The Hispanic Society Museum & Library (HSM&L) is seeking a Chief Exhibition Officer & Collection Manager who will be responsible for the programming, planning and installation of exhibitions as well as the housing, documentation and management of the permanent collection which includes 750,000 rare documents, objects and works of art.The Chief Exhibition Officer & Collection Manager oversees, exhibition budgets, coordinates exhibition related functions, develops timelines, monitors project development and works with key stakeholders to ensure successful exhibitions that are on time and within budget. Supervises department including Registrar and Exhibition & Collection Technician.
The ideal candidate has strong project management skills and experience in museums or galleries. They are detail-oriented, meet deadlines, and have the ability to multi-task. Computer knowledge is imperative and fluency in Spanish and/or Portuguese is a plus.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Exhibitions
- Work closely with key stakeholders – including the Director & CEO, Director of Facilities, curators, registrars, head of conservation - to develop budgets and exhibition timelines.
- Oversee all stages of planning and implementation for exhibitions.
- Create, manage and report on overall exhibition budgets
- Organize and lead exhibition planning and implementation meetings.
- Schedule and lead project development, and installation planning meetings.
- Manage relationships with freelance curators, guest artists, outside organizers and venues. Write contracts for all non-staff personnel associated with exhibitions: artists, guest curators, venues, etc.
- Assign and monitor tasks, enforce deadlines, and manage exhibition progress, anticipate and troubleshoot issues.
- Monitor exhibition budgets and deadlines, working with staff to ensure projects are on track.
- Conduct exhibition-related administrative tasks: compile and analyze statistics, create and process payments for vendors, exhibition lenders and others, schedules travel.
Collection Management
- With the Head of Conservation, develop and implement policies and procedures for the care, maintenance, and preservation of the HSM&L’s permanent collection.
- With the Head of Conservation, oversee proper handling, storage, and conservation of all objects in the collection, ensuring compliance with museum standards.
- Supervise inventory management and database records to maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation.
- Coordinate viewings of the collection in storage by curators, conservators, and others to assess objects and to update record keeping;
- Coordinate and work with staff to assist in the assessment of the collection.
- With the support of curators and the Head of Conservation, compile and maintain collections documentation of the collection, both digitally and in physical.
- Ensure the proper environmental control of collection storage areas to prevent damage or deterioration.
Collaborate with the Director & CEO and curators on the acquisition of new objects.
- Monitor and update collection-move data, such as dimensions, locations, components, etc., into The Museum System (TMS), collection management software working with other members of the Collections Team;
- If approved by the Director & CEO and the board of trustees, lead the deaccessioning process in accordance with the museum’s policies and ethical guidelines, including proper legal and procedural steps.
Requirements & Qualifications
- B.A, M.A. preferred in Art History, Museum studies or related field.
- 7-10 years of progressively responsible experience in exhibition planning, collections management. with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
- Extensive knowledge of museum collections management systems and conservation practices.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent communication and leadership abilities with a collaborative mindset
- Proven history of managing exhibitions from start to finish.
- Ability to work under pressure and on deadline.
- Ability to problem solve and prioritize needs and time
Technology Skills:
- MS Office
- Knowledge of The Museum System (TMS).
- Familiarity with collection management software.
