Chief Collections and Curatorial Affairs Officer

About The Walters Art Museum

The Walters Art Museum is among America’s most distinctive museums, forging connections between people and art from cultures around the world and spanning seven millennia. Located in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood, the Walters is free for all. The Museum’s campus includes five historic buildings.

The Walters and its staff serve Baltimore and Maryland by embracing the role of educators and storytellers, using the collection to support learning, dialogue, and community engagement. The Museum is committed to its mission for the benefit of all, offering essential programs that help people to connect art to their lives. The Walters’ Visitor Promise aligns staff and volunteers across the museum to preserve and share the works in their care for future generations, partner with communities, and create welcoming, accessible experiences for visitors.

The Collection

The Walters Art Museum’s collection spans more than seven millennia, from 5,000 BCE to the 21st century, and encompasses more than 36,000 objects. Walking through the Museum’s historic buildings, visitors encounter a stunning panorama of thousands of years of art, from romantic 19th-century images of French gardens to mesmerizing Ethiopian icons, richly illuminated Qur’ans and Gospel books, ancient Roman sarcophagi, and serene images of the Buddha.

Key Responsibilities

The Chief Collections & Curatorial Affairs Officer (CCCA) is a senior leadership position responsible for shaping and advancing the artistic vision of the Walters Art Museum. Working closely with the Executive Director and the Leadership Team, the CCCA plays a pivotal role in setting strategic priorities for permanent installations, loan and temporary exhibitions, and interpretation.

This role oversees the development and management of a sustainable and dynamic 3–5 year exhibition calendar that highlights the museum’s world-renowned collections, while deepening engagement with contemporary audiences and elevating community voices throughout Baltimore and the wider region. The CCCA will emphasize meaningful interpretation, inclusive community engagement, and the innovative use of technology to enhance relevance and visitor experience.

Leading a multidisciplinary team—including curators, conservators, registrars, exhibition and installation specialists, publication and digital production staff—the CCCA will cultivate a culture of collaboration and cross-departmental synergy.

In partnership with the Chief Financial Officer/ Chief Operating Officer, the CCCA will also guide facilities projects that affect the care and display of the collection. The CCCA will actively support the Development team’s cultivation of donors and advancement of fundraising initiatives in support of curatorial and collections priorities.

As a key representative of the Walters, both locally and globally, the CCCA will contribute to scholarly discourse, engage actively with the Baltimore arts community, and participate in Board and committee work, serving as the primary liaison to the Collections Committee.

By championing innovation and audience-centered practices that attract a broad range of visitors, the CCCA will help position the Walters Art Museum as a dynamic, forward-looking institution dedicated to accessibility, artistic excellence, and cultural relevance.

Primary areas of focus include the following:

Strategic Vision & Art Program Leadership

• Partner with the Executive Director/CEO to develop and implement a dynamic, sustainable, rolling 3–5-year exhibitions and installations calendar that reflects the breadth of the Walters’ collection and embraces inclusive narratives

• Lead cross-institutional planning for permanent and temporary exhibitions, site-specific contemporary installations, publications, and multimedia digital projects

• Reimagine how the Walters’ collection and campus can foster deeper connections with art across diverse communities, histories, and disciplines

• Oversee the development of a comprehensive strategy for publications, including scholarly catalogues, the Journal of the Walters Art Museum, and digital content

• Promote digital transformation and innovative, creative content delivery to reach both onsite and global audiences

Collections Stewardship

• Ensure best practices in the care, preservation, documentation, storage, and handling of works in the collection

• Lead strategic planning for acquisitions and deaccessions, in line with ethical guidelines and curatorial priorities

• Align conservation and technical research efforts with broader interpretive goals and exhibition plans

• Leads planning and implementation of updated collections systems to ensure integrity of collections data, improve operational efficiency and accessibility in alignment with overarching digital strategy

Team Leadership

• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and efficient work culture with clear communication and shared goals

• Manage, support, and provide strategic leadership for curatorial, collections, conservation, technical research, digital production and publications departments

• Promote coordination and consistency across curatorial, conservation, collections, and digital production and publication teams

• Provide coaching, professional development, regular performance feedback, and support to direct reports: Chief Curator; Director of

• Collections, Conservation & Technical Research; Director of Digital Production and Publication

Cross Departmental Collaboration and Planning

• Partner with the CFO/COO and Leadership Team on multi-year budgeting and capital project planning

• Collaborate with Directors in Learning & Community Engagement, Development, Visitor Experience, and Marketing & Communications to:

• Develop visitor-centered programming tied to exhibitions

• Broaden community engagement and build donor support

• Align communications efforts with curatorial and programmatic priorities

• Pursue grant and sponsorship opportunities in support of curatorial and conservation work

• Work with the COO/CFO and senior leadership on integrated budgeting and long-term campus planning, including facilities renovations

• Assess division processes to maximize effectiveness, foster inclusivity, and amplify impact

External Relations & Visibility

• Represent the Walters in academic, professional, and cultural forums nationally and internationally

• Actively engage with Baltimore’s artistic and cultural community, supporting initiatives that include contemporary artists and reflect local voices

• Serve as a spokesperson for the Museum’s artistic vision and curatorial work

Board Engagement

• Serve as staff liaison to the Board’s Collections Committee, including trustees and external experts

• Participate in regular Board and committee meetings, keeping stakeholders informed on curatorial and collections initiatives

Candidate Profile

While it is understood that no one candidate will bring every desired skill, characteristic, and experience, the following offers a reflection of the ideal candidate profile for the Chief Collections & Curatorial Affairs Officer (CCCA). This individual will bring a combination of museum-based curatorial expertise, strategic leadership, and a deep commitment to public service through the arts. They will embody the Museum’s values and be energized by the opportunity to lead an innovative and inclusive artistic program.

Education

Advanced degree in art history, fine arts, museum administration, or commensurate experience preferred.

Passion for the Mission

Fully embracing the mission of the Walters, the relationship with the Baltimore community and the commitment to its various constituents, the CCCA is someone who has a deep appreciation for the Walters’ collection, history, and civic role. They will possess a demonstrated passion for the visual arts and a deep commitment to scholarship, inclusion, and public engagement. The CCCA will have a strong work ethic and a leadership style marked by integrity, empathy, curiosity, clarity, accountability, and humor.

Strategic Leadership and Management Acumen

Proven senior-level experience overseeing curatorial, collections, conservation, publication, and related functions in a museum. The CCCA is skilled at building and leading high-performing, interdisciplinary teams with the highest degree of professionalism and guiding team members’ growth and development, and working cross-departmentally. This leader has a demonstrated ability to foster collaboration, delegate with clarity, and cultivate a culture of accountability, trust, and respect. Additionally, the CCCA will approach the Collections & Curatorial Affairs department’s operations and finances with focus and balance and will make decisions based on a clear understanding of the strategic objectives of the Museum.

Collections and Curatorial Affairs Leadership

The CCCA will bring a deep knowledge of art history and a strong record of exhibitions and scholarship. This individual will bring demonstrated experience with project management related to collection stewardship, conservation planning, and curatorial decision-making in a museum setting. The CCCA will have a familiarity with the ethical and legal considerations surrounding provenance and cultural patrimony laws, including Nazi-era claims. This leader will hold a strong grasp of technology’s cross-departmental role and how digital tools can improve preservation, access, and engagement. They will possess a high-level of cross-cultural competency and embrace the value found in our differences in all forms.

Building Relationships and Using Influence

The successful candidate must build rapport, earn trust, and cultivate relationships across all levels of the Museum and across a variety of constituents. As a leader that exudes presence, the CCCA must be highly articulate and a strong communicator and listener. This individual will be a strong leader and collaborator who is comfortable presenting to a wide range of audiences, from academic communities to public forums and donors.

Compensation & Benefits

The target salary range for this role is $150,000 - $165,000. The Walters Art Museum provides an excellent comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, prescription, vision, subsidized transportation and parking, museum membership, short-term disability, long-term disability, life insurance, flexible spending account, 457b retirement, free professional financial management counseling, 26 days PTO a year plus 11 observed holidays.

Contact

Stephen Milbauer of Koya Partners has been exclusively retained for this search. Express interest in this role by filling out our Talent Profile or emailing the search team directly at smilbauer@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

To apply, visit: https://apptrkr.com/6392393