THE SEARCH
Housed within Yale University (Yale or University), the Yale Center for British Art (YCBA) seeks a visionary, collaborative, and passionate leader to serve as the next Paul Mellon Director.
Founded by Paul Mellon (Yale College, Class of 1929), the Yale Center for British Art is home to the largest collection devoted to British art outside the United Kingdom. Its collections include more than 2,000 paintings, 250 sculptures, 20,000 drawings and watercolors, 40,000 prints, and 35,000 rare books and manuscripts dating from the fifteenth century to the present. More than 40,000 volumes supporting research in British art and related fields are available in the Reference Library. As an academic museum and research center, the YCBA encourages both scholarly and popular engagement with the collection and seeks to provide exceptional teaching and learning experiences along with maintaining an active public programming and publication schedule. Located in the final building designed by Louis I. Kahn and opened in 1977, the building is a focal point for modernist architecture. The YCBA is free and open to all. To learn more about the YCBA, please visit https://britishart.yale.edu/.
The next Paul Mellon Director will have a unique opportunity to strategically lead the YCBA as it approaches its fiftieth anniversary in 2027. Currently, the YCBA is closed for conservation, focusing on exterior improvements, including the replacement of the museum’s roof and skylights, as well as significant upgrades to the gallery lighting system. Slated to open in spring 2025, the Paul Mellon Director will play a significant role in a reconceived installation of its collection.
An inspirational leader and seasoned manager, the Paul Mellon Director is responsible for the artistic vision and fiscal management of the institution and will inspire, support, and develop the staff. The next Paul Mellon Director will champion the Center’s dual identities as both a museum and a center for research and teaching and continue to promote understanding and appreciation of British Art worldwide. Recognizing that the YCBA is nested within a university, they will partner and connect with all constituents, including faculty, staff, and students, across the Yale ecosystem. Located in New Haven, CT, the YCBA has a deep commitment to its surrounding community as a core audience and fulfills this commitment through a range of partnerships.
While the YCBA is in downtown New Haven, its sister organization, the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, is based in London, and the next Paul Mellon Director thus will understand the importance of engaging locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. To engage with faculty, visiting researchers, and leaders from comparable global institutions, the Director should have significant academic and scholarly achievements, including publications, in the field of British art and material culture, or a closely related field such as the arts of the United States, the former British colonies, or the current British Commonwealth. In short, the successful candidate should demonstrate knowledge of British art’s relation to its global context. They should have recognized distinction in the field of art history, significant standing with peer institutions, and the stature to represent the Center to appropriate stakeholders.
Yale University has retained Isaacson, Miller, an executive search firm, to assist with this recruitment. Inquiries, nominations, and applications, in the form of a CV and cover letter, should be sent in strict confidence to Sarah James, Ben Tobin, and Jonathan Sanchez at https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/yale-university-center-british-art/paul-mellon-director
The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and affirmatively seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons of diverse backgrounds. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.
University policy is committed to affirmative action under law in employment of women, minority group members, individuals with disabilities, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam era, and other covered veterans.
Categories: Job Postings