Director of Curatorial Administration
The Jewish Museum seeks a highly experienced museum professional, strategic thinker, and diplomatic professional to oversee major administration functions of the curatorial department with enhanced focus on implementing strategies for a sustainable program of traveling exhibitions, borrowed shows, and institutional partnerships.
Aligned with the re-opening of the Museum’s transformed collection galleries, this new position will report to the Senior Deputy Director & Chief Curator and serve as a critical partner in developing models for streamlining systems, creating efficiencies in exhibition production, and developing a financial model for smaller, mid-sized and large temporary exhibitions. Specific responsibilities include the implementation of an ambitious schedule of in-house, traveling, and collection-based exhibitions; contracts and agreements with artists, guest curators, designers, and institutional partners, among others; and budgets for all related activity. In addition to serving as a primary point person on details of the exhibition schedule and related logistics, the Director of Curatorial Administration will oversee three departments - collections, registration and program administration (i.e. exhibition production) – guiding long-term objectives as well as near-term needs for these areas.
A critical position and conduit of communication, the role requires excellent verbal and written skills and an ability to liaise regularly with curators, senior leadership, and external partners. Candidates who embrace collaboration, enjoy executing complex projects, and are skilled managers who can communicate easily with supervisors, peers and direct reports, will be fulfilled in this job; this is an exceptional opportunity for talented administrators to have a transformative effect on streamlining the inner workings of the Museum’s collections and exhibitions.
Department: | Curatorial |
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Reports to: | Senior Deputy Director & Susan & Elihu Rose Chief Curator |
FLSA Status: | Exempt |
Schedule: | Full-time |
Responsibilities:
- 7-10 years’ experience in museum administration, preferably at a major museum
- MA in art history or museum-related studies, preferred.
- Flexibility and openness related to engagement with artists and creative thinkers brought in to work with the Museum on specific projects and initiatives.
- An astute listener and supportive leader who can easily communicate institutional goals and guide staff on priorities.
- Enthusiasm for collaboration; comfort and ease representing institutional interests to partners while understanding their objectives in pursuit mutually beneficial outcome.
- An ability to think creatively and problem-solve, particularly around budget constraints.
- Exceptional project management skills; ability to create and implement process that serves competing needs and lots of moving parts.
- Ability to read architectural drawings and a comprehensive understanding of facilities and building infrastructure preferred.
Requirements:
Exhibition Production
- With the Chief Curator, lead the Museum’s long-range exhibition planning to create a well-balanced calendar that supports the Museum’s vision and institution-wide priorities.
- Serve as primary point person on all matters pertaining to exhibition logistics, including schedules, budgets, design, and installation; facilitate communication to appropriate parties on major decisions and/or developments as they arise.
- Prepare for and lead quarterly “Exhibitions-Finance-Development” meetings to track changes and troubleshoot on exhibition budgets over three-year horizon, conferring regularly on income targets and reprojections.
- Ensure the implementation of holistic approach to exhibition deadlines that accounts for detailed analysis of exhibition production (checklist, design installation) as well as major deadlines for publications, graphics, press and education.
- Work closely with the Exhibitions Manager to ensure an appropriate pace and workflow for the exhibition schedule and related timelines, including permanent collection galleries and rotations.
- Develop proposals for streamlining processes as needed towards greater efficiency and timeliness
Partnerships
- Develop and advance model for ambitious traveling exhibition program focused on new institutional partnerships; this includes touring Museum exhibitions to outside venues and taking/tailoring borrowed shows to internal site.
- Concretize plan for lending collection of ceremonial objects to encyclopedic museums throughout the United States and receiving works of related artifacts for display at the Jewish Museum.
- Oversee development and implementation of agreements and/or contracts with external vendors, including guest curators, artists, and designers.
- Identify sustainable cadence of rotations in the collection galleries, including installations that may include loans or smaller borrowed shows
- Ensure steady line of communication to curators and Director’s Office on all major developments pertaining to external partnerships, both domestic and international
Supervision
- Supervise the curatorial administration staff, including the registrars, exhibition management team, archives, and collection management team; mentor and invest in the professional development of direct reports.
- Advise the curatorial staff on big-picture decisions related to the exhibition design process, including graphics, lighting, AV and other technical components, fabrication, construction and installation.
- Ensure design decisions and gallery architecture encompass a thoughtful consideration of accessibility needs and best practices.
- Partner as needed with the Visitor Experience, Publications, and Education staff to enhance the Museum’s interpretation, digital learning and evaluation efforts.
- Support and assist managers on time management and priorities during particularly busy periods.
- Create process and implement tools to increase efficiency and foster cross-departmental collaboration throughout the Museum, including implementation of exhibition criteria worksheet.
Salary Range for Position: $140,000 - $150,000
Send Resume with Cover Letter To:
Director, Human Resources
The Jewish Museum
1109 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10128
Email: jobs@thejm.org
Fax: 212.423.3232
The Jewish Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to building a culturally diverse staff and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
The Jewish Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer.