for The College of Wooster Art Museum

Category: Staff 
Department: Museum
Locations: Wooster, OH
Closes: Open Until Filled
Type: Full-time

About The College of Wooster:

Wooster offers an excellent, comprehensive liberal arts education, culminating in a rigorous senior project, in which each student works one-on-one with a faculty mentor to conceive, organize and complete a significant research project on a topic of the student’s own choosing. Through this distinctive program, every Wooster student develops abilities valued by employers and graduate schools alike: independent judgment, analytical ability, creativity, project-management and time-management skills, and strong written and oral communication skills. Founded in 1866, the college enrolls approximately 2,000 students.

The College offers a comprehensive benefits program that includes: Health, Dental, Retirement, and Tuition Remission.

Job Description:

The College of Wooster is seeking a Director and Curator for The College of Wooster Art Museum (CWAM). Reporting to the Provost, the Director/Curator provides vision and leadership for the museum and develops strategies to fulfill its mission. The Director is the spokesperson and representative of the museum on campus, within the region, and nationally, integrating visual art into both the curriculum and the life of the campus. The next Director and Curator for the CWAM will join the campus community at a particularly important time as implementation of the recently endorsed strategic plan is underway. The CWAM’s programs will be especially important to the strategic plan’s focus on experiential learning; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and the development of new curricular pathways. The next Director will have the opportunity to work with a wide range of engaged faculty from multiple disciplines, including a new program to be developed in Museum Studies, and explore new forms of collaborative partnership with the support of the Office of Academic Affairs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Articulate the museum’s mission and provide leadership, cooperative spirit, and momentum to carry out the mission.
• Develop and manage the annual operating budget and assist with development opportunities and efforts when requested.
• Oversee the curation and management of the permanent collection in accordance with Board policy and the mission of the museum, including acquisitions, borrowing and lending of works, conservation and maintenance, deaccessioning, and utilization.
• Ensure the safety of, and accountability for, all assets under the CWAM jurisdiction.
• Direct the exhibitions program by researching, planning, and executing exhibitions that present a broad spectrum of art including local, regional, national and international shows.
• Develop exhibitions that support the curriculum of the college and in which students play an active role.
• Develop programs for and relationships with a diverse population of constituents and stakeholders.
• Maintain and update museum website and oversee strategic and routine communications with campus and community audiences.
• Supervise a half-time preparator and part-time administrative coordinator; hire and supervise five to six student employees yearly.
• Other duties may be assigned.
• Depending on departmental needs and the Director’s teaching experience and academic qualifications, may occasionally teach courses as time permits.

Requirements:

Master’s degree or Ph.D. in a relevant discipline, four to five years curatorial and management experience in an academic art museum, as well as a command of museum standards (AAM and AAMG).

QUALIFICATIONS:  

• A demonstrated knowledge of a broad range of art historical periods, cultures, and media,  and a commitment to creating programming that includes the perspectives of historically underrepresented populations.
• Excellent motivation and interpersonal skills and the ability to interact comfortably with a wide range of individuals.
• Ability to create exhibitions that include audiences of varied ages, cultural backgrounds, and levels of understanding and experience with art
• Excellent organizational and administrative skills, including experience with budgeting
• High standard of professional ethics and integrity and knowledge of ethical standards and professional practices as articulated by the American Alliance of Museums
• Strong writing skills in multiple venues (web site, campus communications, relations with artists, and local press, etc.)
• Proficiency in computer skills (word processing, database management, web design) with experience in collections database platforms highly desirable