Art Bridges seeks a dynamic, skilled, and highly motivated individual to lead Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) initiatives. This person will be committed to advancing Art Bridges’ DEAI strategies and priorities within the foundation and with our museum partners.
About Art Bridges
Art Bridges is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton. The mission of Art Bridges is to expand access to American art in all regions across the United States. Since 2017, Art Bridges has been creating and supporting programs that bring outstanding works of American art out of storage and into communities. Art Bridges partners with a growing network of nearly 170 museums of all sizes and locations to provide financial and strategic support for exhibition development, loans from the Art Bridges collection, and programs designed to educate, inspire, and deepen engagement with local audiences. The Art Bridges Collection features American masterworks of early American to present day and encompasses painting, sculpture, and photography.
About the position
A newly created position reporting to the Chief Executive Officer of Art Bridges, the Director, DEAI Initiatives will advance Art Bridges’ DEAI strategies internally and externally with museum partners. The Director will provide leadership, knowledge, vision, and accountability measures for the foundation’s work. In addition, the Director will build a department that makes significant awards to museums for DEAI programming across the United States.
By collaborating with Art Bridges colleagues from Awards & Cohorts, Evaluation and Learning & Engagement; Collection Loans & Exhibitions; Curatorial; Digital Resources; Fellows Program; Human Resources; and Marketing & Communications, you will be responsible for leading DEAI programs, initiatives, and resource development with colleagues and museum partners.
As an important member of the Art Bridges Management Team, this person serves as a strategic partner across departments, developing and delivering innovative and creative work that addresses key challenges and opportunities for the foundation and museum partners. The Director is responsible for performing all job duties in accordance with state and federal guidelines and laws and organizational policies and procedures.
Principal Responsibilities (Internal: Art Bridges)
Conceptualize, develop, and implement measurable, short, mid, and long-term DEAI strategies and actions to support Art Bridges’ mission and vision
Act as a key thought partner for the CEO on issues related to DEAI and as a collaborator across Art Bridges providing insights, expertise, and recommendations
Lead and inspire the Art Bridges DEAI Committee (see internal mission statement below) to create organization-wide priorities so that DEAI is central to all of our work
Work with counterparts at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, Whole Health Institute, the Walton Family Foundation, and the Alice L. Walton Foundation to support collaborations and knowledge sharing across organizations
Principal Responsibilities (External: Museum Partners)
Create and implement a strategy for Art Bridges’ support of DEAI initiatives with museum partners across the country in concert with Art Bridges exhibitions, collection loans, Learning & Engagement awards, and support of Art Bridges Fellows and Interns
Advise and collaborate with museum partners related to DEAI initiatives including strategic planning, community building and partnerships, ongoing learning for staff, and best practices
Build a network of specialists for museum partners for strategic planning, workshops, trainings, and other resources for DEAI endeavors
With support from Learning & Engagement at Art Bridges, evaluate growth, success, and challenges, sharing findings with colleagues, partners, and the field at-large
Deep engagement in ongoing, national conversations about the arts and DEAI
Represent Art Bridges at conferences, events, and other convenings
Personal attributes that support your success
- Deep passion for creating an inclusive and equitable community of learning and practice
- Dedication to honest and crucial conversations about race, diversity, equity, accessibility, inclusion, and the history of racism and discrimination
- A commitment and passion for the power of art to transform lives
- Enthusiasm about joining an organization that’s new, evolving, and poised to have major impact on the art museum field
- Excellent interpersonal and intercultural communication skills including the ability to mediate diverse opinions to address shared needs
- Ability to cultivate and sustain trust with colleagues, partners, and other stakeholders
Minimum Qualifications Education and Training
- Master’s degree preferred in human resources, business, public policy, sociology, art history, arts management, museum studies, ethnic studies, or other related fields
- 6+ years of progressive and successful leadership experience, preferably in the arts, nonprofit, education, or philanthropy sectors
- Broad-based DEAI leadership capacity
- Proven experience developing, designing, and delivering DEAI programs
- Advanced knowledge of DEAI and cultural competencies and literacy
- Proven experience developing, designing and delivering DEAI programs and initiatives
- Proven ability to influence and drive change
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and successfully drive and deliver on key projects
- Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability under changing organizational needs and priorities
- Outstanding organizational and analytical skills with a special emphasis on attention to detail
Salary and Benefits
Salary range: $135,000-$150,000
Competitive benefits and relocation assistance are provided.
To Apply
Please email your resume to jsporleder@weioffice.com
Physical Demands and Work Environment
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Physical demands: In the work environments described below, position requires utilizing a computer and telephone for prolonged periods of time, good eye/hand coordination, verbal and written conversation with others, lifting/carrying (up to 10 lbs). Vision abilities required by the job include close vision.
Work Environment: Work will be performed in an office environment and in museum spaces. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. Some overnight travel may be necessary.
Vaccination Policy
In accordance with our duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards, and to do our part in safeguarding the health of our co-workers and their families as well as the community at large from COVID-19 that will be reduced by vaccination, we are requiring all Art Bridges staff and interns to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by their start date as a condition of employment. According to the CDC, “fully vaccinated” means it has been two weeks since a person received the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna or the single dose of Johnson & Johnson.
According to the CDC, “fully vaccinated” means it has been two weeks since a person received the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna or the single dose of Johnson & Johnson.
In accordance with all federal, state and local rules and regulations, Art Bridges recognizes that there may be certain circumstances exempting an employee from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Employees in need of an exemption from this policy due to a disability, advice of a medical provider, or religious beliefs inconsistent with vaccination, must contact the HR group at ASC to initiate the interactive review process within the deadlines expressed in this policy.
We strongly hope this policy decision will help to change the current landscape of infection rates in our community by creating a sense of urgency and proactivity. Our desire is to continue to fulfill our vision of transforming lives through Art Bridges mission. To do this, our first priority is to create a safe workplace.
Equal Opportunity
Art Bridges is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.
The Art Bridges DEAI Committee
The Art Bridges DEAI committee believes that diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are central to all work and decisions within our organization. We are a voluntary group committed to developing and promoting DEAI practices across departments and recognize that this work begins with each of us. We acknowledge that arts and cultural organizations have contributed to our country’s systemic racism and exclusion. The DEAI Committee strives to be an integral part of transforming the work we do as a foundation.
Our goal is to support our colleagues in learning and changing together to make this important work part of our daily activities. The DEAI Committee seeks to foster a work culture where we hold each other and ourselves accountable to creating and maintaining inclusive and equitable processes and actions. As a committee, we embrace the evolving and ongoing nature of DEAI work and will operate with transparency, sharing our goals, priorities, and progress with the entire Art Bridges team.
Categories: Job Postings