What are the responsibilities and job description for the Special Collections Director position at Georgia Historical Society?
The Moran Company is pleased to partner with the Georgia Historical Society to recruit the organization's next Special Collections Director.
The Georgia Historical Society (GHS), the premier independent statewide institution responsible for collecting, examining, and teaching Georgia and American history, seeks an experienced Special Collections Director to oversee its renowned library and archives. This position offers an extraordinary opportunity to lead one of the nation’s oldest and most distinguished historical collections during an exciting era of growth and modernization.
Based in historic Savannah, Georgia, GHS was founded in 1839, making it the oldest continuously operating historical society in the South. It is known nationally for its scholarly rigor, public outreach, and stewardship of a priceless collection documenting more than 300 years of Georgia’s history. With a staff of 20 and an annual operating budget exceeding $5 million, GHS has experienced strong institutional growth in both programmatic impact and organizational capacity.
The successful candidate will be a seasoned professional with archival expertise who thrives in a collaborative, high-performance environment and is motivated by excellence, impact, and mission. Reporting to the Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, the Special Collections Director provides strategic and operational leadership for the GHS Research Center, including its archival, library, and reference services. This senior leadership position ensures that GHS collections are preserved, accessible, and managed to the highest professional standards, and that public service to patrons and researchers is of exceptional quality. The Director supervises the Reference Desk Manager and Senior Archivist, with overall responsibility for a team of approximately six employed staff plus interns, and volunteers.
The ideal candidate will have a Master’s degree in Library Science or Archival Studies from an accredited institution (archival concentration preferred), a minimum 10 years of progressively responsible archival, library, or museum experience, including at least six years directly supervising paid staff, with demonstrated experience managing a major archival program, historical society, or special collections library.
This position is based in Savannah, Georgia (no remote or hybrid option). Very occasional travel may be required. The salary range is expected to be in the $75,000 to $125,000 range annually, commensurate with experience. Benefits include: medical, dental, vision, retirement matching, long-term disability, life insurance, generous vacation and holiday leave, and parental leave.
The search for a new Special Collections Director is being conducted for the Georgia Historical Society by The Moran Company. To apply for this position, submit a cover letter and resume with full employment history in chronological order by month to Steven Byers through the secure online portal on the Moran Company website. For the best opportunity of being considered, please apply by December 19, 2025. Questions may be directed to Steve.Byers (at) MoranCompany.com. APPLY NOW
Salary : $75,000 - $125,000