Position Title: Director of Exhibitions and Registration
Req ID: 67723BR
School or Unit: Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Description: Job Summary
Provides leadership and project management in the development and implementation of the overall
museum exhibition program including managing exhibition project teams, project schedules, and budgets.
Plans, implements, and directs exhibition projects and artwork commission projects, including logistics,
staffing, and financial resources, and evaluations and reviews exhibition project plans throughout their
lifecycle.
Manages all museum exhibition registration activities, including artwork loans, contracts, fine arts
insurance, risk management, art shipping, plans, implements, and directs all exhibition changeover and
artwork installation activates.
Oversees all gallery operations and facilities required to support the exhibition program including security,
climate control, staffing, and all exhibition construction and installation activities. Ensures the facilities meet
museums standards of practice.
Leads negotiations and collaborations with external stakeholders including artists, galleries, and partner
museums to help realize co-organized exhibitions and artwork commission projects. Partners with
colleagues withing the University, including withing the Art Film and Visual Studies department.
Works closely with Carpenter Center Director on long-range planning for exhibitions and institutional
strategic initiatives. Identifies, assigns, and allocates resources to meet project and institutional goals.
Develops, manages, and re-forecasts institutional budgets, identifies funding needs and the determines the
allocation of funds across projects. Supervises permanent and temporary exhibition and gallery staff and,
with the Carpenter Center Director, provides overall leadership, guidance, and mentorship to all staff within
the department.
Position Description
Museum Exhibition Management: Manages and fully accountable for project management of Carpenter
Center exhibitions including onsite and touring exhibitions. Scope includes managing teams, budgets,
schedules, deliverables, and overall project management. Works closely with the Carpenter Center
Director, and collaborates with Carpenter Center project team, AFVS department, AFVS students, AFVS
faculty, other HU centers (such as HAM, HFA, OPRP, Risk Management/Insurance, etc.), and external
stakeholders (such as artists, private individuals, commercial galleries, museums, and vendors). Works
closely with and represents Harvard and the Carpenter Center to peer museums and institutional partners
on co-organized exhibitions and projects on a regular basis. Is fully accountable for these relationships and
for negotiating and problem solving with these stakeholders.
Museum Registration Management: Manages and fully accountable for the full scope of museum
registration for the specialized program of contemporary art commissions and exhibitions with sole
responsibility within the department. This includes artwork loans, contracts, fine art insurance, fine art
packing/shipping, risk management, and directing installation activities and staff. Establishes and ensures
standards of museum best practices for the Carpenter Center exhibitions and gallery operations.
Collaborates with Carpenter Center Director, Carpenter Center project team, AFVS students, AFVS faculty,
and other HU centers (as listed above). Works closely with and represents Harvard and the Carpenter
Center to external stakeholders (as listed above). Manages and fully accountable for negotiating and
problem solving with these stakeholders.
Museum Administration: Manages and responsible for development, planning, and oversight of both
project and broader institutional budgets in consultation with Carpenter Center Director. Fully responsible
for preparing budget submissions and reforecasts, which are reviewed by the Carpenter Center Director
and submitted to AFVS Financial Manager. In close collaboration with the Carpenter Center Director
determines spending priorities to support programmatic goals, identifies, assigns, and allocates resources
to meet project and institutional goals. Collaborates with the Cc Director, AFVS Finance Manager, and FAS
colleagues on medium and long-term budget planning and analysis. Manages and reconciles shared costs
for projects co-organized with outside museums and arts organizations. Negotiates with vendors and
partners. Works closely with the Carpenter Center staff and provides leadership, supervision, and guidance
in general and specific to exhibitions, registration, and financial procedures.
Basic Qualifications
BA required. 7+ years of museum exhibition management and/or exhibition
registration experience. Supervisory experience required. Experience preparing and managing budgets
required. Experience working with living artists required.
Additional Qualifications and Skills
MA or certificate in museum studies or arts administration preferred.
Advanced exhibition project management experience including managing project teams, schedules,
budgets, installations, and logistics; Advanced knowledge of contemporary art exhibition and installation
methods; Authority on best practices in museum policies and standards including registration, exhibition and
display standards, fine art packing and shipping, insurance, art handling, condition reporting. Experience
drafting and negotiating contracts; Experience with contemporary art commissions; Experience managing
and negotiating with vendors and contractors. Motivating, generous, transparent leader who can work well in
a team environment, providing leadership, direction and guidance. Ability to hire, train, and supervise
employees including organizing, prioritizing and scheduling work assignments. Highly organized and
extremely detailed-oriented professional who is able to manage complex and competing priorities. Strong
communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse
community. Diplomatic and skilled negotiator. Flexible and creative problem solver. Experience with Adobe
creative suite, Microsoft Office suite.
Additional Information
We regret that we will not be able to provide visa sponsorship for this position.
All formal written offers will be made by FAS Human Resources.
Benefits
We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:
Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.
Department Office Location: USA - MA - Cambridge
Job Code: 388057 Museum Professional
Job Function: Museum
Work Format: Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)
Sub Unit: Arts and Humanities
Salary Grade: 057
Department: Art, Film, and Visual Studies
Union: 00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary
Time Status: Full-time
Pre-Employment Screening: Education, Identity
Schedule: M-F, 9:00-5:00 Occasional Evenings and weekends
Commitment to Equity Diversity Inclusion and Belonging: Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.
EOE Statement: We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.
