Job Opportunity with the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum

The County of Grande Prairie No 1 is seeking a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum – a brand new, world class facility in Wembley, AB with experience in collections, programming and facility management. 

The CEO is responsible for the development, execution, and management of the policies, programs, and initiatives of the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum as directed by its Board of Directors. The successful candidate will provide leadership toward achievement of the Museum Society’s mandates, mission, and its' long-term and immediate goals and objectives. Ideal candidates will have previous experience in the management of a non-profit organization and have current management credentials and have a willingness to serve as the Executive Director of the Museum Society.

As the successful candidate you will have the ability to supervise and manage professional, volunteer, and administrative staff members, through a supportive, collaborative environment.
You will possess strong written and verbal communication skills and have previous experience with budget preparation, fiscal management and analysis. You have the capability to develop and implement long-range plans; as well as, an ability to develop, implement, and evaluate public opinion surveys and related data collection vehicles. You will have some understanding of curatorial requirements of a unique museum collection and have knowledge of current and emerging public relations issues and trends applicable to the museum and cultural fields.

The successful candidate will possess a degree in Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration or a related field and have a minimum of ten years’ experience in progressively advancing level of executive and managerial capabilities. A demonstrated successful track record in fundraising, and previous experience as a CEO of a similar sized non-profit organization, preferably in the field of arts and culture, are assets, and a passion to advance the mission of the Museum is a must. 

Duties will include; but are not limited to:
• Managing the staff, services and activities of Museum.
• Developing and maintaining the Annual Business Plan and Budget for the Museum.
• Hiring, supervising, training, and evaluating staff members, as well as overseeing the work of professional consultants.
• Serving as the Museum’s primary spokesperson, including interaction with the media, community associations, and others as necessary and appropriate.
• Overseeing and coordinating fundraising and donor management activities. 
• Identifying new initiatives and partnerships to grow membership and revenue (i.e. grant writing and community/ corporate sponsorships).
• Developing – in conjunction with the Chair – the agenda for the Board meetings; attends and reports to the Board at its meetings; oversees or performs an accurate recording of the proceedings; and distributes information in a timely manner.
• Recommending and administering goals, objectives, policies and procedures of the Society.
• Developing and maintaining effective relationships with persons and groups directly or indirectly associated with the Museum and the Society,
• Coordinating the activities of and assists Board members with implementation of the Business plan.
• Preparing reports as requested by the Board Chair.

Compensation for this position shall be based on experience and qualifications. Vacation and health benefits are provided.

About the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum and the Pipestone Creek Dinosaur Initiative
The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum, scheduled to open its doors in 2014, will be a 41,000 sq. foot, world-class facility highlighting the rich fossil resources of Northern Alberta. Named for Dr. Philip Currie, Canada’s preeminent palaeontologist, the museum, located in Wembley AB will serve as a hub of education and science in the area. 
For more information on this exciting opportunity please contact: 

Brian Brake, Executive Director
Pipestone Creek Dinosaur Initiative
c/o County of Grande Prairie No. 1
10001 – 84 Avenue, Clairmont, AB T0H 0W0
Phone (780) 567-5584 x106
Email bbrake@countygp.ab.ca

Closing date for this competition is July 4, 2014. To apply for this position please forward your resume, cover letter and three references to:

Human Resource Coordinator
County of Grande Prairie No. 1
10001 – 84 Avenue, Clairmont, AB T0H 0W0
Fax 780-532-9709 (confidential)
Email: jobs@countygp.ab.ca
Website: www.countygp.ab.ca 

We thank all applicants, however, only those selected for interview will be contacted.

Dinosaurs in Alberta's History

When people talk about history, they tend to discuss past events, particularly in  human affairs.  One amazing aspect of Alberta's history, however, is not of human origins, but that of the mighty Dinosaur!  Its hard to believe that these large reptile creatures that are seen in countless movies roamed the vast valleys and hills of Alberta.  Yes, indeed they did.  This is an article from the National Post online newspaper dated November 28, 2013.  Enjoy!

Alberta researchers unearth rare complete baby dinosaur fossil

It’s incredibly rare to find a complete skeleton of a baby dinosaur, but that’s just what a team of researchers at the University of Alberta and The Royal Tyrrell Museum did when they found the juvenile fossil of a Chasmosaurus belli, a dinosaur similar to a Triceratops. The find is the smallest ever for dinosaurs of this type.

The team made the find in Dinosaur Provincial Park in southern Alberta.

“The big ones just preserve better: They don’t get eaten, they don’t get destroyed by animals,” Dr. Philip Currie, a paleobiologist at the University of Alberta and research associate at the Tyrrell Museum told Live Science. “You always hope you’re going to find something small and that it will turn out to be a dinosaur.”

The skeleton was so well preserved, it seems, because the animal was sucked into a sink hole and trapped just as it died. The team estimates the dino was about three years old when it perished and about a metre and a half long. Ceratopsids such as the Chasmosaurus and the Triceratops reach full size after about 20 years when just the animal’s skull would have been about two metres long.

The corpse did not have bite marks or other obvious causes for death, so the scientists presume that it died from drowning.

“I think it may have just gotten trapped out of its league in terms of water current,” Currie told LiveScience.

The fossil was found when Currie noticed something sticking out of the side of the hill which turned out to be the frill of the Chasmosaur.

Adult Chasmosaurus finds are relatively common Dinosaur Provincial Park, which is about two and a half hours southeast of Calgary and one of the most active fossil sites in the world. The park, where more than 40 dinosaur species have been found, was named a World Heritage site in 1979. In 1985, the Royal Tyrrell Museum opened near the park, which offered a place to display and study the finds from the area.

Currie — a preeminent palaeontologist and one of the inspirations for Jurassic Park‘s Alan Grant — was one of the people to push for the creation of the Tyrell museum and is supporting the creation of the Philip J. Currie museum in Northern Alberta to serve as a similar resource to the Tyrell in the south.