Description:

Under the general supervision of the Chief Curator and in collaboration with the curatorial and collections team, the Exhibition Manager focuses on coordinating an ongoing exhibitions program and successfully executing exhibitions and gallery changes. The individual will play an integral administrative role in supporting curatorial activities with a workload spread across three curators and a complex multi-year rotation within multiple gallery spaces. They should be willing to move back and forth between various tasks and roles, and be able to take on exhibitions-related work at all levels. This is not a creative role per se; however, a candidate interested in curatorial work could be given more responsibility. This position provides important logistical support and project management oversight for all ongoing exhibitions organized by the museum.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Coordinate all aspects of specialexhibition planning and execution, under team of curators
• build out project timelines;set standard deadlines and goals;maintain master calendars
• coordinate exhibitions related operations with outside departments, including with development, marketing, education, and programming
• serve as scheduling assistant for exhibitions-related meetings, attends and take minutes, and distribute action items
• maintain and organize updated exhibition planning documents – including budgets, checklists, descriptions, and timelines ­– and circulate to key stakeholders, departments, and groups
• assist with physical installation planning, including supply ordering, booking contractors, and liaising with facilities
• manage the production of textual and interpretive materials with outside vendors
• assist with the execution of related publications, press releases, and marketing materials, including securing image permissions
• serve as exhibitions registrar and handle incoming and outgoing loan requests, agreements, and shipping logistics in concert with Director of Collections
• print and fabricate in-house labels and exhibit texts
• assist with preparation of grant applications for exhibitions
• create exhibition records in CMS database and maintain a cohesive account of the project and its execution
• track project expenditures and maintain the project budget in concert with Accounting department
• facilitate installations and deinstallations, and serve as point-person “on the ground” during these intensive periods
• book exhibition-related travel for curators, artists, and speakers
• track exhibition furniture, materials, and supplies
• field exhibitions-related inquiries and manage booking of traveling exhibitions, as necessary
• generally, support the demanding and complex work of organizing special exhibitions

Qualifications:

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND ABILITIES:

• must be organized, punctual, dependable, and professional;
• able to move with facility between logistics, detail work, and big-picture planning;
• detail-oriented with experience executing complex projects successfully;
• self-starter with strong organizational and time management skills;
• should have good verbal communication skills;
• able to work independently and as a team;
• facility with Microsoft office suite, collections management systems, and Raiser’s Edge preferred.
• knowledge of museum registration and best practices in museum collections care preferred.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• BA in Art History or related field;
• work experience with museums, libraries, or cultural organizations;
• three years of museum experience preferred;
• advanced study in art history or museum studies preferred.

How To Apply:

Send cover letter and resume to Naomi Slipp, Chief Curator at nslipp@whalingmuseum.org. No phone calls, please.

Apply by:
February 28, 2022

Salary:
$40,000

About this Organization:
The New Bedford Whaling Museum ignites learning through explorations of art, history, science, and culture rooted in the stories of people, the region, and an international seaport. The Museum seeks to advance understanding related to the influence of the whaling industry and the port of New Bedford on the history, economy, ecology, arts, and cultures of the region, the nation, and the world. We will expand our capacity to tell the stories of the many diverse communities that shared in the creation of this history, through excellence in our collections, scholarship, and all forms of public engagement. In doing so the Museum will be recognized as a compelling destination that inspires all visitors to reflect on the complex issues that shaped the past, remain critical today, and inform a sustainable future. The New Bedford Whaling Museum is an equal opportunity employer.