Pay Grade: 32E
Reporting to the Director of Special Collections and Museums, the Chief Curator performs the following responsibilities:
- Envision and implement an innovative exhibition program that supports the university’s educational mission and curriculum and enhances the University of Delaware’s standing as a cultural center. Collaborate with the Director and members of the Special Collections staff in development of long-range exhibition plan. Develop and oversee exhibition budgets.
- Identify and recommend realizable exhibition ideas. Curate exhibitions for Old College Gallery and Mechanical Hall Gallery, and manage curatorial efforts of faculty, graduate students, museums staff, guest curators as well as incoming exhibitions. Oversee installation design and successful implementation.
- Ensure excellent program communications. Write and edit a range of texts in conjunction with exhibitions, including but not limited to essays, labels, promotional texts and grant proposals. Oversee all exhibition publications, both print and electronic.
- Identify area collectors and donor prospects and funding opportunities and develop relationships beneficial to the museums.
- Provide leadership for University Museums department including supervision of 3.5 FTE positions and participation on the Library Management Council
Qualifications:
- Ph.D. in art history or related field and a minimum of five years curatorial experience in a museum setting or a master’s degree in art history or related field with 8 or more years curatorial experience in a museum setting.
- Subject expertise and curatorial experience related to the strengths of the collection: American art, 1900 to the present (including African American art); photography, prints and drawings
- Substantial experience providing leadership and supervision.
- Demonstrated creativity and success in presenting diverse collections of art in a manner that engages students and supports the curriculum.
- Proven experience as a team leader with excellent interpersonal skills.
- Highly developed organizational skills with ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Outstanding oral and written communications skills.
- Desire to work with and engage students, faculty, donors, and members of the public.
- Familiarity with Past Perfect and WordPress preferred
General Information:
The recent merger of Special Collections and Museums at the University of Delaware Library brought together diverse collection of art, with special strengths in American art of the 20th century (especially prints, photographs and work by African American artists), European prints, Inuit art, Pre-Columbian art and minerals, with books, manuscripts, broadsides, periodicals, pamphlets, maps and ephemera from the fifteenth to the twenty-first century. Art exhibitions in Old College Gallery and Mechanical Hall Gallery, mineralogical exhibitions in Penny Hall, and exhibitions in the Morris Library engage students, scholars, the UD community and the general public. Collaborative initiatives and programming with students, faculty and departments across campus foster diversity and enhance interdisciplinary research and teaching. Additional information about Special Collections and Museums is available online at: http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/ and http://www.udel.edu/museums.
To Apply: Include cover letter and resume, along with the names and contact information of three employment references, in a single document, following University of Delaware application instructions at http://www.udel.edu/udjobs/.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Employment offers will be conditioned upon successful completion of a criminal background check. A conviction will not necessarily exclude you from employment. The University of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity Employer which encourages applications from Minority Group Members and Women. The University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination can be found at http://www.udel.edu/aboutus/legalnotices.html
ACRAH 