Description

In collaboration with the Museum’s Executive Director, the Director of Exhibitions and Collections supervises the Collections and Exhibitions department, manages its budget, and conceives, plans and supervises the Museum’s exhibitions on a multi-year calendar. This position acts as a trusted Museum liaison to artists, donors, collections, and guest curators throughout their engagement with the Museum.  

 With ED and Board oversight the Director oversees the permanent collection strategy within AAM policies and advocates for accessioning and deaccessioning of works to optimize the Museum’s holdings. In this capacity the position supervises the Registrar/Collection Manager in administering policies and procedures, care and preservation, and access/disposition of artwork owned, loaned, and exhibited by the Museum, as well as ensure the Collection is safe and secure. 

 The Director supervises and manages the department’s full-time staff, part-time workers, with vendors and volunteers, all of whom contribute to implementing the department’s varied projects and deliverables. The position also collaborates across Museum departments to ensure the highest quality work process, communication, compliance and exhibition programming as well as contributes expertise and advice to marketing, education, and fundraising departments.  

 As a senior member of the staff the Director of Collections and Exhibitions cultivates and promotes positive working relationships and mutually considerate processes across the Museum and in the community, maintaining professional, ethical and positive relations with the Museum’s Board of Trustees, Executive Director, museum professionals, including curators, collectors, artists, scholars, gallerists, and any other Museum stakeholders.

Requirements

Education: PhD in Art History and/or MA in Museum Studies with focus on collections management. 

Professional Experience: Five or more years of collections, curatorial and administrative experience in art museums. 

Knowlede/Skills/Abilities: Working knowledge of curatorial and collection management procedures, current professional museum curatorial and registration standards, and object handling; good organizational/problem solving skills; detail oriented; able to handle a variety of projects simultaneously, prioritize and meet deadlines; excellent writing and editing skills; able to work independently or work collaboratively with other museum staff members; experience with a variety of computer applications utilizing a relational database/windows platform with digital imaging capabilities (such as EmbARK or TMS). Experience using Microsoft Office and Adobe products. Confidentiality while exercising good judgment in the workplace is essential. 

Additional Education, Certification or Professional Designations: expertise in California art from 1870 to present; member of American Alliance of Museum, Association of Art Museum Directors, California Association of Museums, Curators or Registrars Committees of AAM.

Working Conditions: Normal office environment, periodic travel required. Physical stooping and lifting of items required. Must be able to lift a minimum of 25 pounds without assistance. 

Supervisory responsibilities:  Collections & Exhibitions Associate, Registrar, Preparator, volunteer Archivist, other volunteers and student interns.