Director of Curatorial Affairs

Carnegie Museum of Art creates experiences that connect people to art, ideas, and one another. Founded in 1895, Carnegie Museum of Art is arguably the first museum of contemporary art in the United States and the Pittsburgh region’s preeminent venue for presenting, collecting, preserving, and interpreting visual art. For 129 years, the museum has been committed to showcasing the art and artists of the current moment, while also building a vital archive of art from the past. Its collection of more than 110,000 objects encompasses a broad spectrum of visual arts with an emphasis on art, architecture, photography, and design from the 19th century to the present.

From its ambitious execution of the Carnegie International—the museum’s signature recurring exhibition of global contemporary art established in 1896—to compelling special exhibitions, programs, and publications, to the daily work of the entire organization, the museum seeks to build on its legacy of thought leadership through rigorous research, adventurous and artist-centered programming and partnerships, and forward-thinking contributions to museum discourse and practice. Through its artistic program, Carnegie Museum of Art frequently explores the role of art and artists in confronting key social issues of our time, combining and juxtaposing local and global perspectives. With its unique history and resources, Carnegie Museum of Art strives to be a leader in defining the role of art museums for the 21st century.

Carnegie Museum of Art is searching for a Director of Curatorial Affairs (DCA). The Director of Curatorial Affairs oversees the Curatorial division at Carnegie Museum of Art (CMOA), providing structure, coherence, and leadership for the curatorial function of the museum in alignment with CMOA’s Guiding Ambitions of Expanding the Imaginative Capacity of Museum Work, Catalyzing Creative Agency, and Enriching Our Region’s Artistic Life. Reporting to the Henry J. Heinz II Director, Carnegie Museum of Art, this position plays a crucial role in shaping the Museum’s celebrated collections and serves as a thought partner with the Henry J. Heinz II Director in setting and implementing the Museum’s Artistic Program. The Director of Curatorial Affairs will lead and advocate for the Curatorial team, ensuring that the Museum remains a leader in the field, and serve as direct liaison between the Curatorial Division and the Henry J. Heinz II Director.

QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s Degree in Art History, Curatorial Practice, Arts Administration, or Non-Profit Management required; equivalent experience from which training can be acquired can be substituted.
• A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible curatorial experience in a museum setting in museum curatorial and management roles is required.
• Experience must reveal deep knowledge of and commitment to the latest developments in critical curatorial practice and theory as well as focused engagement in key social issues facing art museums today.
• Experience making high-caliber exhibitions and advancing strategic partnerships in the field will be favorably considered.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Possess a deep knowledge of a curatorial area, the art world, and its key players along with demonstrated experience building field-leading collections.
• Proactive leadership, diplomatic, entrepreneurial, decision-making, and people-management skills; ability to foster trust and collaboration among team members and manage through change with flexibility and poise.
• Strong project-management skills and ability to lead multiple, high-profile projects forward and effectively leverage available resources and/or creatively identify new resources as necessary to drive results.
• Strong communicator, able to express successes, opportunities, challenges, and growth areas to diverse stakeholders internally and externally.
• Proven ability to conceptualize and analyze problems and solutions in a proactive, constructive, creative manner that will result in improved investment across the organization; sound problem-solver with excellent reasoning skills, the ability to understand and deal with complexities with ease and creatively overcome obstacles to achieve goals.
• Ability to forge and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of representatives of public and private organizations, board members, vendors, and museum staff. Curiosity and drive to stay ahead of trends in the museum world to identify new and unique opportunities that serve the mission.
• Self-motivated and able to determine the best course of action in an autonomous manner. Ability to delegate authority combined with a willingness to work in a “hands-on” manner and as part of a team.
• Ability to prioritize and adjust heavy workload, manage a variety of tasks, and meet various deadlines with changing priorities, frequent interruptions, and conflicting deadlines.
• Ability to work with the highest level of integrity, ethics, and values; proven ability to be trusted with highly confidential and sensitive information.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Work is primarily sedentary in nature. Candidate must be able to travel nationally and internationally, and be available on weekends and evenings, as necessary.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Curatorial Program:

• With the Henry J. Heinz II Director, implement the vision for the museum’s artistic program.
• Ensure the timely execution of the museum’s Artistic Program and exhibition strategy including assigning exhibitions, in dialogue with the Henry J. Heinz II Director, and manage the workload of the Curatorial Division.
• In collaboration with the Associate Director of Collections and Exhibitions, negotiate with co-organizing museums and secure touring exhibitions.
• With the Henry J. Heinz II Director, guide Curators on the permanent collection and cultivate the collecting community to secure gifts that build CMOA’s permanent collection in alignment with the museum’s strategic framework and collecting plan.
• Guide Curatorial Division through the exhibition making process. Partner with the Associate Director of Collections and Exhibitions and Collections and Exhibitions Division to assist in the development of human centered exhibitions that champion artists.
• Guide Curatorial Division in making strategic acquisitions that align with the museum’s collecting plan. Lead and manage the acquisitions process in collaboration with the Registration Department and organize the museum’s Collections Committee meetings. Maintain CMOA’s collecting plan and works collaboratively with the Curatorial Division and the Henry J. Heinz II Director to update periodically.
• In collaboration with the Design & Publishing Division and the Director of Education & Public Programs, outline the editorial process for in-gallery Curatorial texts and manage Curatorial text development. Usher Curators through the editorial process for each exhibition and oversee Curatorial Division in generating coherent interpretive strategies.
• Establish conservation priorities, in collaboration with Senior Manager of Conservation and Henry J. Heinz II Director.
• Lead, oversee, and conduct provenance research.
• Identify careful, systematic deaccessions.
• Manage the Curatorial Library.

Operations and Management:

• Audit the Curatorial Division’s capacity and advise Henry J. Heinz II Director on how to balance CMOA’s ambitions with a sustainable staffing model.
• In collaboration with fellow Division Heads and Deputy Director, ensure the Artistic Program is aligned with institutional goals, aligning CMOA’s curatorial aspirations with its commitment to financial sustainability.
• Maximize the efficacy of the Curatorial Division by developing and implementing structures of accountability, camaraderie, open communication, strong management, and clarity for institutional decisions and directives. Ensure respect for the labor, resources, processes, and policies of the fellow museum Divisions. Increase consideration towards cross-institutional colleagues in bringing projects to fruition, from advance orientation on a project through conclusion and acknowledgments.

Organizational Leadership

• Collaborate as a high-performing Division Head and member of the museum’s Senior Leadership Team, with proactive input into decisions affecting CMOA’s annual and long-term operating plans, including the museum’s strategic framework, exhibition and research priorities, human and financial resource allocations, and holistic institutional communications.
• Proactively manage the Curatorial Division staff in a constructive and creative manner to deliver high-caliber exhibitions and public-facing curatorial initiatives aligned with CMOA’s Mission and Guiding Ambitions. Successfully maximize the effectiveness and contributions of the Curatorial Division staff by optimizing cross-departmental collaboration, communication, operations, budgets, and performance. Support the staff of the Curatorial Division through mentorship, strategic training, and management.
• Serve as a vocal and visible leader and public spokesperson and ambassador for the institution and its Artistic Program.
• Other duties as assigned by Henry J. Heinz II Director and/or Deputy Director.

Advisory Board, Donor Relations, and Fundraising:

• Maintain existing and develop new relationships engaging CMOA Advisory Board members, funders, donors, and collectors towards institutional relevance and sustainability and mentor and assign Curatorial staff to do the same.
• Serve as lead liaison between Curatorial Division and the Development Department to identify programs, individuals, and foundations to maximize fundraising via affiliate group cultivation, galas, and donor travel among other initiatives, and mentor and assign Curatorial staff to do the same. Support any future campaign efforts by assisting with stewardship and cultivation.

Expected starting pay range, based on experience, $100,000 – $120,000.