Chief Curator

JOB TITLE: Chief Curator & Director of Collections
REPORTS TO: President & CEO
DATE: February 2024
FLSA STATUS: EXEMPT
Mission: The Museum of African American History connects colonial and early African American history & culture in Boston and the larger New England area with the abolition of slavery and current explorations of race and the struggle for human rights.
Vision: Home to four original African American buildings built at the birth of the nation and still standing, the museum illuminates, interprets, and preserved the birthplace of the abolitionist movement and the continuing struggle for human rights.
History: The Museum is a not-for-profit history institution that began holding exhibitions and public gatherings in 1963 and is nationally and internationally known for its collection of historic sites in Boston and Nantucket, including two African Meeting Houses Abiel Smith School, Seneca Boston- Florence Higginbotham House, Black Heritage Trails.

General Purpose:
The Chief Curator & Director of Collections oversees the museum’s curatorial and collections efforts on both campuses Boston and Nantucket. The Chief Curator & Director of collections has demonstrable level of experience in curatorial core competencies of preservation (collections planning, care and management); research (scholarly, object-based, and applied research), and communication (exhibition design and development, and public engagement) while also ensuring its historical and cultural accuracy This position will work across departments and with partners including area depositories currently holding part of MAAH’s collections like the National Park Service, and University of Massachusetts – Boston. This position may also serve as a museum spokesperson on relevant subject-matter.

This position will be responsible for facilitating/ helping museums prepare areas of curation and collections for the accreditation process.

Essential Functions:

• Member of the museum’s senior leadership team
• Reports to the President & CEO
• Leads & manages curatorial & collections team
• Works collaboratively across museum departments
• Collaborates with Marketing on outreach promotions
• May serve as museum spokesperson on specific topics
• Plays key role in museum accreditation process

Collections Management

• Oversee acquisition, cataloging, and preservation of museum collections including those located at partner repositories
• Develop & implement policies and procedures regarding collections care that brings museum into accreditation compliance
• Ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards regarding accessioning and deaccessioning
• Oversees collections committee.

Exhibition Development

• Oversee planning, design, and installation of exhibitions related to the museum’s mission
• Develop innovative and compelling exhibits using dynamic interactive technology
• Leads renovation of museum’s current exhibitions in Boston and development of permanent exhibits at the Nantucket campus.
• Oversees exhibition contractors and vendors

Digital literacy

• Work collaboratively with staff and external vendors to develop compelling exhibitions and digital experiences using curatorial ethics and standards
• Implement creative and innovative ideas using modern technology including augmented and virtual reality, digital immersion, and artificial intelligence

Research and Scholarship

• Conduct research related to museum properties, communities, mission, and objects within museum’s collections including archeological artifacts
• Present research at events and conferences
• Foster partnership with academic institutions, historians, and researchers to enhance museum’s intellectual contributions

OTHER FUNCTIONS
The Chief Curator & Director of Collections performs additional functions (essential or otherwise), which may be assigned from time to time. The position may require work on weekends, nights, and holidays to accommodate facility programming and utilization.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL / SOCIAL REQUIREMENTS
KEY COMPETENCIES

• Accuracy: Maintain a high level of detail and accuracy in interpretive media and presentations including but not limited to exhibitions, research articles, interviews, and tours
• Adaptability: Adjust to changing situations, learns new and different tasks,

responds appropriately to constructive feedback

• Attitude: Maintains a positive attitude and contributes to an encouraging and empowering work environment. Has a sense of humor.
• Communication: Strong written and verbal skills, can speak and write clearly and concisely
• Collaboration: Ability to work with diverse staff, and outside stakeholders
• Dependability: Maintain an acceptable attendance record, complete work as scheduled
• Flexibility: Balance departmental priorities with museum-wide goals and objectives
• Innovation: Ability to think outside the box, develop compelling experiences for diverse audiences, and employ the use of technology in unique and ethical manner
• Interpersonal: Comfortable interacting with diverse audiences including the general public, the department, and across the museum. Strong people skills

PHYSICAL

• Requires the ability to operate general office equipment
• Occasionally required to work outside and offsite

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide leadership and mentorship to curatorial& collections staff and volunteers, fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

• Advanced degree in African American history, African American/ Africana studies, public history, Museum Studies, Art History, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of curatorial experience in a museum setting, with a focus on African American history and culture in eighteenth and nineteenth century America.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated knowledge of African American history
• Demonstrated success in curatorial leadership, exhibition development, and collection management.
• Strong research and scholarship background with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to work a hybrid schedule (onsite and off-site)
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Strong interpersonal, time management, and organizational skills
• Strong customer service experience
• Displays good judgment and professionalism
• Critical and analytical thinking.
• Experience with collections management and project management software
• Effectively use Microsoft Office Suite

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

Nonprofit HR is committed to fostering and maintaining a work environment where diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are fully integrated into everything we do for the benefit of our employees and the clients that we serve. To fully realize our goal, we prioritize our understanding of the complexities of DEI within our workforce to inform our approach to talent management. We believe that this guides how we do our work, advise our clients to operationalize DEI and position our content and educational opportunities help strengthen the talent management capacity of the social impact sector.

Continue reading our about our commitment at nonprofithr.com/deinow .

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