REQUIRED: Resume and Cover Letter

The Exhibition Manager and Lead Preparator for the University Museums oversees the planning, coordination, and implementation of all exhibitions and permanent collection installations at the Harnett Museum of Art and the Lora Robins Gallery. A critical member of the Museums collaborative team. Report to the Deputy Director and Curator of Exhibitions. The Exhibition Manager and Lead Preparator is responsible for managing the Museum's exhibition program, developing exhibition production timelines, budgets and installation plans, and ensuring exhibitions open on time and at the highest standards. A skilled art handler with broad experience in all media, the Exhibition Manager and Lead Preparator leads all exhibition preparation and fabrication and coordinates all audiovisual displays and new media in the Museums' galleries. They supervise the Exhibition Preparator, occasional contract workers and UR student interns.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL EFFORT

• Work conditions are primarily inside, however, infrequent outside work occurs. Required to use personal protective equipment to prevent exposure to paint, solvents, adhesives, and air-borne particles, and to minimize risk while using specialty hand and power tools
• Requires ability to climb ladders; to have flexibility and ease of mobility; ability to lift and move large and heavy objects using basic moving equipment; ability to stand for long periods of time
• Ability to work unscheduled overtime during periods of installation/deinstallation and to support special programs and events
• Requires the use of personal vehicle

JOB DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Exhibition Planning and Management -40%

• Oversees exhibition planning and management for all museum exhibitions and permanent collection installations in coordination with museum leadership
• Creates and develops exhibition and installation timelines using specialized project management software, including AirTable
• Ensures benchmarks are met according to schedule
• Presents timelines to entire museum staff and assigns tasks as appropriate
• An expert in exhibition design, creates exhibition layouts professionally designed with CAD software, including in SketchUp, with assistance from Assistant Preparator and in consultation with curators
• Ensures exhibitions and objects are installed according to the highest museum standards and best practices, and in accordance with programmatic, conservation, aesthetic and ADA requirements
• With Deputy Director and Director of Operations, prepares and administers exhibition budgets and estimates, and ensures that expenditures are within agreed upon budgetary limits
• Researches, recommends and hires specialized contractors and specialized equipment as needed for complex exhibition projects and as approved by museum leadership
• Oversees and coordinates routine gallery inspections, touch-ups and cleaning

Exhibition Preparation and Installation - 35%

• Manages and executes all aspects of exhibition installation, deinstallation and construction
• Prepares exhibition spaces in advance of exhibitions, schedules any necessary contractors or campus partners, coordinates gallery painting gallery, and facilitates building all temporary walls and installation components
• With museum curators, determines display casework and presentation furniture as needed for specific exhibitions, produces construction plans and shop drawings for all necessary furniture, and coordinates and builds all exhibition casework and display furniture as needed with Exhibition Preparator
• Oversees the inventory and movement of cases, museum furniture, and other exhibition related objects
• In consultation with curators, identifies framing and other artwork preparation needs for each exhibition
• Assigns and supervises artwork preparation, including artwork framing, by the Assistant Preparator
• Supervises the design, production, and installation of all exhibition didactics, text panels, title displays, object labels, and other graphic displays by the Assistant Preparator
• Well-versed in the technical demands of time-based media and its installation, determines and coordinates all audiovisual requirements for exhibitions, assists with audiovisual equipment installation, set up and regular maintenance, and supervises any specialized contractors
• With Curator of Collections, coordinates delivery and handling activities for loaned artworks
• In consultation with museum curators, sets and maintains gallery lighting at accepted light levels
• With Director of Operations, manages vendors, temporary contractors and purchases, identifies skilled vendors and temporary contractors as needed, requests estimates, places orders, tracks, coordinates, and manages deliveries

Facilities Management-10%

• Oversees facilities maintenance and upkeep, organization of collections and storage spaces, and museum workshops in coordination with the Director of Operations including scheduling and facilitating work with University Facilities and outside contractors
• Ensures that storage areas are maintained at professional levels of environmental and security control
• Monitors and maintains museum facilities, including overseeing the organization of collection storage spaces and maintaining the appearance of exhibition spaces by Exhibition Preparator
• Manages the museum workshop and establishes workshop standards to ensure overall safety of museum facilities
• Maintains tools and equipment and coordinates replacements with the Director of Operations
• Tracks inventories of tools, materials and supplies
• Supervises the cleaning and organization of shop facility
• Assists with museum facilities environmental monitoring

Collections Care & Management-10%

• Ensures that collections storage areas are maintained at professional levels of environmental and security control and all collections objects are safely moved, stored and maintained
• Maintains and updates the location of collections objects, packing, materials, and supply storage with TMS Administrator
• Oversees and facilitates safe packing and transportation of collections objects
• Supervises the matting and framing of collections objects and as well as the preparation of collection objects for storage and display by the Exhibition Preparator
• In consultation with Museum leadership, curators, and TMS Administrator, makes conservation recommendations
• With Curator of Collections, coordinates shipping and receiving, packing and unpacking of all collection objects to ensure proper handling and security procedures are followed

Supervision-5%

• Supervises Exhibition Preparator
• Trains student interns and temporary exhibition workers
• Ensures all workers understand and implement best museum practices and safety protocol at all times in all museum spaces and workshops across campus

QUALIFICATIONS: Knowledge, skills & ability

Grade 6:$50,461 to $66,851

Scheduled Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am - 5pm, some nights and weekends

About University of Richmond

About UR: At the University of Richmond, we’re creative, inclusive, and determined. We’re Spiders, and our mission is to create positive change in the UR community and beyond. Located minutes from downtown Richmond, Virginia, the University of Richmond (www.richmond.edu) blends the intimacy of a small college with exceptional academic, research, and cultural opportunities usually found only at large institutions. There’s only one place like Richmond. UR is committed to developing a diverse faculty, staff and student body, and to modeling an inclusive campus community which values the expression of differences in ways that promote excellence in teaching, learning, personal development and institutional success. In keeping with this commitment, our academic community welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds and candidates who support diversity. EOE 

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