Exhibitions Project Manager (Preservation & Museum Specialist 5)

Description

The hiring manger reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any time. It will be in your best interest to apply as soon as possible.
Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm with occasional weekends and evenings and is eligible to work remotely ad hoc/less than 1 day every two weeks,

Who we are:
The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture (MAC) seeks to engage our audiences in the appreciation of art, history, and culture of the Inland Northwest and beyond, through collection stewardship, exhibitions and programs that enrich and inspire. Established in 1916, the MAC is the oldest cultural organization in Spokane, Washington, and serves over 100,000 visitors each year from around the region. The museum collections contain over 63,000 objects, including the largest known collection of Plateau tribes art and artifacts.

The Museum Exhibition and Collections Department provides organization, documentation, and legal transactions, as well as preservation, controlled access, and security for borrowed and permanent museum collections, as mandated by RCW 27.34.070 and as prescribed by the museum's accrediting body, the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). The department provides services that support the creation of meaningful, engaging, safe and-visitor friendly museum exhibitions and promote the permanent collection.

What you will enjoy doing as the Exhibition Project Manager:

• Utilize expert-level knowledge and skills to manage exhibition development in a way that supports the expansion of the Agency's ambitious and growing exhibition program that has become increasingly complex over the last three years in accordance with the Museum's strategic plan, reinforces collaboration and teamwork, and encourage meaningful and engaging experiences in the galleries.
• Advise the Director of Exhibitions and Collections and senior leadership on the exhibition schedule to ensure mission relevance and financial stability.
• Develop and enforce exhibition policies, processes, and procedures in accordance with the American Association of Museums' requirements and best practices.
• Ensure that exhibitions and exhibition-related publications are delivered on time, within budget, and within scope, and advise on exhibition-related risks and risk mitigation.
• Bring expert-level knowledge of best practices for museum and exhibition work, including object care and installation to Exhibitions and Collections Department functions.

Duties

Some of your duties include:
Manages exhibition development and production processes

• Advises on and implements exhibition policy, processes, and procedures in accordance with the American Alliance of Museums' best practices.
• Creates long-range exhibition calendars and production schedules and ensures adherence using project management skills and tools to support an ambitious and growing exhibition program that has grown increasingly complex over the last three years.
• Assesses and mitigates exhibition project risks, proposing adjustments to scope, schedule, and budget as appropriate for review by Director of Exhibitions and Collections and/or senior leadership
• Leads exhibition teams and monitors and manages workflows
• Assigns work to in-house and contract designers, registrars, and preparators

Manages exhibition budgets

• Manages and collaborates with museum colleagues to develop annual 2-year Exhibitions departmental budget
• Monitors exhibition project budgets, tracking expenditures and reviewing and implementing necessary changes with the Director of Exhibitions and Collections
• Provides input and information for grant proposals and reports

Oversees exhibition installations and deinstallations

• Selects, trains and develops, plans and assigns work to, evaluates performance of, resolves conflicts with, and takes corrective action regarding the exhibition registrar and exhibitions and collections technician; plans staff time to maximize effectiveness of installations and deinstallations
• Collaborates with in-house and external curators, designers, registrars, preparators, and other contributors to plan and implement exhibition installations and deinstallations
• Drives vehicles provided by the Museum to pick up and return loans for exhibitions
• Oversees exhibition installations and deinstallations, ensuring that deadlines are met while the safety of people and objects remain the highest priority

Manages exhibition contracts

• Writes, reviews, and approves contracts for external curators, designers, and other exhibition contributors
• Tracks and submits authorizations and invoices for exhibition-related contracts
• Ensures compliance with executed contracts throughout the Museum

Supports the Director of Exhibitions and Collections administratively

• Assists the Director of Exhibitions and Collections in securing exhibition tour venues and managing exhibition tours
• Prepares reports and presentations for the Executive Director, senior leadership, and the Board of Trustees as needed
• Schedules and makes arrangements for meetings
• Reconciles receipts and invoices

Qualifications

Work Environment: Some desk work; works with artwork and artifacts in galleries and in storage, as well as inside historic house; occasionally works on loading dock with and around heavy objects and crates.

Local and non-local travel occasionally required for loan pickups and returns as well as professional development opportunities. Museum van and/or rental vehicles are provided as transportation mode.

Pallet jack, scissor lift, carts, power drill, knives, and personal protective equipment such as nitrile gloves, ear protection, and safety glasses.

REQUIRED:
Bachelor's degree or higher in history, museum studies, fine arts, art history, anthropology, Native American studies, or arts administration

AND
Five years of experience as a museum curator or equivalent experience, to include any combination of activities such as organizing and managing exhibitions, curating exhibitions, managing exhibition budgets, overseeing exhibition and/or permanent collection installations and deinstallations, caring for collections and/or collections data, or designing exhibitions and/or permanent collection installations.

**Experience may substitute for education totaling nine (9) years.

AND

• Driver's license (necessary to perform ground transportation responsibilities for bringing in and returning exhibition loans)
• Ability needed to lift, move, or transfer 50 lbs and stand for 6-8 hours on concrete
• Proven experience managing exhibitions effectively
• Computer skills, including Microsoft Office applications
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Expert level knowledge of museum and exhibition best practices, structures, and functions, including best practices as required by the American Association of Museums
• Knowledge of or ability to learn and apply state rules regarding finance and contracting
• Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Proven ability to reprioritize tasks with competing deadlines
• Ability to manage and monitor budgets, invoices, and billing
• Ability to learn and understand the language and concepts of DEI culture and commit to being a part of creating and maintaining a diverse, equitable, respectful and inclusive workplace.
• Demonstrate a commitment to growth, learning and self-awareness when provided training and opportunities to participate in improving our work environment.
• Participate and behave in a manner that creates trust and builds working relationships, promoting teamwork and collaboration in the work environment.
• Demonstrate the understanding that all people are valued; contribute to an equitable, inclusive and respectful environment when working with members of the group, team, organization or community.
• Commit to being an active participant in continually evaluating and improving strategies that promote equity and inclusion in our organization.
• Models and champions our culture and values; cultivates a shared, strategic vision; develops people; drives results; fosters learning; builds relationships; fosters teamwork and collaboration; communicates effectively; makes things happen as a public servant; leads and navigates change; embraces and embeds inclusion in decision making.

PREFERRED:
Master's degree or higher in history, museum studies, fine arts, art history, anthropology, Native American studies, or arts administration
AND
Five (5) years experience as a museum curator or equivalent, to include any combination of activities such as organizing and managing exhibitions, curating exhibitions, managing exhibition budgets, overseeing exhibition and/or permanent collection installations and deinstallations, caring for collections and/or collections data, or designing exhibitions and/or permanent collection installations.

AND

• Experience using databases and/or inventory systems
• Experience using SketchUp to build and revise exhibition layouts
• Knowledge of state rules regarding personnel, finance, and contracting

Supplemental Information

Please provide the following documents in order to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A letter of interest, describing how you meet the qualifications for this position as outlined in the job posting;
• A current resume or CV, detailing experience, and education
• A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information (attached or available to provide at the time of interview)

NOTE: By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed. A resume will not substitute for completing the "duties summary" section or supplemental questions of the application. Please do not "refer to resume" for detail, or your application may be disqualified.

Condition of Employment:

• Background Check Notice: Prior to any new appointment into the Museum of Arts & Culture, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment, but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.

Opportunity for All:
The MAC celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.

Contact Information:
For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact Angie Anderson at (360) 407-8446 or email jobs@des.wa.gov.

Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.