Current Opportunities

Susan and Elihu Rose Chief Curator

Date: February 2017
Department: Curatorial Affairs

Title:  Susan and Elihu Rose Chief Curator

FSLA Status: Exempt

Supervisor: Helen Goldsmith Menschel Director

Schedule: Full-time
 

Founded in 1904 and located on New York City’s Museum Mile, the Jewish Museum is dedicated to the enjoyment, understanding, and preservation of the artistic and cultural heritage of the Jewish people. The Museum has a unique identity as a hub for art and Jewish culture, drawing on a collection of nearly 30,000 works of historical and contemporary fine art, Judaica, antiquities, folk art, ceremonial objects, and broadcast media. The Museum applies a contemporary lens to its exhibitions, which range from ancient to contemporary art.

SUMMARY

The Susan and Elihu Rose Chief Curator will join the Jewish Museum at an exciting time. With the encouragement of an active and committed Board of Trustees, the Museum recently completed a five-year plan to strengthen the institution. This process reinvigorated the Museum’s programming and enabled the Museum to grow its annual operating budget to nearly $20 million. In September 2017, the Museum will open reinstalled galleries that will enhance its ability to showcase the permanent collection, the heart and soul of the institution, in a dynamic and innovative way.

The Chief Curator provides leadership for the intellectual content of the Museum’s wide-ranging exhibitions and collections. In partnership with the Museum’s Director, the Chief Curator guides the conceptual development of the Museum’s exhibitions by nurturing a creative and interdisciplinary environment, in which curatorial staff are encouraged to conceive ideas for exhibitions and supported in turning ideas into solid proposals. Working with the Deputy Director, Program Administration, the Chief Curator manages the staff and resources of the Department of Curatorial Affairs. As the standard bearer for the Museum’s scholarship and intellectual integrity, the Chief Curator sets a solid example in his/her own practice. As a member of the senior administrative staff, the Chief Curator reports to the Museum’s Director and contributes to institution-wide vision, planning and policy, and the cultivation and stewardship of donors and fundraising.

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • With the Director, shapes the institution’s curatorial vision and develops ideas for exhibitions and acquisitions
  • Communicates the curatorial vision to trustees, donors and colleagues in oral, written and visual presentations
  • Curates major exhibitions and authors accompanying publications
  • Mentors and supervises curatorial staff; serves as a role model for staff
  • Establishes departmental priorities including the assignment of projects and the management of departmental resources
  • Contributes to the interpretation and design of exhibitions
  • Works with staff to determine collecting priorities and goals, and supervises curatorial staff in the preparation and presentation of new acquisitions for donation and purchase
  • Builds a global network of scholars, colleagues, artists, collectors and advisors who inform the curatorial practices of the Museum and enable the Museum to secure loans and gifts of art
  • Works with staff in Education, Marketing and Development to build audiences and to identify and cultivate donors for exhibitions, acquisitions, and other institutional priorities
  • Ensures smooth and efficient collaboration between Curatorial and other Museum departments
  • Understands and embraces the evolving role of technology in museums and its potential to deepen visitors’ engagement with art and the Museum itself
  • Prepares lectures and publications for scholarly organizations and represents the Museum at professional symposia, panels and conferences

 

IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL POSSESS

  • Advanced degree or equivalent in experience
  • At least five years’ experience in a senior curatorial and managerial position
  • Comprehensive and extensive knowledge of art history 
  • Comfort with innovation and change
  • Understanding of the intersection of art and Jewish culture
  • An appreciation for the Jewish Museum’s history and passion for its mission
  • Proven record of exhibition development and interpretation
  • Proven record of scholarship
  • A strong record of success in fundraising and donor relations
  • An inclusive, respectful, organized managerial style that empowers staff and produces results
  • An expansive network and a well-respected profile in the museum field as well as among artists and others engaged in the creative process

 

Send Resume with Cover Letter To:
 

Associate Director, Human Resources

The Jewish Museum

1109 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10128

Email: jobs@thejm.org

Fax: 212.423.3232

 

The Jewish Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

About This Job

  • The Jewish Museum
  • New York, NY
  • Category: Professional
  • Posted: February 3, 2017