About Us

Dallas Contemporary’s mission is to present the art of our time to the public: to document new directions in art through rotating exhibitions, publications, and learning programs for visitors of all ages.   As a non-collecting contemporary arts institution that grapples with timely and complex issues in one of the fastest growing metroplexes in our nation, we firmly believe in the power of artists’ ideas and voices to chronicle and transform society.

Position Summary

At this unique time in its history, the Dallas Contemporary is seeking a dynamic goal-driven Executive Director who not only is a strategic leader who highly values people and community engagement, but also has vision and a passionate commitment to furthering the mission of Dallas Contemporary.  Reporting to Board Chairman’s, Executive Committee and Board of Directors, the Executive Director will manage and oversee all museum operations and successfully enhance its mission, vision, programs, administration, and financial objectives.  As the institutions’ public face, the Executive Director will drive the continued growth of the Dallas Contemporary as a cultural and educational leader locally, nationally, and internationally.

The next Executive Director of the Dallas Contemporary will have an exciting opportunity to build upon the extraordinary international success of the institution and start a new chapter of remarkable growth and impact. 

Roles and Responsibilities

Leadership and Administration

• Establish a culture that delivers an outstanding visitor experience while maintaining the highest financial, operational, and organizational efficiency.
• Oversee all management and programing of the institution.  Ensure that the staff clearly understand all exhibitions and programs’ total costs and champions developing strategies, tactics, and goals to improve programming efficiency and effectiveness.
• Lead diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to expand the perspectives of the museum’s exhibitions and the stories they tell to amplify the community at large.
• Align and measure improvement efforts across all staff and operations to accomplish critical goals.
• Develop a comprehensive marketing and communication program to grow attendance, diversify membership and ensure messaging is consistent with and enhances the institution’s mission.
• Attract, develop, and retain diverse staff to achieve and exceed the institution’s goals.
• Working with the board, enhance employee onboarding and training materials, performance management programs and human resources management system to ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations and maximize employee potential.
• Ensure development and improvement of critical organizational systems, policies, controls, and procedures are entirely in place and continually monitored. 
• Continuously improve the museum visitor experiences, in person and digitally.

Community Engagement and Fundraising

• The Executive Director, leading by example, will set the fundraising bar high for the Dallas Contemporary by working seamlessly with the board and staff to set and exceed fundraising goals.
• Build new and strengthen existing relationships with the funding community and develop impactful donor management and cultivation strategies with the board and staff.
• Invigorate and cultivate community engagement across Dallas-Ft. Worth; and develop and increase the museum’s presence, influence, and brand relevancy, locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally to support its mission, vision, and strategic objectives.
• In partnership with the Dallas-Ft. Worth arts community, break down barriers in providing museum access to a broader and more diverse constituency.

Governance and Strategic Visioning

• Lead the business planning process by engaging with the staff and the board to annually revise and enhance the strategic plan, which guides the museum’s core mission, programs, services it offers, and target audiences it seeks to attract.
• Proactively collaborate with the board of directors to identify, cultivate, recruit, and orient new and diverse board members.
• Assist board committees in establishing and realizing objectives and goals for the museum. 
• Establish objective measurement tools to report progress in reaching critical strategic targets for board members and staff.
• The Executive Director will partner closely with the Board to develop a 2025-2028 strategic vision and operating plan for the organization. It is likely that there will be a resulting initiative related to evaluating and developing current and future facilities requirements needed to achieve organizational objectives. In that context, experience assessing, developing, and implementing capital projects and campaigns is highly valued.

Exhibition, Program Planning and Traveling Exhibition Stewardship

• Establish opportunities to broaden and deepen exhibitions and programming through collaboration with other arts and culture organizations, collectors, educational institutions, and community partnerships.
• Establish a diverse exhibition program that supports the museum’s vision, values, and operational goals. 
• Maintain best and cost-effective practices for the crating, shipping, installing, insuring, care, and management of art exhibitions in collaboration with the curatorial staff and programming committee. 
• Create programs that contribute to prescient local and global concerns.   

Traits and Characteristics

The Executive Director will be a visible and highly valued member of the Dallas-Ft. Worth art community, maximizing philanthropic and grant donations, partnerships with other museums, and service to the broader community.   This leader will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills and should be adept at working collaboratively with a diverse constituency and community.  The Executive Director should be an accomplished, harmonious museum professional with the highest level of professionalism, accountability, integrity, and a proven track record of success.

The Executive Director will partner with the Executive Committee and the board to cultivate and expand donor relationships, while concurrently educating and inspiring the board in its role as fundraisers and enthusiastic ambassadors of the museum.  In addition, the Executive Director will seek to build a culture that celebrates creativity, openness, tolerance, teamwork, innovation, inclusiveness, and kindness. 

Other key competencies include: 

• Leadership – the capacity to manage and inspire others to achieve objectives while establishing structure and direction for the staff, board, and other constituents.
• Management and Accountability – The capability to prioritize and perform tasks required to meet or exceed agreed-upon goals.
• Planning and Organizing -The ability to establish and prioritize goals and objectives and to measure the results-while aligning resources to best meet these goals. 
• Interpersonal Skills-The skill to establish rapport, exhibit a genuine interest in people, and authentically communicate and relate effectively to a diverse array of people.
• Diplomacy and Tactfulness-The need to exhibit respect for people, deal with others equitably regardless of personal preferences or beliefs, and cultivate positive relationships. 
• Resiliency-The ability to rapidly rebound from adversity or misfortunes and push past obstacles without delay. 

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• M.A. in Art History, Art, Arts Policy, Museum Studies or a related field.  A minimum of eight years of proven senior-level leadership experience in building successful cultural institutions, including fundraising, education programming, strategic programming, program design, board management, marketing, communications, public relations and including curatorial experience with a robust record of important exhibitions and publications. 
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, especially major gift, foundation, endowment, and corporate funding. 
• Strong financial management skills and detailed understanding of financial management for non-profits; experience in budget analysis, forecasting, and planning. 
• Deep knowledge and passion of contemporary art, keen understanding of advancements and trends in contemporary art. 
• Established knowledge of standards and best practices for art institutions, as well as a history of engagement in pertinent professional organizations. 
• Significant patron cultivation and management experience. 
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent working relationships with collectors, artists, gallerists, and scholars.
• The ability to articulate a strong commitment to diversity and inclusiveness and successful experience working with diverse communities. 
• Exceptional writing skills and public-speaking ability. 

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity Employment

Dallas Contemporary’s policy and practice is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, religion creed, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services or any other basis protected by applicable law.  

Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Janet Davis, Principal, Clarkson Davis Arts via email: janet@clarksondavis.com.