcollege.hiretouch.com/job-details?jobID=36474&job=ad0153-director-of-botanic-garden> *Smith College is an EO/AA/Vet/Disability employer encouraging excellence through diversity. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.* -- Serena Harris HR Specialist/AA Officer Smith College Human Resources 413-585-2289 shar...@smith.edu [image: Facebook icon] Smith College HR Facebook page <https://www.facebook.com/smithcollegehr> [image: Twitter icon] @SmithCollegeHR <https://twitter.com/SmithCollegeHR>
