Description

The Virgin Islands Museum of Art (VIMA) seeks an accomplished, entrepreneurial leader to serve as its founding Executive Director. Located in the heart of historic Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, VIMA represents one of the Caribbean's most ambitious new cultural initiatives. Supported by the nonprofit Charles M. Kim Virgin Islands Foundation, the new museum is being created as a dynamic center for art, education, and community engagement that will celebrate the creativity and cultural heritage of the Virgin Islands while connecting the islands to the broader artistic world.

The Executive Director will have the rare opportunity to guide every aspect of the institution's development, from refining its vision and completing a landmark capital project to building an outstanding staff, cultivating philanthropic support, and establishing a museum that will enrich the lives of residents and visitors for generations to come.

The Virgin Islands Museum of Art

The Virgin Islands Museum of Art (VIMA) is an ambitious new non-collecting art institution established in the heart of historic Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. VIMA is envisioned as a vibrant cultural gathering place that celebrates the artistic and cultural heritage of the U.S. Virgin Islands, creating meaningful connections among contemporary artists and artistic practice in the Virgin Islands, the Caribbean, and the international art world. Operating as a kunsthalle with changing exhibitions, educational programs, public events, and community partnerships, the Museum will use art as a lens through which to explore the traditions, history, and cultural life of the Virgin Islands. VIMA will introduce residents and visitors to exceptional works of art and ideas from beyond the Caribbean, creating a cultural destination that is both locally rooted and globally connected.

VIMA is an initiative of the Charles M. Kim Virgin Islands Foundation (CMKVI Foundation), a nonprofit organization established to support arts, education, and cultural preservation in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Charles Kim, whose family has longstanding ties to St. Thomas, is an entrepreneur, investor, and noted art collector who has expressed a desire to give back to the community that has played such an important role in his family's history by creating a permanent cultural institution that will benefit residents and visitors alike.

The Museum will occupy a prominent site in the historic King's Quarter, where construction of a new three-story museum is underway following site preparation that began in May 2026. For well over a century, the property has served as an important civic landmark in Charlotte Amalie, including many years as City Hall, making it a fitting location for a new institution dedicated to the cultural life of the Virgin Islands. The Foundation expects to invest approximately $15 million in the construction of the Museum, which will include approximately 7,000 square feet of exhibition space, educational and community spaces, a museum shop, café, and other visitor amenities. The Foundation is targeting a public opening in 2030.

VIMA will present a dynamic program of changing exhibitions featuring Virgin Islands, Caribbean, and global art, traveling exhibitions organized by museums and other cultural institutions, and significant loans from private collections. Current financial planning anticipates an annual operating budget approaching $3 million, supported through a balanced business model that combines admissions and other earned income with memberships, individual philanthropy, foundation and government grants, corporate support, and special events. During the Museum's development, the Executive Director will be supported by Foundation staff working from the organization's office in downtown Charlotte Amalie, while gradually building the Museum's own professional team in advance of opening. At full operation, the Museum is expected to employ approximately fifteen full-time equivalent staff members.

The Museum will initially operate as a program of the CMKVI Foundation, thus benefiting from the Foundation's financial resources and administrative support. As the institution matures, however, the long-term vision is to broaden its governance by engaging additional community leaders and other stakeholders, reflecting VIMA's aspiration to become a cultural institution that is deeply rooted in, and broadly supported by, the people of the Virgin Islands. Although substantial planning has already been completed, many foundational decisions, including institutional strategy, governance, exhibitions, educational programming, fundraising strategy, and organizational culture, remain to be shaped. Working closely with the Board of Directors and Foundation leadership, the Executive Director will play a central role in transforming this ambitious vision into a vibrant, sustainable institution that enriches the cultural life of the Virgin Islands.

Compensation

The salary range is $225,000 - $275,000 commensurate with experience, plus benefits. An attractive benefits package, in addition to relocation assistance, will be provided.

How to Apply

To apply in confidence, submit application online HERE by September 25, 2026.

A complete application should include:

1)     A cover letter expressing interest in the position and giving brief examples of past related experience. 

2)     A resume.

3)     The names and contact information for three professional references, indicating your relationship with them, preferably supervisors and/or direct reports.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as candidates will be considered on a rolling basis. All applications and nominations are kept confidential; we will not contact references without your permission. Nominations are welcome. 

Questions should be directed to Dan Yaeger, Senior Search Consultant, Museum Search & Reference, via SearchandRef@museum-search.com.

Requirements

Priorities for the Executive Director
 

VIMA is entering a transformative period in its development. While the CMKVI Foundation has established a compelling vision, committed significant financial resources, and advanced planning for the Museum's future home, the Executive Director will have the rare opportunity to help build a major cultural institution from the ground up. Working closely with the Foundation's leadership and community stakeholders, the Executive Director's early priorities will include:

• Lead the Museum from concept through opening. Provide overall leadership for the successful development of the Museum leading to its anticipated opening in 2030. Working collaboratively with architects, exhibit designers, consultants, and contractors, help ensure that the Museum's new facility supports its mission, provides an exceptional visitor experience, and is fully prepared for successful public opening and long-term operation.
• Shape the Museum's future through strategic planning. Working with Foundation leadership and community stakeholders, lead a comprehensive strategic planning process that establishes a shared vision and roadmap for the Museum's successful opening and longer-term future.
• Establish VIMA as an indispensable community resource. Serve as the Museum's chief ambassador by building meaningful partnerships with artists, educators, cultural organizations, government agencies, tourism and cruise ship leaders, businesses, and community groups throughout the Virgin Islands. Help establish VIMA as a welcoming cultural resource that enriches community life while becoming an important destination for visitors to the Territory.
• Build a sustainable organization. Recruit and develop the Museum's professional staff, establish sound administrative and financial systems, implement organizational policies and procedures, and foster a collaborative, mission-driven organizational culture. Working with the CMKVI Foundation, help guide the Museum's long-term governance as it evolves into a mature and enduring institution.
• Develop a compelling exhibition and education program. Working with curatorial and education staff, collectors consultants, artists, and lending institutions, establish a dynamic program of changing exhibitions of historical, modern, and contemporary art, plus educational initiatives, and public programs that celebrate the artistic and cultural heritage of the Virgin Islands while connecting audiences to the broader artistic traditions of the Caribbean and the world.
• Build philanthropic support and long-term financial sustainability. Develop a comprehensive fundraising program that includes individual giving, foundation and government grants, corporate partnerships, memberships, and special events while strengthening earned revenue opportunities and cultivating the relationships necessary to sustain the Museum well beyond its opening.
• Create a lasting cultural legacy. Few museum leaders have the opportunity to shape an institution from its earliest stages. The Executive Director will help create a museum that enriches the cultural life of the Virgin Islands, contributes to the continued revitalization of historic Charlotte Amalie, and serves as a source of inspiration and pride for generations to come.

Experience, Skills, and Attributes
 

VIMA seeks an accomplished, entrepreneurial leader with the experience, judgment, and execution skills to build a new cultural institution from the ground up. While no one candidate is expected to possess every qualification listed below, the successful candidate will bring many of the following experiences, skills, and personal attributes:

• Executive Leadership. Significant senior leadership experience in a museum, cultural institution, nonprofit organization, or similarly mission-driven organization with responsibility for strategic leadership, organizational management, financial oversight, and governance.
• Institution Building. Demonstrated success building, growing, or transforming an organization, major initiative, or cultural program. Experience launching new initiatives, managing organizational change, or helping guide an institution through a significant period of growth will be highly valued. The ideal candidate will be comfortable partnering with entrepreneurial founders and philanthropic leaders.
• Capital Project Experience. Experience overseeing the planning, design, construction, or major renovation of a museum or comparable public facility. The successful candidate should be comfortable working collaboratively with architects, designers, contractors, and project consultants while ensuring that the completed facility supports the institution's mission and visitor experience.
• Fundraising, Community Engagement & External Relations. A successful record of building relationships with donors, foundations, corporations, government agencies, and community partners. The Executive Director should be an effective ambassador eager to work with the Islands’ diverse population and who enjoys cultivating philanthropic support while developing meaningful partnerships with artists, educators, civic leaders, tourism organizations, and diverse community stakeholders. An engaging public presence, excellent communication skills, and a genuine commitment to community collaboration will be essential to the Museum's long-term success.
• Museum Expertise and Program Development. Experience developing compelling exhibitions, educational initiatives, public programs, or other cultural experiences that engage diverse audiences. Experience working with traveling exhibitions, loans, or collaborative exhibition partnerships will be particularly valuable. Familiarity with Caribbean and global art is desirable.
• Financial and Administrative Management. Strong business and organizational management skills, including budgeting, long-range financial planning, policy development, and the ability to establish effective administrative systems that support organizational excellence and accountability.
• Leadership Style. An approachable, collaborative, and emotionally intelligent leader who inspires confidence, develops talented staff, welcomes new ideas, and fosters a culture of respect, inclusion, accountability, and shared purpose.
• Personal Attributes. An entrepreneurial spirit, sound judgment, resilience, intellectual curiosity, and a genuine passion for the arts, culture, and VIMA’s mission. The successful candidate will embrace the opportunity to become an active member of the Virgin Islands community and appreciate the unique opportunities and rewards of island living.