Senior Curator Curator Prestigious Museum Landmark in Abu Dhabi

BLR WORLD; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent museum organization in Abu Dhabi is seeking a Senior Curator to oversee strategic narrative and collections proposals. The role requires extensive museum experience, expertise from 5th to 16th-century art, and fluency in both English and Arabic. The ideal candidate will manage budgeting, develop exhibitions, and collaborate across departments to enhance visitor engagement and museum reputation. The position demands a PhD in a relevant field and a strong record of public engagement and research presentations.

Qualifications

• 10-15 years of post-graduate experience.
• Experience as a Curator and Head of section in a museum.
• Experience teaching at university level.
• Experience in public lectures and presentations.

Responsibilities

• Develops long-term proposals for exhibitions and displays.
• Manages the unit's budget and administrative actions.
• Reviews project proposals and funding parameters.
• Supports activities in unforeseen circumstances.
• Enhances the museum's international reputation through research.

Skills

Fluency in English

Fluency in Arabic

Public engagement skills

Leadership skills

Education

PhD in History of Art, Museology or Museum Studies

Job description

Job Purpose

The Senior Curator is responsible for the strategy narrative and collections proposal and implementation of the department. The role holder will manage strategic goals developing research activities and content that enchances the museums reputation developing collaborative partnerships with national and international museum committees. The role holder will conceptualise new exhibitions related to the department and work across the team to enhance offerings.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Develops the medium and long terms proposals for strategies defined by the Director on exhibitions and displays proposing potential acquisitions and research opportunities relating to the 5th to early 16th century collections.
• Manages and develops the units budget along with the administrative legal and financial actions for the department.
• Reviews advices and refines the departments project proposals and feasibility reports supporting in providing timeframes funding parameters and resource allocation.
• Reviews the departments progress and analyses the reports on trends of visitor activities and provides advice and recommendations for further actions to the department Director.
• Supports the departments activities in complex blocked and other unforeseen circumstances that are impacting the delivery of daily activities projects or potential implemenation.
• Regularly evaluates and ensures the departments current research implementation and maintenance procedures are aligned to internationally recognised standards.
• Supports in the initiatives of the other departments across the Museum including but not limited to collections development and acquisition strategy and content planning in the mediation and education policy.
• Subject matter expert on one of the fields related to 5th to 16th century through continuous self learning to enhance the department knowledge offerings understanding and techniques on current collections and on researching of artefacts that are of future interest to the Museum.
• Enhances the museums international reputation through actively developing personal research by the way of publications and contribution in conferences (inside and outside the institution) while also looking to enhance opportunities for loans and development relating to the 5th to early 16th century department s collection.
• Ensure transfer of knowledge to team members and provide appropriate on the job training opportunities.
• Creates and develops the content planned in the mediation and education policy relating to department.
• Ensures operational excellence in achieving KPIs working towards establishing a sustainable financial model by achieving any set financial targets and driving internal process improvement and efficiency.
• As a brand ambassador the role holder will consider the customer prospective in all your projects working to understand and manage all stakeholders.
• As a leader the role holder will create learning opportunities by collaboration transfer of knowledge or developing employees in your respective area that drive employee engagement and growth across the Museum.

Collaborations Across the Museum

• Multiple (including but not limited to):
• Local and international art and museum communities
• Academic institutions and communities
• Nonprofit institutions and grant agencies.
• Contractors and Consultants
• Clients

Requirements

• Normal administrative hours required but occasional rostering to work across weekends and/or evenings (as directed by the business from time to time)

Qualifications

• 10-15 years post graduate experience
• Experience as Curator and Head of section in a museum
• Fluency in English/ Arabic
• Experience teaching in the academic institutions at university grade
• Experience of public engagement lectures presentations at international level

Educational Qualifications

• PhD degree in History of Art Museology or Museum studies
• 5-12 published articles (international review)