Job Summary
The next Director of the Harvard Art Museums will have the opportunity to lead the museums into its next chapter by welcoming and energizing an expanded audience base and continuing to integrate the museums into the intellectual life of the university and surrounding community.

As the chief executive of the Harvard Art Museums, the Director will maintain the museums’ position as a leader in the field and promote and support education and scholarship of the highest caliber in the visual arts at Harvard University. The Director serves as the principal ambassador for the museums to members of the campus community, alumni, and major supporters, as well as the larger public.

This is a five-year term position with the possibility of renewal.

Please refer to the Additional Information below for application instructions.

Position Description
Key Responsibilities:

• Engage with colleagues across the Harvard community to initiate collaborations and build partnerships that enhance the museums’ ability to serve as a dynamic teaching, learning, and research resource for Harvard students, faculty, and a broad public audience.
• Lead senior leadership direct reports, ensure they manage their staff effectively, communicating the vision clearly and providing guidance, mentorship, and support to create and sustain a collaborative and engaged community.
• Maintain the fiscal health of the museums, actively promoting efforts in all areas to enhance fundraising, balance the budget, and responsibly manage operating costs.
• Raise funds to ensure present and future financial stability of the museums, and to advance and sustain projects and programming that leverage the museums’ teaching and public mission. Specifically cultivate and steward benefactors and prospective donors, foundations, and other organizations that provide support to the museums.
• Principal decision maker for all aspects of care, management, and operations of the museums, developing and implementing sound policies and procedures for the care and use of the permanent collection according to the highest professional standards, inclusive of preservation and conservation, documentation, exhibition, accessibility, interpretation, and improvement of the collection.
• Oversee the exhibitions program, acquisitions of works of art, diverse educational outreach activities, care of collections, research and conservation, publications, and the organization of special programs and events.
• Foster a cooperative atmosphere with faculty, students, museums staff, other Harvard colleagues, scholars, museum professionals, Director’s Advisory Council members, Curatorial Committee members, and other interested friends and benefactors.
• Represent the museums locally, nationally, and internationally, initiating and fostering fruitful partnerships with other cultural and educational institutions, regionally and beyond.
• Formulate long-range plans in consultation with University leaders, including those involving acquisitions policy, program design, and maintenance of the physical plant.

Basic Qualifications
Candidates MUST meet the following basic qualifications to be considered for this role:

Advanced degree in art, art history, or a field related to the museums’ collections and a minimum of seven years of senior leadership expertise in an art museum setting.

Additional Qualifications and Skills
The Director of the Harvard Art Museums should have a doctoral degree in art, art history, or a field related to the museums’ collections or a commensurate record of significant professional experience. Preference will be given to candidates with significant professional, academic, and/or scholarly achievements, including accomplishments in the field of art history, museum education, arts leadership, or a related field.

The successful candidate will be a visionary, strategic, and energetic leader who is collaborative, diplomatic and inspires confidence. For a complete description of the desired professional expertise, leadership competencies, and personal qualities, please see the contact information for Koya Partners below.

Additional Information
Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement, with Naree W.S. Viner and Stephen Milbauer as the search contacts. To express interest in this role please submit your letter of interest and CV here or email Naree and Stephen directly at harvardartmuseums_director@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

For more information, please refer to https://diversifiedsearchgroup.com/search/20387-harvard-art-museums-elizabeth-and-john-moors-cabot-director/.