Association of Academic Museums and Galleries

Job Opening ID: 309254

Role Descriptor: Museum Exhibition Specialist

Department ID: BL-MAA

Supervisor’s Title: Director of Curatorial Affairs

IU Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (IUMAA) takes aspects of the former museum and the Laboratory of Archaeology and combines them into one cohesive experience. With an impactful long-term vision focusing on purposeful storytelling, stewarding collections, and bringing these items to communities, the IUMAA thoughtfully houses and displays over 5 million artifacts that span across a broad range of the human experience. The IUMAA is accessible for research as well as teaching and is culturally connected to our broader community through partnerships with Indigenous communities, advisory boards, and other IUMAA community members.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Exhibitions and Design Manager (Manager) is responsible for managing the exhibition project timeline, schedules, logistical and financial aspects of exhibits and the execution of a captivating and innovative exhibition design. The manager will partner and collaborate with the museum curatorial team to design exhibit layouts and graphics and bring the interpretive plan to life within the exhibits physical space. The person in this position must bring a passion for creative and bold thinking and possess a blend of creative vision, organizational prowess, and a deep appreciation for culture, art, storytelling, and collaboration.

The manager will lead the development of exhibition budgets and keep exhibition projects and rotations on schedule and within budget. Working closely with the Director of Curatorial Affairs and the finance and development departments, the Manager will monitor actuals versus budgets to ensure that the expenses stay within the budget and flag overages on a timely basis.

The Exhibition and Design Manager is an exempt position that reports directly to the Director of Curatorial Affairs and works collaboratively with the Executive Director and Chief Curator, and the collections, education, and operations team. This position works with diverse communities and actively engages in community consultation meetings under the leadership of the Director of Curatorial Affairs and the curatorial team. This position partners, collaborates, and builds with the external consultant, contract workers, part-time staff, University Collections preparators and other colleagues throughout the IU Bloomington campus.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee the installation and deinstallation of exhibitions, ensuring proper handling, security, and preservation of objects.
• Collaborate with the museum’s curatorial team to conceptualize, design, and plan engaging exhibitions that align with the museum’s mission, objectives, and interpretive plan.
• Develop innovative exhibition layouts and floorplans that maximize the use of space while ensuring a coherent and intuitive visitor flow and impactful visitor journey.
• Design graphics, labels, signage, and interpretive materials that align with the exhibition’s overall design aesthetic.
• Ensure that all graphic elements are clear, visually appealing, and contribute to the storytelling.
• Create and manage comprehensive multi-year project timelines and budgets for exhibitions, ensuring all aspects of the project are effectively managed and delivered on time and within budget.
• Coordinate logistics, including transportation, insurance, installation, lighting, and technical requirements for exhibits.
• Collaborate with the Director of Curatorial Affairs, curators, and consultants on the development of the exhibit design to create visually captivating, innovative, and immersive exhibition layouts that enhance the guest experience.
• Works collaboratively with the curatorial team and the collections team to ensure that the object list, installation information, design concepts, and other needed logistics are in order and communicated clearly to the preparators and to internal/external stakeholders.
• Coordinate and enable clear lines for communication around exhibit content and learning objectives throughout the exhibit development, design, and production process to staff.
• Coordinates and implements long-term and short-term departmental plans in partnership with the Director of Curatorial Affairs and the curatorial team.
• Focus on enhancing the visitor experience by ensuring exhibits are engaging, educational, and accessible to a wide range of audiences, including young people, adults, and individuals with disabilities.
• Works with the curatorial team and advisory committees to gather feedback through prototype sessions. Consolidates data into brief reports for the curatorial team, which are used as a tool internally to strengthen the impact of Exhibit designs.
• Gathers visitor feedback through visitor observation studies, visitor surveys, and timing and tracking reports of exhibits and museum spaces. Works with external partners to guide more extensive feedback surveys and reporting for exhibits being developed through grants or other funding sources.
• Coordinate logistics, including transportation, insurance, installation, lighting, and technical requirements for exhibits.
• Monitor and maintain the condition of exhibits throughout their duration, making necessary adjustments or repairs.
• Partner with the Learning and Community Engagement department to meet the learning goals and work deliverables for part-time, practicum, or additional hourly staff that assigned to the exhibitions department.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills and Knowledge:

• Bachelor’s degree in museum studies, art, history, anthropology, theater design, carpentry, or related field.
• Three years’ experience in museum exhibit design, development, fabrication, and/or exhibit installation carpentry.
• Three years’ experience managing and building exhibit budget and multi-year exhibition plans
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of ADA compliance in exhibitions
• Demonstrated understanding of methods for visual storytelling in physical spaces.
• Demonstrated knowledge of innovative and engaging practices to support exhibit content comprehension, particularly when communicating complex and/or nuanced subject matter to general museum guests and diverse target audiences
• Experience in assisting with culturally complex, sensitive, or confidential projects – including a demonstrated ability to listen and deal empathetically with various people and cultural groups.
• Understanding of equity, inclusion, access, and racial/culturally just practices within museums, archives, and libraries.
• Collaborative and autonomous approach with a focus on keeping the entire team updated.
• Experience and ability to observe and respond to various people’s needs within an emergency and/or situations with conflicts (youth, adults, and large groups).
• Ability to work as a member of a team-based environment with strong collaborative skills
• Demonstrated ability to direct, coach, and motivate direct reports and/or young professionals
• Willingness to build positive and effective relationships with museum colleagues, faculty, donors, and the broader IU and Bloomington communities
• Demonstrated experience and ability to achieve deliverables while working collaboratively and independently without close supervision within tight deadlines.

Qualifications

EDUCATION

Required

Bachelor’s degree in museum services or related field

WORK EXPERIENCE

Required

2 years in museum services or related field

SKILLS

Required

Proficient communication skills

Maintains a high degree of professionalism

Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills

Demonstrates a high commitment to quality

Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment

Ability to work as a member of a team-based environment with strong collaborative skills

Demonstrates ability to direct, coach, and motivate direct reports and/or young professionals

Ability to build positive and effective relationships with museum colleagues, faculty, donors, and the broader IU and Bloomington communities

Demonstrates experience and ability to achieve deliverables while working collaboratively and independently without close supervision within tight deadlines

Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty

Highly thorough and dependable

Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure

Working Conditions / Demands

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus.

Position requires activity for installing and uninstalling exhibits, safely moving artifacts, arranging exhibit furniture, reconfiguring exhibit cases, removing and replacing case fronts, and assembling moveable walls and glass case units. Weight of objects and packed items may be up to 50 lbs.

The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Work Location

Bloomington, Indiana

This is an in-person position.

Advertised Salary

Up to $65,000 per year based on education and experience.

Benefits Overview

For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

Multiple plan options for medical insurance

Dental insurance

Health Savings Account with generous IU contribution

Life insurance, LTD, and AD&D options

Base retirement plan contribution from IU, subject to vesting

Additional supplemental retirement plan options

Tuition benefit for IU classes

10 paid holidays per year

Generous Paid Time Off

Paid Parental Leave

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Learn more about our benefits by reviewing our online Benefits Brochure.

Job Classification

Career Level: Career

FLSA: Exempt

Job Function: Educational Resources & Tech

Job Family: Museum Services

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Directions on how to apply:

1. Non-IU employees should click on the first link below to access the careers site; current IU employees should click on the second link below.
   1. Review the job description and then click on “Apply for Job” to begin your application.
   1. Non-IU employees will need to sign in to access your account. If you do not already have an account, click on “Register Now” to create an account. Current IU employees will be recognized through CAS Authorization.
   1. Complete the application process.

If you are NOT an IU employee currently, please use the following link: https://hrms.indiana.edu/psp/PH1PRD_PUB/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_ SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=1&Jo bOpeningId=309254&PostingSeq=1

Current IU employees should use this link: https://hrms.iu.edu/psp/PH1PRD/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_EMP_FL.HRS_CG_SEA RCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&SiteId=1&FOCUS=Employee&JobOp eningId=309254&PostingSeq=1