Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs

Columbus Museum of Art

Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs

Columbus, OH

The Opportunity

The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at the Columbus Museum of Art (CMA) is responsible for leading the Curatorial Department in the development and implementation of the Museum's artistic program, including its collections, exhibitions, publications, and related efforts. As a member of the Museum’s senior leadership team, the Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs must work collaboratively with other departments and stakeholders to advance the Museum's mission, foster community engagement, and build support for the institution's activities.

The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs is an integral part of shaping the artistic vision, strategic priorities, and mission of the organization. Through leadership and collaboration, the Deputy Director supports acquisitions and develops an exhibition program that centers artists’ voices, elevates marginalized histories, and explores new narratives.  The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs leads CMA’s exhibition development plan with a focus on the visitor experience.  They support CMA’s continued efforts to foster meaningful relationships and open dialogue with our diverse community, bringing relevant exhibitions to Columbus that further the Museum’s mission to create connection and inspire wonder.  The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs works with the Executive Director and CEO, their colleagues, and other external partners to develop high quality exhibitions that travel from Columbus and across the nation.

Deeply embedded in the fabric of its community, the Columbus Museum of Art (CMA) is an agent for positive social change. With its guiding principle to “think like an artist,” CMA nurtures the role that artists play in society to explore, question, provoke, and find beauty. Leveraging that creativity, the museum seeks to address some of today’s most difficult challenges. CMA’s visitor-centered environment is designed to bridge differences, spark curiosity, cultivate experimentation and build shared values.

CMA’s permanent collection – featuring outstanding examples of late 19th and early 20th century American and European works of art – is installed in the ten galleries of the 1931 Elizabeth M. and Richard M. Ross Building.  A commitment to collecting global contemporary art, folk art, and photography continues the museum’s dedication to sharing the art of our time.

About Columbus Museum of Art

Columbus Museum of Art’s mission is to create great experiences with great art for everyone.

Incorporated in 1878, Columbus Museum of Art (CMA) was built for the community by the community. Generations of families have invested in the museum through gifts of time, talent, and treasure. From the quality of its collections and exhibitions to the quality of life in the community, CMA strives for the ideal – celebrating the diversity of its people and its city. In 2013, the museum was named a National Medal winner by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the nation’s highest honor for significant and exceptional contributions to the community.

CMA Collections and Exhibitions

CMA’s collection includes outstanding examples of late nineteenth and early twentieth-century American and European works of modern art, represented primarily by the collections of Ferdinand Howald and Howard D. and Babette L. Sirak. These important collections are joined by significant holdings of the New York Photo League, as well as the Philip and Suzanne Schiller Collection of American Social Commentary Art and the Scantland Collection of contemporary art. In October 2015, the museum unveiled an extensive 50,000 square foot renovation. This major overhaul included construction of the Margaret M. Walter Wing, the upper galleries of which showcase the museum’s postwar and contemporary collections.

Since its inception, the Columbus Museum of Art has been dedicated to not just supporting, but closely collaborating with contemporary artists from around the region. Housing the world’s largest collections of works by beloved Columbus-connected artists George Bellows, Elijah Pierce, and Aminah Robinson, CMA offers emerging and established artists alike a platform to share their voice and vision.

Since 2019, the museum has organized an off-site program of contemporary exhibitions at The Pizzuti, an 19,000 square foot facility located in the Short North neighborhood, which was gifted by Ann and Ron Pizzuti in late 2018. CMA also operates the Aminah Robinson Legacy Project which encompasses an artist residency program for U.S.-based visual artists and writers located in the former home of artist Aminah Robinson. Through its Art in Public Spaces (APS) program, the museum actively lends works from its permanent collection to city and state governmental institutions, including the Ohio Statehouse and Franklin County Courthouse, among others.

About the Region: Columbus, OH

With a forward-thinking approach to life, business, and ideas, Columbus has cultivated a unique environment of thriving communities, companies, institutions, and entertainment. One of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., Columbus is full of charm, vibrant neighborhoods, and the nation’s best suburbs for employees and families to live. Columbus is rooted in its diversity and energetic blend of arts and culture: inspired culinary, fashion, music, and entertainment scenes; unbridled passion for collegiate and professional sports; career-advancing opportunities and entrepreneurial spirit.

From ExperienceColumbus.com, “As the 14th largest city in the country and the largest and fastest-growing city in Ohio, Columbus is collaborative, open, and dynamic. Between incredible arts and entertainment, exciting collegiate and professional sports, and a spectacular downtown riverfront of sprawling greenspace, Columbus has something for everyone.” Please see their website for information about relocating to Columbus.

For more information about living in Columbus, please explore the following links about the city and surrounding area: https://www.findyourohio.com/columbus/ and https://columbusregion.com/living-here/.

Candidate Profile

While no one candidate will have every experience outlined in the position description, ideal candidates will display the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:

Strategic Leadership and Management Acumen

The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will be skilled at building and leading high-performing, diverse teams with the highest degree of professionalism and an eye toward guiding team members’ growth and development. They must have the ability to set clear priorities, delegate, and guide investment in people and systems. The ideal candidate will cultivate a productive work environment that matches the skill set and abilities of staff members and provides professional growth opportunities that result in team cohesion and camaraderie. The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will foster a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, and teamwork within the department and across other departments. Further, they will manage the department’s operations and finances with focus and balance and will make decisions based on a clear understanding of the strategic objectives of the museum.

Curatorial Affairs Leadership

The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will have a sophisticated understanding of and passion for art and art history, as well as the materials, techniques, and condition of art objects; they will bring a robust record of exhibitions, digital innovation, and scholarly publications. This individual will bring demonstrated experience with project management related to the care, conservation, display, and interpretation of objects in a museum setting. The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will have demonstrable success conceptualizing, designing, and implementing compelling and visitor-centered curatorial and collection strategies and will be adept at working with the staff to bring them to life.

Successful candidates will be comfortable in the broader arts and cultural community to advance the mission of the Columbus Museum of Art locally, nationally, and internationally. They will have a familiarity with or working knowledge of best practices in collections management and a commitment to legal, professional, and ethical considerations about all acquisitions. They will possess a high level of cross-cultural competency and embrace the value found in our differences in all forms. This leader will have excellent presentation, verbal, and written communication skills.

Relationship Building and Ambassadorship

The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will be a gifted leader who will serve as an ambassador for the museum, locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. A charismatic spokesperson, the Deputy Director should be able to originate and inspire enthusiastic relationships with fellow curators, artists, scholars, art historians, civic and community members, and others, to broaden and deepen interest in and support for the museum’s collections and exhibitions.

Passion for the Mission

Fully embracing the mission of the Columbus Museum of Art, its relationship to the communities of the city and region, and its commitment to its various constituents, the Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will be someone who understands how historic collections intersect with our contemporary world, and who will be passionate about working in partnership with staff, donors, and other partners to advance the mission of the museum. The ideal candidate will possess and promote a deep appreciation for the museum’s collections, history, research, and scholarship and will demonstrate a commitment to public engagement and the visitor experience. Working alongside the senior leadership team, trustees, staff, and volunteers, the Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will help expand the museum’s brand and reach globally. This individual will have a strong work ethic, emotional intelligence, a sense of humor, and evidence of a commitment to lifelong learning and professional growth. Additionally, this leader will be an individual of unquestioned integrity, ethics and values: someone who can be trusted without reservation.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $150,000 to $160,000 with a generous benefits package. The exact salary that will be offered to the Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will be determined based on a consideration of the successful candidate’s skills, experience, and geography.

Contact

Koya Partners has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Naree Viner and Tenley Bank. Express interest in this role by filling out our Talent Profile or emailing Tenley directly at tbank@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.

Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

Columbus Museum of Art is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.

About Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group

Koya Partners, a Diversified Search Group company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

Diversified Search Group is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.

Visit https://www.columbusmuseum.org/about-cma/job-opportunities/ to view CMA's current openings and apply!