Curator of Art and Culture

Saudi Aramco; Dhahran Compound; On-site; SAR 480,000 - 720,000; Full time

Job summary

Saudi Aramco's King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) seeks a seasoned Curator of Art and Culture to develop, manage, and interpret exhibitions, collections, and cultural initiatives that present art as a living tradition.

You will lead research, scholarship, and educational programs, build international partnerships, supervise multidisciplinary teams, manage budgets, and travel for research and acquisitions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor level in art history, museum studies, or related field.
• Strong English communication and public speaking skills.
• Experience curating exhibitions and managing museum programs.

Responsibilities

• Develop and interpret permanent, temporary, inaugural, and traveling exhibitions.
• Collaborate with Ithra teams to plan and deliver projects and programs.
• Oversee collection management and long-term loans and installations.
• Conduct scholarly research and publish exhibition catalogues and related content.
• Develop educational programs and public engagement initiatives.
• Represent Ithra at conferences and build international partnerships.
• Manage contracts and external designers and service providers.

Skills

English fluency

Public speaking

Cross-functional collaboration

Research

Education

Bachelor in Art/Art History/Museum Studies

Masters or PhD preferred

Job description

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Aramco occupies a special position in the global energy industry. We are one of the worlds largest producers of hydrocarbon energy and chemicals, with among the lowest Upstream carbon intensities of any major producer.

With our significant investment in technology and infrastructure, we strive to maximize the value of the energy we produce for the world along with a commitment to enhance Aramcos value to society.

Headquartered in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and with offices around the world, we combine market discipline with a generations span view of the future, born of our nine decades experience as responsible stewards of the Kingdoms vast hydrocarbon resources. This responsibility has driven us to deliver significant societal and economic benefits to not just the Kingdom, but also to a vast number of communities, economies, and countries that rely on the vital and reliable energy that we supply.

We are one of the most profitable companies in the world, as well as amongst the top five global companies by market capitalization.

Overview

We are seeking a Curator of Art and Culture to join the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra).

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) is a leading cultural institution dedicated to enriching lives through culture, creativity, knowledge, and learning. Through its museums, exhibitions, educational programs, conferences, and cultural initiatives, Ithra preserves and promotes cultural heritage while creating meaningful experiences that inspire local and international audiences. Ithra is committed to presenting world-class museum experiences that connect history, creativity, and innovation while fostering dialogue and cross-cultural understanding.

Your primary role is to develop, manage, and interpret art exhibitions, collections, and cultural initiatives that present art as a living tradition. You will bridge the historical and contemporary dimensions of art by delivering world-class exhibitions, strengthening local and international collaborations, advancing research and scholarship, developing educational programs, and creating engaging museum experiences that resonate with diverse audiences while supporting the preservation and appreciation of cultural heritage.

Duties and Responsibilities

As the successful candidate you will be required to perform the following:

• Manage the research, curation, content development, interpretation, and delivery of permanent, temporary, inaugural, and traveling art exhibitions from concept through implementation.
• Develop compelling exhibition narratives that connect historical collections with contemporary artistic and cultural practices.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams across Ithra to plan, develop, and deliver exhibition projects, conferences, and cultural programs.
• Manage the development of content, educational vision, interpretation, and programmatic plans for dedicated civilization galleries and interactive museum spaces.
• Oversee the growth, preservation, documentation, and stewardship of permanent and temporary art collections, including securing and managing significant long-term loans and historical installations.
• Assess art objects and historical architectural elements to support collection management, conservation planning, exhibition development, and interpretation.
• Establish, develop, and maintain collaborative partnerships with local and international museums, galleries, cultural institutions, researchers, and subject matter experts.
• Conduct scholarly research and develop publications, books, exhibition catalogues, and interpretive content related to art, aesthetics, visual culture, and traditional crafts.
• Develop and facilitate educational programs, community workshops, symposia, conferences, open lectures, and public engagement initiatives that promote the preservation and revival of traditional arts and crafts.
• Conduct audience research to understand visitor needs and develop exhibitions that are accessible, engaging, and relevant to diverse local and international audiences.
• Manage contracts and coordinate the work of external designers, artisans, consultants, and service providers to develop exhibition components and interactive displays.
• Provide curatorial expertise and guidance to multidisciplinary project teams while managing project budgets, schedules, resources, and stakeholder engagement.
• Represent Ithra at regional and international conferences, professional forums, networking events, and cultural engagements to strengthen institutional partnerships and promote art and culture.
• You will hold a Bachelors degree in Art, Art History, Museum Studies, or a related discipline from a recognized and approved program. A Masters degree or PhD is preferred.
• You will have 10-15 years of experience in art curation, museum management, cultural heritage, or museum exhibitions, including at least 5 years managing major museum exhibitions, gallery development, collection management, or curatorial programs.
• You will have demonstrated expertise in art, history, visual culture, and cultural heritage.
• You will have experience curating art collections, developing exhibitions, and managing museum collections within a major museum or cultural institution.
• You will have experience establishing partnerships and collaborating with local and international museums, galleries, cultural institutions, and subject matter experts.
• You will have a strong record of scholarly research, publications, books, or exhibition catalogues related to art.
• You will have experience managing multidisciplinary teams, project budgets, contracts, and external service providers.
• You will possess strong communication, writing, presentation, and public speaking skills.
• You will have the ability to engage diverse audiences through educational programming, audience research, and innovative museum experiences.
• You must be willing to travel internationally for research, networking, institutional collaboration, and collection acquisition.
• Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in Arabic or another language relevant to the world is highly desirable.
• Formal training or certifications in Museology, Museum Studies, or Art Conservation are preferred.

Work Location and Work Schedule

Work Location: Within Saudi Arabia - To be specified in Job offer
Work Schedule: Full Time - To be specified in Job offer

Job Post Duration

Working environment

Our high-performing employees are drawn by the challenging and rewarding professional, technical and industrial opportunities we offer, and are remunerated accordingly.

At Aramco, our people work on truly world-scale projects, supported by investment in capital and technology that is second to none. And because, as a global energy company, we are faced with addressing some of the worlds biggest technical, logistical and environmental challenges, we invest heavily in talent development.

We have a proud history of educating and training our workforce over many decades. Employees at all levels are encouraged to improve their sector-specific knowledge and competencies through our workforce development programs - one of the largest in the world.