Association of Academic Museums and Galleries

Director of the Eleanor D. Wilson Museum   Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia invites applications for the position of Director of the Eleanor D. Wilson Museum. This is a full-time, 12-month, exempt staff position with administrative faculty status beginning January 2, 2025. Please visit this web page (https://www.hollins.edu/about-hollins/jobs/) to learn more about Hollins; its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice; the university’s students; and the Roanoke Valley. About the Role Founded in 2004, the Eleanor D. Wilson Museum at Hollins University features the work of renowned, emerging, and regional artists. The museum presents exhibitions in a wide variety of media and genres, including selected exhibitions from the permanent collection. Located in the Richard Wetherill Visual Arts Center, the museum features three galleries with approximately 3,000 square feet of exhibition space and a collection of approximately 1,600+ objects, including the largest collection of drawings by the French artist Jean Hélion in the United States.   The director provides comprehensive artistic vision, administration, and leadership of the museum and develops exhibitions and programming that foreground the importance of the visual arts, arts education, and curatorial practice in an academic environment. Additionally, this position oversees collections, exhibitions, operations, finances, and fundraising; plans for the long-range development of programs; and creates opportunities for community engagement. The director also collaborates with faculty to promote and facilitate object-based learning using works from the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions and co-directs and teaches in the GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) certificate program. Reporting to the provost, the director supervises the museum’s assistant director, exhibitions manager, and visitor services and programs coordinator.   The successful applicant will be able to:

• Manage the museum’s budget, three staff members, interns, and work-study students, ensuring the efficient and effective operation of the museum.
• Plan, design, and implement museum exhibitions (8-14 per year) that engage diverse audiences and reflect the university’s academic priorities.
• Coordinate the installation and de-installation of exhibitions, including the design and layout of gallery spaces.
• Collaborate with faculty and students to create exhibits that align with academic curricula and research interests and provide access to the museum’s collections and resources.
• Develop and coordinate educational programs, including lectures, workshops, and guided tours, to engage students, faculty, and the public.
• Teach 1-2 courses in the GLAM program per year.
• Develop and maintain relationships with donors, alumnae/i, and other stakeholders, and lead fundraising initiatives, including grant writing, to enhance the museum’s financial sustainability.
• Build strategic external partnerships and ensure that the museum connects with and is accessible to the local community.
• Maintain appropriate policies governing conservation, documentation, security, and storage of, as well as physical and digital access to, the collection.
• Ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards related to museum operations, including copyright, repatriation, and cultural-sensitivity issues.

Position Qualifications

• Graduate degree (M.A., M.F.A., or Ph.D.) in art history, visual culture, curatorial studies, or related field.
• Minimum of five years of experience in a senior-level administrative role in a museum or similar environment working on exhibitions, programming, collections management, operations, fundraising efforts, marketing initiatives, and budgets. Preference given to candidates who gained these experiences while working on an academic campus.
• Ability to train and supervise employees in all areas of museum operations.
• Ability to work with a variety of people (staff, faculty, students, Board of Trustee members, alumnae/i, and donors) to develop museum programs that support the curriculum and mission of the university.
• Experience seeking and securing external gifts and grants to enhance the museum’s operations and collection development.
• Ability to build relationships with community stakeholders to develop new initiatives, collaborations, and art-related educational programs.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility and the ability to model and establish a culture of mutual respect, transparency, and empowerment.

Application Process Screening of candidates will begin October 15, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled.
To apply, please submit a cover letter that includes a description of how you would contribute to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at Hollins in this position, a resume, and samples of written work (published or not) of no more than 2,000 words about exhibitions or related projects in a single PDF to museumsearch@hollins.edu.   Candidates advanced to the second round of review will be asked for additional written materials relevant to the position. Semi-final candidates will be asked to submit contact information for three references.   The selected candidate will be asked to submit official transcripts to the Office of the Provost, and once they accept a contingent employment offer, a criminal history background check will be conducted. For questions about the search, contact provost@hollins.edu. About Hollins Hollins University is dedicated to academic excellence, creativity, belonging, and preparing students for lives of purpose. Hollins provides an outstanding and academically rigorous undergraduate liberal arts education for women and entrepreneurial and innovative graduate programs for all in a gender-inclusive environment. The university promotes opportunities for research, study abroad, and leadership training, and offers real-world experience through global internships supported by an extensive alumnae/i network.   An equal opportunity employer, Hollins fosters diversity and inclusiveness at every level of the university. Persons of all genders, gender identity/expression, and sexual orientation; persons with disabilities; persons of all racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds; and first-generation college graduates are encouraged to apply. Visit www.hollins.edu for more information.