Association of Academic Museums and Galleries

The Allen Memorial Art Museum (AMAM) at Oberlin College is seeking applicants for the position of Curator of Academic Programs. This is a continuing 12-month Administrative and Professional Staff position reporting to the director of the museum. As the primary liaison between the museum and faculty and students, the successful candidate must have highly developed administrative and organizational capabilities. The successful candidate will be an excellent collaborator who is committed to object-based learning and thrives on working with a broad constituency of faculty and students in a variety of disciplines. AMAM staff and Oberlin faculty are committed to enhancing students’ visual literacy and critical thinking skills through broad examination of the museum’s comprehensive art collection and its integration into the curriculum through innovative academic programs.

Responsibilities: The incumbent is responsible for strengthening the academic role of the Allen Memorial Art Museum within the college by conceptualizing and developing programs and activities as curricular support for faculty and students. This broad outreach to the faculty in the Arts and Sciences and the Conservatory of Music is intended to enable faculty to develop courses that use the collection in new and innovative ways. The AMAM’s collection serves nearly all Oberlin College departments in the Arts and Sciences and the Conservatory of Music, including Africana studies, art, art history, biology, chemistry, classics, cinema studies, comparative American studies, comparative literature, creative writing, dance, East Asian studies, English, environmental studies, foreign languages and literatures, history, Latin American studies, mathematics, music and historical performance, neuroscience, philosophy, physics, politics, psychology, and religion, among others. Outreach to the campus community should be pursued in ways that are flexible and responsive to the institution’s curricular goals. The successful candidate will have a deep commitment to interdisciplinary teaching and collaboration, and a contextual, cross-disciplinary approach to original works of art.  Specific responsibilities include:

• Meeting and working closely with faculty to facilitate use of collections
• Frequently leading lecture and discussion-based sessions for classes in the AMAM galleries and Print Study Room
• Planning and overseeing faculty development initiatives including new faculty orientation, curriculum development grants, and pedagogical workshops
• Conceptualizing, initiating, and managing the installation of teaching exhibitions that support courses and highlight current and new research
• Implementing new strategies that encourage faculty and student use of the museum in innovative ways
• Scheduling class visits to the museum and managing the Print Study Room
• Supervising one full-time post-baccalaureate assistant and two part-time student assistants each year, and overseeing the recruiting and training of same
• Liaising with staff colleagues, including the museum’s registrars and preparators regarding art movements, and with collection curators and Education department staff regarding teaching and public programs
• Contributing to development and fund-raising initiatives, including active participation with grant-writing, management, and reporting
• Conducting assessment and evaluation of the work of the Office of Academic Programs, including keeping statistics relating to its work, and gathering and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data
• Active membership in the larger museum community, including attending conferences and presenting on innovative programs and initiatives
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements:

• Ph.D. in art history with at least 5 years of museum experience and some teaching experience in a higher education capacity
• Broad understanding of the field of art history, including of a range of historical periods, cultures, and artistic trends, and willingness to learn about subjects and material outside established areas of expertise
• Superb communication skills, both verbal and written
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects effectively
• A high degree of professionalism, close attention to detail, and ability to meet deadlines
• Computer literacy including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; familiarity with TMS is desired
• Strong interpersonal skills, collegiality toward colleagues, and a demonstrated ability to work effectively individually and as part of a team
• Supervisory experience
• Ability to work occasional evening and weekend hours
• Ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 25 lbs
• Foreign language skills are desirable

Quick Link for Posting:  https://jobs.oberlin.edu/postings/7333

Compensation: Within the range established for this position, salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience; the position includes an excellent benefits package.

To Apply: Candidates should submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, and names, addresses, and phone numbers of three references by March 15, 2019 via Oberlin College’s PeopleAdmin portal at https://jobs.oberlin.edu/postings/7333. All applications must be received via the PeopleAdmin portal; if you have a question, please contact Sally Moffitt, AMAM Administrative Assistant, at smoffitt@oberlin.edu.  Review of applications will begin in late March 2019 and applications received after the deadline may be considered.

About the Allen Memorial Art Museum (AMAM): For more than a century, Oberlin College has been committed to promoting direct study of original works of art to foster visual literacy and a deeper understanding of the diversity of the world’s cultures. Today, the AMAM houses an encyclopedic collection of more than 15,000 objects selected to provide a comprehensive overview of the history of art and is recognized as one of the best academic museums in the country. The AMAM serves a broad regional audience and operates on the premise that learning about art is important for everyone, a principle demonstrated by free public admission, offered since its founding in 1917.

The museum complex includes a 1917 building designed by Cass Gilbert. In the 1970s, Robert Venturi designed a gallery dedicated to the presentation of modern and contemporary art, the architect’s first museum commission. The AMAM also shares responsibility with Oberlin College for a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house, the first Usonian house in Ohio, located in Oberlin. For more information, visit the AMAM website at: www.oberlin.edu/amam.