Association of Academic Museums and Galleries

WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY – COLLEGE OF CREATIVE ARTS
DATE OF APPOINTMENT: January 1, 2019 or until filled

Position: The College of Creative Arts at West Virginia University, located in Morgantown, WV seeks to hire a full-time, twelve month Director of the Art Museum of West Virginia University. We are seeking an energetic and visionary leader with significant museum experience to provide administrative, artistic and intellectual leadership for the museum.  The Director of the Art Museum of WVU reports directly to the Dean of the College of Creative Arts and manages six full-time professional staff members.

The Art Museum of WVU (https://artmuseum.wvu.edu/) is a state-of-the art facility opened in 2015. Home to more than 3,000 works of art, the Art Museum boasts two galleries, a sculpture garden, a collection research and study room, storage areas, and an adjacent Museum Education Center.

The Art Museum is committed to presenting compelling exhibitions featuring a wide variety of artists and media. Past exhibitions have included the artwork of Shepard Fairey, Blanche Lazzell, Chinese master ceramists, and Appalachian Self-taught artists. In 2019 the Museum will present the work of Peter and Sally Saul.

The Art Museum’s aim, within the larger mission of West Virginia University, is to foster a vibrant, inviting, and inclusive environment in which visitors can study and learn from the direct experience of works of art.  The Art Museum’s educational programs emphasize cross-disciplinary, inquiry-based learning for all ages.

Responsibilities: The director must provide collegial and collaborative leadership that fully embraces the Museum’s contribution to the educational mission of WVU through its exhibitions, programming, acquisitions, and engagement with WVU faculty and students. The Director will be committed to integrating the museum into the University’s overall educational mission by providing opportunities for teaching and learning through exhibitions and outreach activities, and enhancing the connection to, and collaboration with, the university’s academic programs, faculty, students and staff.

• Oversee day-to-day operations, including Museum budget and facility, in accordance with standards in the museum field and in compliance with the University’s policies and procedures.
• Work collaboratively with the College of Creative Arts’ Dean and Directors to establish a shared vision and conduit between the College and the Museum.
• Oversee Museum staff, comprised of six full-time employees. Responsible for recruitment, supervision, reclassification, and evaluation of staff in accordance with University personnel policies and procedures.
• In collaboration with curator, oversee exhibition development from concept to implementation including related programs and publications.
• Provide leadership for fund-raising and development. Maintain regular contact with donors and work with the Director of Development to identify and cultivate prospective donors. In addition, seek outside funding through pursuing, securing, and managing appropriate grants.
• In collaboration with the Manager of Educational Programs, develop visitor-centered, inquiry-based programs for adults and WVU students. Participate in docent meetings. Assist with K-12 tour groups, leading small groups on an as needed basis.
• Chair the Museum collections committee to approve potential acquisitions for collections that are in keeping with the museum’s mission and collection policies. Develop collecting priorities to strengthen the museum’s collections.
• Serve as leader of Friends of the Art Museum membership group.
• Meet regularly with Museum Advisory Council to provide guidance as they advocate and fund-raise for the Museum.
• Collaborate with the CCA Communications and Marketing staff to develop plans for promoting museum exhibitions and programs to the public to raise the visibility of the museum and attract new visitors.
• Advance an innovative vision for the Art Museum through strategic long-range planning, in collaboration with staff and other stakeholders.
• Keep abreast of current thinking and issues in the museum field.
• Pursue professional development opportunities, maintain membership in professional organizations, and cultivate diverse professional contacts.
• Engage in the state and regional arts community.

 Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Art History, Arts Administration, Museum Studies, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• Five years of senior administrative experience, directly related to the responsibilities outlined above, at least two years of which are in a museum setting.
• Record of success in donor relations, fundraising, grant-writing and/or capital campaigns.
• Demonstrated knowledge of professional museum principles, standards and best practices, including but not limited to the areas of exhibition development, museum education, educational outreach, and audience development.
• Demonstrated knowledge of 20th century and contemporary art.
• Evidence of a network of professional colleagues in the museum field, and service to the museum profession.
• Willingness to work nights and weekends as needed to accommodate programmatic and development needs.

Deadline: Review of applications will begin September 17, 2018.

Application: Apply online at http://employmentservices.hr.wvu.edu/wvu_jobs

Application Requirements:

• Curriculum Vita
• Cover letter that addresses the following areas:
  • Comparable work experience and past successes
  • Leadership experience and qualification
  • Development strategies
  • The importance of art in relation to WVU’s land grant mission (https://www.wvu.edu/about-wvu/mission)
• Contact information for four references

The College of Creative Arts: The Art Museum is part of the College of Creative Arts (ccarts.wvu.edu/), which also includes the Schools of Art & Design, Music, and Theatre & Dance. With a comprehensive list of degree options, the CCA offers the state’s premiere training in the visual and performing arts.  Each of these units has a national profile of excellence and all programs are nationally accredited (NASAD, NASM, and NAST).

The College of Creative Arts’ is one of 15 colleges within the University. It has more than 70 full-time faculty and 20 professional staff whose mission is to educate succeeding generations of artists, teachers, and scholars through an experiential student-centered approach to learning.  The College advocates the arts as a medium through which the diversity of human experience is understood and valued.  Exemplifying excellence and innovation in performance, exhibition, scholarship, and creative research, the College offers artistic and cultural opportunities for the citizens of West Virginia and the global community.

WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY (https://www.wvu.edu/) is classified as a Doctoral/Research University-Extensive, and is the state’s only comprehensive doctoral-granting, land grant institution. WVU has a current enrollment of approximately 28,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students enrolled in more than 184 graduate and undergraduate programs. The university community is committed to student-centered priorities, academic excellence, research, creative activity and service to the state.

The city of Morgantown has 55,000 residents and has been ranked as the “#1 Small City in America,” the “Best Small City in the East,” and the “3rd Best Small Town” in the nation. Boasting a strong economy and an unemployment rate well below the national average, the area also offers a wide variety of cultural and recreational activities.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity.  The University values diversity among its faculty, staff and students, and invites applications from all qualified individuals, including minorities, females, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.  WVU has created a dual career program to help faculty partners or spouses find employment in and around the university.  WVU belongs to the OH/Western PA/WV Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC).  Please visit dualcareer.wvu.edu and ohwpawvherc.org for more information and job postings.