Current Opportunities

Executive Director
Katonah Museum of Art

Status: Full Time
Reports to: Board of Trustees

POSITION OVERVIEW
The Katonah Museum of Art (KMA), a non-profit cultural organization with a $1.4 million budget and a full-time staff of 11, is seeking its next Executive Director. The Executive Director is the principal executive of the Museum and its main ambassador and advocate. Among other duties, the Executive Director will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Museum, including oversight of exhibitions and programming that will lead to deeper connections with art for the Museum’s visitors. The Executive Director is expected to ensure the Museum’s compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations for not-for-profit institutions. The successful candidate will be a demonstrated leader with a strong background in the arts, significant fundraising experience, financial and business acumen, and will have superb communication and management skills. The Executive Director reports to the Board of Trustees.

ABOUT THE KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART
The Katonah Museum of Art (KMA), one of the most celebrated small museums in the country, was founded over sixty years ago by volunteers from local communities as an exhibition venue for fine arts. Nationally recognized and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the KMA is a kunsthalle which annually mounts three to four major exhibitions interlaced with smaller installations in its 10,000-square-foot building designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes. Set among magnificent Norway spruce trees, the site includes galleries, the Pollack Family Learning Center, and the Marilyn S. Simpson Sculpture Garden.

Through its exhibition and education programs, the Katonah Museum of Art promotes the understanding and enjoyment of the visual arts for diverse audiences. The KMA has always been committed to presenting exceptional art from all cultures and time periods. The founders’ decision to be a non-collecting institution has resulted in a dynamic and flexible exhibition program, which remains one of the Museum’s most distinctive features. KMA exhibitions reflect the changing variety of art from around the globe and provide rich opportunities for learning that resonate with all ages and levels of education. In an increasingly complex society the museum is proud to be a forum for innovative art and ideas.

The Katonah Museum of Art offers lectures, films, workshops, trips, concerts, and other events for a general audience, and presents innovative and substantive programs for over 100 member schools. The Pollack Family Learning Center is an interactive family space where children can come on a daily basis to explore and create art. The KMA’s outreach programs for local underserved populations are on the forefront of community-based museum education.

The Katonah Museum of Art is supported in part by Arts Westchester with support from the Westchester County Government, the New York State Council on the Arts with support of Governor Andrew Cuomo, and the New York State Legislature.

Recent exhibitions include:

• Long Winding Journeys: Contemporary Art and the Islamic Tradition
• Object Out Loud: Arman and Nick Cave
• Picturing Love: Photography’s Pursuit of Intimacy
• Matisse Drawings Curated by Ellsworth Kelly from the Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation Collection
• The Nest, an Exhibition of Art in Nature
• Yoga and Rust Angel, Mark di Suvero

THE POSITION
The Executive Director is:

• The principal executive of the Museum as well as its main ambassador and advocate
• Responsible for fulfilling the goals set forth in the Museum’s strategic plan

The Executive Director will be expected to:

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the Museum
• Present exhibitions and programs that lead to deeper connections with art for its visitors
• Amplify the donor base and seek funding opportunities
• Maintain and develop relationships with other museums and cultural institutions
• Advance plans to renovate the lower campus
• Ensure continued AAM accreditation
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local requirements imposed on not-for-profit institutions

THE PERSON
Qualifications & Experience:

• Demonstrated leader with a background in, understanding of, and passion for art of all kinds
• Fundraising sophistication, including an ability to relate well across constituencies (individual, corporate, and foundation donors)
• Highly-skilled executive and manager with superb communication skills
• Financial, business, and marketing acumen with a strong understanding of how to promote fiscal stability and sustainability

Leadership, Management, & Behavioral Competencies:

• Articulates a clear, compelling identity for the Museum
• Exhibits a leadership style that encourages teamwork, positive coaching, and staff development
• Demonstrates transparency and accountability
• Knows the Museum’s history, culture, exhibitions, and educational and program priorities

APPLICATION
Please direct resume and cover letter to jobs@katonahmuseum.org, with the subject line “Executive Director.” 

The Katonah Museum of Art is an equal opportunity employer and considers all candidates for employment regardless of race, color, gender, age, national origin, creed, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or political affiliation.