Position Profile Director, Olbrich Botanical Gardens June 2021 - Olbrich's Tower Garden and Rose Tower
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Position Profile Director, Olbrich Botanical Gardens June 2021 Olbrich’s Tower Garden and Rose Tower
WHERE WE STARTED
Olbrich Botanical Gardens exists because of the vision of one man, Madison attorney Michael B. Olbrich, who
purchased land next to Lake Monona for the development of a park after noticing that almost all the lakeshore in
Madison was being developed. He felt that a park on the east side of Lake Monona
would benefit the largely working-class residents of the area.
Mr. Olbrich envisioned a flower garden as part of this new park. In 1921, in
partnership with the Madison Park and Pleasure Drive Association the City of Madison
took title to its newest park; it was named “Olbrich Park,” in 1929 in honor of its
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founder. In 1952, work on the parkland was largely complete and development began
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on what is now known as Olbrich Botanical Gardens.
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ae
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Michael Olbrich’s vision continues to guide Olbrich Botanical Gardens.
Consistently ranked as a top tourist destination, Olbrich attracted
more than 325,000 visitors in 2019, enhancing the economic
and cultural vitality of its neighbors and the region. Olbrich’s
strong sense of place, designed to inspire serenity and comfort,
appeals to both everyday visitors and garden aficionados alike.
The tropical Bolz Conservatory and Visitor Center opened
in 1991. A gift shop, gardening library, and meeting rooms
offer additional amenities in the Visitor Center. In late 2019,
construction was completed on Olbrich’s largest facility building
project in 20 years - state-of-the-art greenhouses and the Frautschi
Family Learning Center, Olbrich’s first dedicated education space. Frautschi Family Learning Center
WHAT WE BELIEVE
MISSION INCLUSION
Olbrich Botanical Gardens enriches life by nourishing and Olbrich Botanical Gardens aspires to be a destination
sharing the beauty of gardens, the joy of gardening, the where all visitors, volunteers, and staff are valued and feel
knowledge of plants, and the diversity of our world. Olbrich they belong. With conscious intent and continuous learning,
Botanical Gardens is dedicated to the creation, conservation Olbrich Botanical Gardens’ staff, volunteers, and board will
and interpretation of gardens and plant collections hardy to address barriers to inclusion through education, operational
the American Midwest or native to the world’s tropical forests changes, and partnerships with the community.
for study, enjoyment and public benefit.
Summer Concerts in the Gardens
WHO WE ARE
Olbrich Botanical Gardens features 16 acres of free outdoor display gardens and a year-round tropical conservatory.
The outdoor gardens feature the beauty of Midwestern hardy plants in a setting of prairie style architecture, providing
enjoyment for the visitor and inspiration for the home gardener. Olbrich’s Thai Pavilion and Garden is unique in the
continental United States, and features an innovative Midwestern tropical garden.
The Bolz Conservatory, a sunny glass pyramid, houses a diverse collection of tropical plants growing in a naturalized
setting. The Visitor Center is complete with a gift shop, horticulture library and meeting rooms. Events, concerts, and
classes are offered year-round. Membership in the Olbrich Botanical Society offers free or reduced admission to events,
programs, and exhibitions, class and gift shop discounts, library privileges, and more.
STRONGER TOGETHER
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is operated as a public-private partnership between the City of Madison Parks Division and the
non-profit Olbrich Botanical Society (OBS).
Each organization provides approximately half of the Gardens’ annual operating budget and shares responsibilities for the
day-to-day management and maintenance of the gardens and facilities. As outlined in a 2016 Partnership Agreement, the
City is responsible for maintaining the Gardens, buildings and other structures on the property, providing the leadership
for outdoor garden design and maintenance, and for conservatory management and maintenance. These responsibilities
include, but are not limited to, funding and providing for building operations, administrative functions, horticulture
maintenance, volunteer coordination, and general parks maintenance for buildings, grounds, and parking. OBS conducts
capital campaigns to expand and enhance the Gardens
and its facilities, provides staff support for garden
maintenance, special events, educational programs,
development and membership, marketing, public
relations, and gift shop management.
A BLENDED STAFF, ORGANICALLY GROWN
Olbrich’s public-private partnership has grown organically over the years and worked collaboratively to expand staffing,
services, and programming. Because of this organic development, a visitor or volunteer could not tell the difference
between City and Society employees. This high degree of integration fosters a positive work environment among
employees and volunteers. Below is a chart that broadly summarizes each partner’s staffing contributions. Overall,
Olbrich has more than 40 full-time equivalent employees, and over 600 active volunteers.
CITY OF MADISON OLBRICH BOTANICAL SOCIETY
Administration
Horticulture (indoors)
Horticulture (outdoors)
Maintenance / Facilities Mgmt
Volunteer Management
Education
PR / Marketing
Development
Membership
Gift Shop
Programs / Exhibitions
OPERATING BUDGETS AND PRIORITIES
The City’s 2021 operating budget for the Gardens is
$1,426,106, with a revenue goal of $294,500 through 1% -- Volunteers
rental fees, Conservatory admissions, and photo permits. 4% -- Education
1% -- Administration
The Olbrich portion of the City’s operating budget is
funded through the general fund (property taxes), as well
13% -- Endowment
as contributions from the room tax generated from local
hotel and lodging businesses.
27%
Programs &
The Society’s 2021 operating budget is $1,743,645. Exhibitions
Before the pandemic, the average Society operating 16%
budget was about $2.1 million. Pre-pandemic, the Development
Society’s operating budget came from the following 20%
sources (chart at right). 19% Gift Shop
Membership
In 2000, Olbrich Botanical Society established a
Foundation to hold its endowment, which will ensure the
Gardens grow forever. Today, the endowment’s corpus
is almost $8 million, providing a significant yearly contribution to the Society’s operating budget, and a much needed
safety net in uncertain times.
Over the Gardens’ 69-year history, significant public and private investments have been made to build and expand the
gardens and facilities. The most recent capital project was $12 million, split evenly between the City’s Parks Division
and the Botanical Society. This project built new production greenhouses (11,000 square feet) and the LEED Platinum
certified Frautschi Family Learning Center, Olbrich’s first dedicated space for education. The Botanical Society has
provided at least 50% of the funding needed for each capital project over the years, often supplying greater than
50%. Current fundraising priorities include weathering the pandemic, returning to full staffing and programming, and
preparing for an outdoor garden expansion across Starkweather Creek in the coming years, adjacent to Olbrich’s Thai
Pavilion and Garden.
Olbrich has experienced robust growth in visitorship, programs, and services, and expects this trend to continue.
Olbrich connects people with plants, but it’s more than that; the Gardens celebrates our relationship with the earth,
respects our impact on the natural world, educates our community on how they can make a difference, and inspires
others to do the same.
WEATHERING THE PANDEMIC
Throughout the pandemic, each partner
has remained firmly invested in the Olbrich
enterprise, retaining all full-time staff. Prudent
financial planning and widespread community
support have positioned Olbrich to remain
stable and emerge from the pandemic with
momentum. Many Hands Make for Light(er) Work
THE OPPORTUNITY
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is a beloved institution and renowned public garden, regionally respected and nationally
recognized. Olbrich is relying on its next Director to take the Gardens to the next level. The ideal candidate is an
experienced leader that is compassionate, charismatic, well-spoken, and has exceptional interpersonal skills. This
position manages people, not plants.
The Director will…
• Be the face of the organization, building and cultivating relationships within the community to inspire others to get
involved with Olbrich and financially support its mission.
• Set the tone for the culture and direction of the organization, leading by example and working collaboratively with
department managers.
• Have the vision and ability to develop and lead strategic planning for the next 5, 10, or even 20 years.
• Be able to tie together the work of the departments and leverage the talents and strengths of employees.
• Have a demonstrated history of building, developing, and managing employee teams, and supporting staff morale.
• Recognize staff for their work and provide regular feedback.
• Build meaningful professional relationships with the Board of Directors.
• Solicit gifts from major donors, working in tandem with the Director of Development.
• Work closely with each department to draft and implement Olbrich’s annual budget with the ability to effectively
forecast future budget needs.
This position offers a very respectable salary and exceptional benefits as an employee of the City of Madison.
Please consult the City’s job posting for greater detail.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens and the Bolz Conservatory are Open Daily Year-Round
Madison, Wisconsin
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© Bergeron Media / bergeronmedia.com
MADISON BY THE NUMBERS
81st largest 5 lakes: Mendota,
568,593 population in
Monona, Wingra,
Greater Madison Area city in the US Milwaukee 77
Waubesa, Kegonsa
Chicago 122
15 Madison
45,317 students 2nd largest area off-leash
enrolled at UW-Madison city in WI dog parks
14 communities make up Greater Madison Under 30: The age
(Cottage Grove, Cross Plains, DeForest, Fitchburg, Maple Bluff, of more than half of
McFarland, Middleton, Monona, Oregon, Shorewood Hills,
Madison’s population
Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Verona, and Waunakee)
20-minute average One of five More than 260
commute time for platinum-level bike parks and 6,000
Madisonians cities in the U.S. acres of parkland
FUN FACTS
• Madison has 140 properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including Camp
Randall, the Gates of Heaven Synagogue and several houses.
• Thousands of Native American effigy mounds – the largest concentration in the U.S. – were built along the shores
of Madison’s lakes. Twenty-three mounds remain on public land in Dane County.
• The Dane County Farmers’ Market (located on the Capitol Square) is the largest producer-only market in the U.S.
• Madison has 15,000 acres of lakes, where residents enjoy sailing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, swimming, and
stand-up paddleboarding.
• Over 40 buildings earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications.
• Madison has the most park playgrounds per 100,000 residents.
• Madison is regularly named the greenest city in Wisconsin.
• Earth Day was founded in Madison in 1970.
• Madison’s official bird is the plastic pink flamingo, an homage to the infamous 1979 prank on Bascom Hill where
students filled the hill with over 1,000 of the birds overnight.You can also read
