Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum | CEO

Lead a museum where history does not sit behind ropes. It runs.

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) is seeking an experienced organizational builder to serve as its next President & CEO. The role leads a distinctive, multi-faceted enterprise that combines historic passenger excursions, a working restoration shop, freight service, special events, and a growing visitor campus, all in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

About TVRM

Founded in 1961 by local railway preservationists and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, TVRM is one of the nation’s premier railroad heritage destinations. Guests ride vintage coaches behind historic locomotives, through the 986-foot Whiteside Tunnel from the Grand Junction campus in East Chattanooga and along the Hiwassee Loop, a rare spiral in the Hiwassee River Gorge where the track climbs and crosses over itself. The collection includes operating steam locomotive Southern Railway 4501.

• Revenue: approximately $12.8 million in consolidated revenue (2024), from excursions and special events, freight operations, shop work, retail, memberships, and philanthropy

• Ridership: almost 150,000 riders in 2025, plus about 20,500 on Hiwassee River excursions

• Team: approximately 41 full-time and 124 part-time and seasonal employees, plus 22 full-time employees at the wholly owned freight subsidiary, Tyner Terminal Railway

• Assets: operating steam and diesel locomotives, a fleet of restored passenger cars, the Soule Shops locomotive and car repair complex, and a growing collection

The Opportunity

TVRM is not looking for someone to rescue an organization in crisis. It is looking for a leader to build on a durable foundation: a mission with real emotional pull, assets that cannot be duplicated, a skilled and committed team, and a community that is proud of its railroad. The next President & CEO will decide how far that foundation can carry the museum.

The role offers the chance to:

• Grow the guest experience and earned revenue by building year-round demand and deepening signature offerings like the Hiwassee Loop and special events
  

• Develop the Grand Junction campus, including a new education and display building
  

• Build philanthropic and partner capacity through individual giving, corporate and foundation support, and membership
  

• Steward a rare collection while balancing operation, restoration, and preservation with the safety and financial discipline a railroad requires

• Lead a mission-driven team of staff and volunteers while strengthening systems, accountability, and leadership development

The timing is right. A 2023 strategic plan completed with the full Board has set priorities for the museum’s next chapter. Investments in the Grand Junction campus are underway, including a $100,000 State of Tennessee capital grant awarded in 2025. The Board is strengthening its own governance, with recent bylaw changes adding term limits and additional officer roles, including a new Board Chair. And Chattanooga’s tourism and downtown economy continue to gain momentum.

The Role

The President & CEO reports to the Board of Directors and leads a team of seven direct reports spanning guest experience, finance, freight, track, mechanical, train operations, and safety. Key responsibilities include:

• Strategy and organization: setting clear vision and measurable priorities, translating strategy into operating plans, and strengthening structure and systems
  

• Financial and revenue leadership: budgeting, forecasting, reporting, capital planning, and long-term financial strategy across all revenue streams
  

• People and culture: developing the senior team, clarifying roles and accountability, and respecting the specialized expertise of employees and volunteers
  

• Board partnership: providing timely information and recommendations, and helping establish clear governance rhythms and decision rights
  

• External leadership: serving as the visible ambassador for TVRM with tourism, civic, business, donor, and railroad industry partners
  

• Operations, safety, and visitor experience: ensuring a safe, high-quality experience while relying appropriately on specialized technical expertise

About You

The strongest candidate is an experienced organizational builder who can bring professional management without diminishing TVRM’s character, create structure without unnecessary bureaucracy, and respect railroad culture without being constrained by it. Candidates may come from heritage rail, museums, attractions, tourism, hospitality, transportation, or the broader nonprofit sector.

Required:

• Substantial senior leadership experience with enterprise-wide responsibility in a complex, multi-functional organizatio
  

• Strong financial and business acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and revenue management
  

• Proven ability to build, develop, and hold senior leaders accountable
  

• Experience working with a governing board and a clear understanding of governance versus management
  

• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, and the ability to build credibility quickly in a new organization and community

• Commitment to TVRM’s mission and the curiosity to lead credibly in a specialized, safety-sensitive environment

Strongly preferred:

• Leadership experience in railroading, transportation, museums, attractions, tourism or hospitality, or another complex visitor-facing enterprise
  

• Experience in a regulated or safety-sensitive operating environment
  

• Experience with nonprofit governance or volunteer-intensive organizations
  

• Familiarity with Chattanooga and the surrounding region
  

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and executive experience; an advanced degree is welcomed but not required

Why Chattanooga

Set along the Tennessee River and surrounded by mountains and ridges, Chattanooga pairs big-city amenities with a manageable scale and a comparatively affordable cost of living. It is a railroad town at heart, the first National Park City in North America (2025), and a growing hub for tourism, technology, and outdoor recreation, with Atlanta and Nashville each about two hours away. The Grand Junction campus is only about 10 minutes from the Chattanooga airport.

Compensation, Benefits & Location

• Salary: $150,000 to $200,000, depending on education, training, experience, and performance in previous roles
  

• Benefits: relocation assistance and a highly competitive, comprehensive benefits package
  

• Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
  

• Desired start date: Fall/Winter 2026/2027

To Apply

TVRM has retained Kay Linder, Partner in ThinkingAhead Executive Search’s Nonprofit Division, as its recruitment partner. If you are interested and qualified, please include a cover letter and resume in your application.

For confidential questions about the role or the search process, please contact Kay Linder, Partner, Nonprofit Division, ThinkingAhead Executive Search, at [email protected].