Executive Director

Oakville Galleries is currently inviting applications for the position of Executive Director to lead the institution into an exciting new era.

As one of Canada’s leading contemporary art museums, Oakville Galleries is driven by a belief in the singular power of art and artists to deepen our understanding of ourselves and our communities and move us toward a better world. With an outstanding track record of presenting the work of early and mid-career artists from across Canada and around the world, Oakville Galleries’ award-winning exhibition and educational programming is rooted in commitments to the visionary, the forward-thinking, and the responsive. 

Presently housed in two spaces—one alongside a public library in downtown Oakville and another in a lakeside mansion and park—Oakville Galleries is located thirty minutes from Toronto, engaging communities across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and wider audiences nationally and internationally. The organization is currently preparing for a major capital transformation, one that will see its operations relocated to an iconic heritage building in central Oakville, retrofitted to provide more than 30,000 square feet of museum-standard space to house the Galleries’ exhibitions, collections and programs. 

The Board of Directors for Oakville Galleries is seeking an Executive Director to provide exceptional artistic and organizational leadership through this period of transformative growth. Responsible for the institution’s vision, strategic and financial direction, and overall management, the Executive Director will bring both artistic and business leadership to the position to realize the full potential of Oakville Galleries’ curatorial, operational, and capital capacities.

The Executive Director will be a dynamic and inspiring leader, one who is passionate about engaging broad audiences with contemporary art, who champions principles of equity and diversity, and who demonstrates a robust track record for generating civic and financial support alike. S/he will be both visionary and effective, working with the Board, staff, and Oakville community to skillfully steer the organization through its next phase of development.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and strategic direction: 

• To assume overall responsibility for Oakville Galleries’ strategic direction, working closely with staff and Board to ensure that the institution’s vision, values, and policy statements are developed ambitiously and embodied compellingly
• To develop the Galleries’ institutional and artistic identity through oversight of all curatorial, communications, and development activities
• To define the Galleries’ audiences clearly and expansively, and to develop and implement appropriate strategies for diverse audience engagement
• To realize the Galleries’ strategic goals through comprehensive and effective business planning

Capital development:

• To lead Oakville Galleries’ relocation project, serving as a persuasive and effective champion for the organization’s operational and capital expansion with all current and potential stakeholders
• To oversee the ongoing development of the Galleries’ capital plans in close partnership with the Board, managing feasibility work, developing operational plans, and assembling and executing an appropriate capital fundraising strategy in alignment with the organization’s current relocation goals

Resource advancement:

• To develop and execute a multifaceted income generation and fundraising strategy that builds community, civic support, and trust along with financial security
• To nurture and cultivate contacts with existing and potential donors, sponsors, and members, both individual and corporate, in concert with the Manager of Special Projects
• To oversee all funding requests and reports for the Galleries, operational, project, and capital 

Financial management:

• To develop and recommend to the Board an annual operating budget that appropriately balances public sector support with private sector contributions
• To manage all income and expenditures, implementing suitable financial controls and providing effective monitoring and reporting throughout the year 

Talent management:

• To recruit, manage, support, and retain a tight-knit team of arts professionals, appropriately engaging staff in the organization’s long-term goals and delegating responsibilities and authority efficiently
• To recommend to the Board the appropriate organizational structure, HR policies, and salary schedules to carry out the Galleries’ operations effectively and within its resources

Advocacy and representation:

• To ensure and assert Oakville Galleries’ robust role in the cultural landscape, cultivating appropriate context and visibility for the organization at regional, national, and international levels
• To develop collaborative relationships, both within the local community and among institutional peers in national and international arts contexts
• To serve as the Galleries’ primary representative to civic leaders, government agencies, arts communities, and local audiences

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The ideal candidate will be expected to demonstrate evidence of the following:

• An active commitment to—and passion for—contemporary art and the institutions that support it
• Vision-oriented leadership, with an ability to set clear, ambitious goals and support them through detailed business planning
• Considerable experience overseeing a forward-thinking artistic program, with a robust familiarity with artists working across a range of disciplines and contexts
• A history of dynamic strategic thinking and entrepreneurial approaches to organizational development
• A proven track record of success in identifying and securing opportunities to diversify funding and grow income from a range of sources, including in the context of a capital campaign
• A considerable ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with national and international artists, partners, donors and funders
• Experience effectively managing a budget, with an ability to make difficult choices where necessary
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated capacity for engaging, persuading, and inspiring a broad variety of audiences, stakeholders, and partners
• A proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop a committed team of staff
• A nuanced understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion strategies that will actively inform your leadership

COMPENSATION

Oakville Galleries offers a competitive salary for this position, commensurate with experience. The compensation package also includes comprehensive health and dental benefits, a generous pension contribution, and an annual travel allowance. 

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit a CV and letter of intent that summarizes your interest in this position in PDF format to board@oakvillegalleries.com. We would prefer to receive applications electronically. 

Oakville Galleries is committed to building and maintaining an inclusive work environment that reflects the diversity of the audiences we serve. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates, including from racialized persons/persons of colour, Indigenous persons, and persons with disabilities. Should you require accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact questions@oakvillegalleries.com so that we may meet your needs. 

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens, permanent residents,

and Indigenous peoples in Canada will be given priority. 

Application deadline: January 31^st, 2020, 12:00 (noon) EST

Oakville Galleries acknowledges that the land on which it operates is the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit.