Administrative and Financial Specialist Posting

George Mason’s Gunston Hall is seeking an enthusiastic, resourceful, innovative, and self-starting staff member to serve as the Administrative and Financial Specialist.   The Administrative and Financial Specialist reports to the Director of Finance and Administration. The Administrative and Financial Specialist performs high level office support duties and provides specialized program support for the Finance and Administration office at Gunston Hall, such as conducting research, handling information requests, providing purchasing and payroll support, fulfilling employment administration requirements, and assisting in planning meetings.

Key Responsibilities:

• Compile monthly receipts and prepare purchasing card statements for state card holders for state employees
• Managing vendor issues pertaining to not receiving ordered goods/services or incorrect charges
• Maintain file of contracts to ensure period of performance are not exceeded and contact contract administrator when new contracts need to be developed
• Create and maintain a master calendar for all Gunston’s Hall activities
• Assists with scheduling and coordinating Board meetings
• Assists with New Hire onboarding process
• Assists with Annual and Quarterly Human Resource Reports
• Enter Bank Deposits in Cardinal and QuickBooks, and enter deposits on cash receipt log.
• Assist staff and perform research inquiries for State Reports and Tax Returns
• On a monthly basis, ensure vendor payments are processed and paid in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act.
• Reconcile transactions keyed in the State Accounting System (Cardinal) and QuickBooks
• Assists with Quarterly and Annual State Agency reports
• Reconcile data entry into FAACS
• Process invoices in Cardinal and QuickBooks, verifying accuracy through established audit procedures/policies.
• Prepare all journal entries in QuickBooks
• Prepare checks in QuickBooks for vendor payments
• Assists with Commonwealth Annual Reports
• Assists with the Annual Audit process
• Enter procurement requests into eVA as required
• Research eVA for purchase orders to support payment of approved invoices
• Maintain records of all financial transactions in a method so that entries in Cardinal, FAACS, and Payroll and official state records can be verified and validated.
• Develop and maintain office filing systems
• Maintain records of reconciliation of cash receipt log with daily deposits on a daily basis
• Coordinate payroll forms as necessary for new and current employees to be submitted to the payroll service bureau and ADP.
• Respond to payroll inquiries within 24 hours
• Send reminder emails to staff and supervisor to enter and approve leave in Cardinal and ADP Time and Attendance System.
• Review and enter wage timesheets into Cardinal weekly and confirm information in Cardinal is accurate to ensure zero percent payroll discrepancies.
• Review approved time and leave in ADP Time and Attendance System.
• Submit payroll for State Employees and Private Employees

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or business

 Qualifications:

• Proven work experience (1 to 2 years) in finance and administrative support positions
• Practical experience with accounting software (such as QuickBooks), spreadsheets (such as MS Excel), and Peoplesoft software (such as Cardinal)
• Practical experience with Microsoft Office
• Able to quickly learn and adapt to new software and processes
• A solid understanding of bookkeeping procedures including crediting and debiting appropriate accounts, posting entries to ledger accounts, and reconciling accounts
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Works well in a team environment and with upper management
• High Level of critical thinking and logical analysis
• Good organization and time management skills
• Able to work well under pressure and meet all deadlines
• Always keeps the highest standards of compliance and confidentially

Employment at Gunston Hall include opportunities to enjoy 554 acres of outdoor recreational and environmental amenities along the Potomac River, an organizational commitment to wellness and personal fulfillment, access to comprehensive professional development programs, the ability to create flexible work experiences, and the opportunity to collaborate with a creative, innovative, and fun team of individuals who are all enthusiastically committed to the organization, our mission, and to each other’s success.

Compensation will be based on qualifications. Performance will be evaluated based on the achievement of collaboratively determined team and personal goals specific to the requirements of the position.

Gunston Hall is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion.  Qualified individuals who bring diverse perspectives and a wide range of experiences to the workplace are encouraged to apply.

To apply for this position complete the application form.  Submit the form, your cover letter, and resume, to Towanda Vaughan, the Director of Finance Administration at towanda.vaughan@gunstonhall.org.

Please note, Gunston Hall does not accept “See Resume” as a response to any question.  Also, applications should include complete work history, including periods of unemployment if applicable.  Failure to complete any section of the application may disqualify the application for further consideration.

Educator

As an educator at Gunston Hall, you will create meaningful visitor experiences through personalized tours and family-focused public programs.  You will divide your time between the visitor center and the 18th-century historic house.  

Educators are part of a highly collaborative, energetic staff dedicated to the power of place, historical objects, and storytelling for visitors of all ages.  Once a site of slavery, Gunston Hall is now a museum dedicated to telling the stories of all the people who lived on the 18th-century plantation, including enslaved women, men, and children, indentured workers, and George Mason, one of the leaders of the Revolution and new nation.  Educators invite visitors to explore the past to better understand the ideas and contradictions that formed our nation.  

Educators:

• foster a welcoming environment; 
• use their creativity to lead distinctive tours that are accurate and engaging for visitors of all ages; 
• facilitate informal learning experiences, including during public programs and special events;
• assist with the development of and preparation for public programs and special events;
• participate in a variety of activities that support educational initiatives, including conducting historical research, writing social media posts, creating pre- and post-visit materials for teachers;  
• promote and relay accurate information about planned programs and events; 
• provide support for volunteer-run school programs;
• take a positive and problem-solving approach to the daily challenges that arise in a visitor-centered organization;
• take the lead on opening museum buildings, and provide access for part-time staff members, on weekends and holidays;
• serve as a point of contact between staff on-site and supervisors if no supervisors are present;
• monitor the museum exhibitions in the visitor center, period room installations in the mansion, and reproduction outbuildings; 
• interact with visitors throughout their time on the property; 
• answer telephones; 
• schedule tours and special events; 
• keep accurate records, including admissions records; 
• reconcile cash and charge receipts; 
• support other projects related to Gunston Hall’s educational mission. 

An ideal candidate will be interested in history, solution-oriented, detail-oriented, able to adapt to changing circumstances, and committed to serving as an effective ambassador for Gunston Hall and its content, whether the candidate is working with teachers, students, program attendees, museum visitors, or other members of the general public.  The candidate will be dedicated to ongoing learning.  Furthermore, an ideal candidate will excel at thinking creatively about how to convey historical material in ways that reach diverse audiences. 

This position reports to the Education Manager. It requires:

• excellent communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with people of different backgrounds and ages;
• excellent customer service skills; 
• commitment to telling stories from multiple perspectives and to talking about difficult subjects;
• responsibility and trustworthiness; 
• knowledge of basic office procedures; 
• ability to read and write the English language and to understand, follow, and give oral instructions; 
• knowledge of computers, telephone systems, audio-visual equipment, and cash registers;
• ability to reconcile cash and credit card receipts; 
• ability to maintain an electronic calendar in order to schedule events; 
• exhibition of professional manner and dress at all times; 
• ability to multi-task; 
• ability to work both outside and inside; 
• ability to lift up to 25 pounds. 

This position includes regular weekend days and some holidays.  It is full-time and non-exempt, paying an hourly rate of $15-17, depending on qualifications.  Benefits include paid annual and sick leave, health insurance, life insurance, a retirement plan, and a discount in the museum shop.  Additional benefits of employment at Gunston Hall include opportunities to enjoy 554 acres of outdoor recreational and environmental amenities along the Potomac River, an organizational commitment to wellness and personal fulfillment, access to comprehensive professional development programs, and the opportunity to collaborate with a creative, innovative, and fun team of individuals who are all enthusiastically committed to the organization, our mission, and to each other’s success.

To apply please send a letter of interest and resume to Rebecca Martin, Director of Education and Guest Experiences, at rebecca.martin@gunstonhall.org.  Applications should be submitted by July 22, 2022.

Gunston Hall is an equal opportunity employer. 

Horticulturist

As Gunston Hall’s horticulturist, you will have the rare opportunity to help recreate an 18th-century garden and to share it with the public.  Your efforts developing, maintaining, and teaching with the one-acre space will contribute to outstanding experiences for visitors to this historic site.

You will work with a passionate team of professionals, collaborating with educators, the curator, the archaeologist, and volunteers.

Responsibilities

Gardening: The horticulturist 

• Takes the lead role in all garden and historic landscape work at Gunston Hall.
• Will complete the implementation of the riverside garden planting plan.
• Maintains the riverside garden, including planting, pruning, replacing, harvesting, seed collecting related to a variety of flowers, fruits, vegetables, herbs, trees, and shrubs. 
• Identifies, controlling, and treating weeds, diseases, and pests.

Working with others: The horticulturist

• Maintains and expands the volunteer corps; directly supervising volunteer and contractor gardeners, while fostering a climate of teamwork.
• Establishes a safe workplace for all those helping in the gardens.
• Fulfills requests for produce for museum programs.
• Cultivates and maintains professional relationships with other historic gardens and greenhouse facilities to exchange ideas and information.
• Prepares the annual horticulture budget and work plan.

Supporting the mission: The horticulturist 

• Conducts research on Gunston Hall’s gardens, plants, and landscapes.
• Provides tours of the historic gardens and historic landscapes.
• Interacts with visitors to help create a welcoming and learning environment..
• Serves as the authority on Gunston Hall’s horticultural efforts, representing these initiatives and work to visitors, donors, the media, and the general public.

Qualifications

• B.S. degree in agricultural sciences, horticulture, or a closely related field.
• Two to three years of progressive experience at a historic site, park, or comparable facility.
• Understanding of the principles, theories, and best practices of horticulture and landscape management.
• Commitment to and success in engaging and educating the public.
• Ability to establish and maintain strong lines of communication.
• Ability to safely operate a variety of hand tools and gas-powered equipment, including shears, blowers, chain saws, tractors, string trimmers, loaders, and trucks.
• Ability to obtain a Virginia pesticide applicator’s license.
• Must be available to work weekends, holidays and evenings as needed.
• Ability to lift 30 lbs.
• Ability to work outdoors for long periods in various weather conditions.

This position is full-time, salaried, and classified as exempt. The salary range is $50-60,000.  Benefits include paid annual and sick leave, health insurance, life insurance, a retirement plan, and a discount in the museum shop.  Additional benefits of employment at Gunston Hall include opportunities to enjoy 554 acres of outdoor recreational and environmental amenities along the Potomac River, an organizational commitment to wellness and personal fulfillment, access to comprehensive professional development programs, and the opportunity to collaborate with a creative, innovative, and fun team of individuals who are all enthusiastically committed to the organization, our mission, and to each other’s success.  Performance will be evaluated based on the achievement of collaboratively determined team and personal goals specific to the requirements of the position.  The horticulturist works under the direct supervision of the director of education and guest experiences.

The mission of Gunston Hall is to stimulate the exploration and understanding of the principles expressed by George Mason in the 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights.  Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and a National Historic Landmark, Gunston Hall was built from 1755-1759.  The almost 6000-acre plantation was the home of George and Ann Mason, their children, and hundreds of enslaved people, indentured servants, wage workers, and tenant farmers.  Today, the site strives to tell the stories of these diverse people and how their stories contribute to our greater American narrative.  The physical plant includes the house called Gunston Hall; five reconstructed outbuildings; a visitor center with a museum, event facility, and museum shop; an on-going restoration of the 18th-century garden; and 550 acres of diverse landscape situated along the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia.  For more information, please visit www.gunstonhall.org.

To apply please send a cover letter and resume to Rebecca Martin, director of education and guest experiences, at rebecca.martin@gunstonhall.org.  Gunston Hall is an equal opportunity employer.

Garden Apprentice

Gunston Hall is accepting applications for a seasonal garden apprentice to spend up to 10 weeks assisting with the restoration of the riverside garden.  Gunston Hall is a small museum with a highly collaborative, energetic staff dedicated to the power of place, historical objects, and storytelling to create meaningful experiences for visitors of all ages.  Once a site of slavery, Gunston Hall is now a museum dedicated to telling the stories of all the people who lived on the 18th-century plantation, including enslaved women, men, and children, indentured workers, and George Mason, one of the leaders of the Revolution and new nation. In this unparalleled project, staff are using archaeological and documentary evidence to recreate the 18th-century garden space that will become a key location for helping visitors better understand the past.   

The apprentice will work under the direction of the Horticulturist.  The apprentice’s main projects will relate to the riverside garden restoration.  The apprentice will also assist with the maintenance of the courtyard garden and other cultivated areas.  The apprentice will build horticulture skills in areas such as weeding, watering, pruning, deadheading, mulching, pest management, and plant identification and will learn other aspects of maintaining a garden as an educational space.  The apprentice will also gain experience in working with volunteers and talking with visitors.  The garden apprentice will receive a weekly stipend of $500 for a full-time schedule.  The stipend will be prorated for a part time schedule.  For either a full or part time schedule, the stipend will be paid on a semi-monthly basis.

Responsibilities:

• Plant and maintain decorative flower borders and kitchen garden spaces.
• Monitor plants for issues and report concerns to the Horticulturist.
• Perform general horticulture tasks such as weeding, fertilizing, disease and pest control, mulching, and deadheading.
• Maintain and repair tools and equipment. Report equipment issues to the Horticulturist. 
• Work with volunteers.
• Greet, interact with, and provide information to visitors.
• Maintain the security and integrity of the grounds.
• Follow safety policies and procedures. Keep everyone’s safety and experience at the forefront.

Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will have completed some training in horticulture, landscape architecture, botany, environmental science, or a related field.

How to Apply:
Please send a cover letter and resume to Rebecca Martin, director of education and guest experiences, at rebecca.martin@gunstonhall.org.  The position will remain open until filled.  Gunston Hall is an equal opportunity employer.

Request for Proposals: Contract Archaeologist

Gunston Hall seeks a contract archaeologist to work with its on-going archaeology program. The contractor will work with Gunston Hall staff on long-term and short-term projects.

The museum’s archaeology program began more than 40 years ago and has had varying levels of full-time staffing.  Currently, the program includes one full-time staff archaeologist and more than a dozen volunteers.

Scope of Work

The contractor will assist Gunston Hall as outlined below:

• Survey Best Practices

Work with the staff archaeologist to develop the annual work plan and specific scope of work for individual survey projects to ensure consistency with DHR’s Guidelines for Conducting Historic Resources Survey in Virginia.  Help determine which technologies or techniques are most appropriate for each project or project phase.  Be available to answer questions from the staff archaeologist, director of education and guest experiences, and executive director related to archaeological projects at Gunston Hall

• Collections Care Best Practices

Work with the staff archaeologist to ensure that Gunston Hall is engaged in best practices for handling, processing, and storing archaeological materials

• Reviewing Reports

Review and contribute to reports required by the state and requested by the executive director or director of education and guest experiences

Deliverables

• A minimum of two visits each month to Gunston Hall to observe and consult on surveying–including excavating–and processing.  At least four visits a year must be on a weekday.

• At least one report each quarter on work observed and any recommendations.  The report may be sent as an email and should go to the staff archaeologist and the director of education and guest experiences.

Requirements

This contract begins July 1, 2022 and extends through June 30, 2023.  It may be renewed if both parties are in agreement.  The contractor may use shared work space at Gunston Hall.  A computer will be available intermittently.

Required qualifications include:

• Must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation –  Professional Qualifications Standards for Archaeology (48 FR 44739)

• Experience working with 18th-century archaeology

• Demonstrated knowledge of landscape archaeology

• Demonstrated knowledge of care and handling of archaeological artifacts

• Demonstrated ability to use collections databases

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

Preferred qualifications include:

• Knowledge of late colonial and early national history

• Knowledge of 18th-century material culture

• Knowledge of 18th-century Chesapeake region slavery

• Experience working with volunteers

Reporting and Timeframe

The contractor will report to the director of education and guest experiences and will work with the staff archaeologist and volunteers.  Reports will be due September 30, 2022, December 31, 2023, and March 31, 2023.  The last report of the year must be submitted no later than June 15, 2023.  Reports must include an account of the work performed in the previous period, recommendations for the program, and a time log of hours worked on-site and off-site.

Proposal Preparation Instruction

Proposals should be submitted in their entirety by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 6, to Rebecca Martin, Director of Education and Guest Experiences at rebecca.martin@gunstonhall.org.

Proposals should include

• Full name, Street Address, Telephone Number, Email Address

• Plan of Accomplishment

The proposal should include a two-five paragraph description of the plan for completing all work.  This narrative explanation should include the potential contractor’s approach to the tasks and deliverables and how the potential contractor will proceed with the project to ensure that it is completed on time.

• Schedule

A schedule of deadlines for deliverables

• Capability to Perform

Up to five paragraphs describing the potential contractor’s ability to perform the work required, including at least one example of similar work conducted for another museum that demonstrates specialized expertise and technical competence

• Resume of potential contractor or group of people planning to fulfill the contract together

• Cost Proposal

Cost proposals should include an hourly rate and an estimate of the total number of hours required to complete the project, broken down by deliverable.  The cost proposal should be all-inclusive.

Proposal Evaluation

Proposals will be evaluated based on their strength in the following areas:

• Experience working as an archaeologist at 18th-century sites

• Ability to monitor the work of others at an archaeological site

• Quality and clarity of the plan of accomplishment

• Appropriateness of the cost proposal