Description

Director, Tweed Museum of Art 

Job Code 9322MU

Job Description

Interested in joining a thriving arts community? Want to live in a city with a small-town feel and big-city opportunities? The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Minnesota Duluth invites applications for the position of Director of the Tweed Museum of Art.

The Tweed Museum of Art at the University of Minnesota Duluth seeks an innovative director who will provide a strategic vision for the museum, build on its strengths, promote an inclusive museum environment, and continue its commitment to diversifying its collections, exhibitions, and staff. They will strengthen ties with the local academic community and expand the museum’s presence by effectively serving as a national and regional representative for the museum and its programs. The Tweed’s next  director will play a key role in facilitating strong relationships, developing innovative exhibitions, and providing pedagogical programming between the museum and the university and the wider community. The director supervises staff members within the museum and reports to the Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.

This is a full-time, 12-month continuous-appointment academic professional position offering excellent benefits and a competitive salary commensurate with experience. The start date for the position is negotiable. The position will remain open until filled, but applications submitted by Friday, September 29th will receive priority consideration.

The anticipated starting salary range for this position is $75,000-$80,000.

Position Responsibilities

The next director of the Tweed Museum of Art’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Strategic Planning and Management

• Lead, develop, and direct the short-term and long-term unit strategies supporting museum objectives, ensuring alignment with University goals and policies.
• Coordinate with the University to uphold University of Minnesota Duluth policies and standards and maintain a high level of museum best practice and standards.
• Initiate and develop new museum programs and processes to facilitate academic and educational missions.
• Represent the unit on committees and working groups, as well as local, state, and national conferences.
• Oversee the appropriate care and stewardship of the building and collections.
• Modify practices and procedures to improve efficiency and quality; search for better ways to effectively achieve end results by, for example, scheduling work steps, arranging/re-arranging the way work is generally performed, and adding or deleting elements of processes as necessary.
• Mostly work independently according to standard operating procedures (may develop some processes/procedures); generally responsible for keeping processes moving in a productive direction, and will look for supervisory approvals when changes to process steps are considered and additional resources for task completion required.

Finances, Budgeting, and Development

• Provide effective financial management for the museum, developing long-range financial objectives, building the annual budget, bringing the resources needed to mount a robust schedule of exhibitions and programs that serve the University and the community, and provide museum-level care and stewardship of the collection.
• Manage budgets which includes allocating resources and monitoring expenses. Forecast unit expenses and provide input or develop assigned budgets.
• Partner with the Development Office to create strategies and tactics for a robust program of fundraising.
• Identify new grant opportunities and oversee grant application and administration processes.

Collaborations and Engagement

• Collaborate with academic departments and programs throughout the college, including the Department of Art & Design, the Museum Studies program, and the Department of American Indian Studies, among others.
• Work with museum governing and/or advisory boards on strengthening community connections and building relationships with other arts organizations throughout the region.
• Engage the larger community in support of museums and build effective relationships and community partnerships with local and regional organizations.
• Promote the university’s mission of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and build relationships throughout the university and with the wider community to ensure that the Tweed is a welcoming and accessible space for all.

Supervision

• Supervise three or more professional museum staff to include: prioritizing and assigning work; conducting performance evaluations; ensuring staff are trained; ensuring employees follow policies and procedures; maintaining a healthy and safe working environment; and making hiring, promotion, reward, termination, and disciplinary decisions.

Miscellaneous

• Other duties as assigned.

Required/Essential Qualifications

• Master’s degree in art, art history, museum studies, visual studies, art museum management, or a related field and six years or more experience in art museum management to include supervisory experience OR a bachelor's degree in art, art history, or art museum management and eight years or more experience in art museum management to include supervisory experience
• Oral/written communication and negotiation/conflict resolution skills

Desired Qualifications

• Terminal degree in art, art history, or art museum management with at least eight years of experience in art museum management
• Professional experience/achievement in leadership, development, success with fundraising, track record of obtaining grants, strategic planning, and budget planning
• Experience in a university museum setting

The Tweed Museum of Art

Founded in 1950, the Tweed Museum of Art features seven galleries and a diverse permanent collection of over 10,000 works including an important collection of 19th and 20th Century American paintings, 17th to 19th Century European paintings, and contemporary Indigenous art. The museum serves as an important resource to the university and the broader Twin Ports community and has an advisory board consisting of community leaders and supporters.

Required Application Materials

• Cover letter, demonstrating how your professional experience matches the Tweed’s needs
• Current resume or CV
• Names and contact information for three professional references (references will not be contacted without first notifying the applicant)
• A short statement (no more than 2 pages) that demonstrates and provides examples of your record of promoting and increasing diversity, inclusion, and social justice

To Apply

Please visit https://hr.umn.edu/Jobs/Find-Job and search for job posting 357562.

Working at the University

At the University of Minnesota, you’ll find a flexible work environment and supportive colleagues who are interested in lifelong learning. We prioritize work-life balance, allowing you to invest in the future of your career and in your life outside of work.

Benefits

The University also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Scholarship
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services 
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefits.