Director of Exhibitions

The Art Institute of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

The Art Institute of Chicago seeks a Director of Exhibitions to lead strategy, administration, and execution of the museum’s exhibition program. Reporting to the Vice President, Campus Operations, you will guide short- and long-term initiatives and establish exhibition-related protocols and workflows.

You will oversee scheduling, budgets, staffing for installations and tours, and partner relations, driving high-impact projects and industry best practices in a diverse, inclusive environment.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in museum exhibition management, including direct experience organizing complex loan exhibitions.
• Understanding of museum standards, exhibition administration, and industry best practices.
• Proficiency with modern project management practices and tools.
• Strong communication, decision-making, writing, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently, proactively, and collaboratively.
• Skilled in diplomacy, discretion, and leading cross-functional teams toward shared goals.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, and developing team members.
• Commitment to advancing the museum’s work in diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes a dynamic exhibition program that balances popular, scholarly, and mission-driven projects.
• Oversees long-term exhibition scheduling, providing guidance and recommendations to leadership from initial concept through full project lifecycle.
• Establishes consistent, modern project management practices; proactively identifies project challenges and develops creative, collaborative solutions.
• Serves as a primary liaison between the museum and external partners for co-organizing and venue agreements, negotiating terms, timelines, and contracts.
• Represents the museum in professional networks and the global exhibition community, bringing industry innovations and best practices back to the institution.
• Oversees the exhibitions program budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility and working with stakeholder departments to re-forecast projections as needs evolve.
• Collaborates with museum resource teams to plan staffing allocations for in-gallery projects, including installation, buildout, maintenance, and deinstallation logistics.
• Oversees project management tools and systems used to track schedules, deliverables, and major milestones.
• Supervises, mentors, and supports a dedicated team of exhibition project managers across all project phases.
• Fosters an inclusive, collaborative work environment aligned with the museum’s commitment to social, cultural, and workplace equity.

Skills

Exhibition management

Project management

Leadership

Communication

Budget management

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent

Job description

The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities. We are a place of gathering and learning, committed to fostering an inclusive understanding of human creativity.

About the Department

The Exhibitions department oversees the administration of the exhibition program at the Art Institute of Chicago. In partnership with curatorial departments and internal and external stakeholders, we provide guidance and strategic leadership in the planning and execution of temporary exhibitions, from collection-based presentations to major loan exhibitions, on site and on tour to other institutions. They manage the program's budget and schedule and provide project management while fostering collaboration, engagement, and equity across all teams and individuals.

Position Summary

The Director, Exhibitions, leads the oversight, strategy, administration, and execution of the museum’s exhibition program. Reporting to the Vice President, Campus Operations, and in close collaboration with museum-wide stakeholders, the Director guides the exhibition program’s short and long-term strategic initiatives and establishes exhibition-related protocols, workflows, and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes a dynamic exhibition program that balances popular, scholarly, and mission-driven projects.
• Oversees long-term exhibition scheduling, providing guidance and recommendations to leadership from initial concept through full project lifecycle.
• Establishes consistent, modern project management practices; proactively identifies project challenges and develops creative, collaborative solutions.
• Serves as a primary liaison between the museum and external partners for co-organizing and venue agreements, negotiating terms, timelines, and contracts.
• Represents the museum in professional networks and the global exhibition community, bringing industry innovations and best practices back to the institution.
• Oversees the exhibitions program budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility and working with stakeholder departments to re-forecast projections as needs evolve.
• Collaborates with museum resource teams to plan staffing allocations for in-gallery projects, including installation, buildout, maintenance, and deinstallation logistics.
• Oversees project management tools and systems used to track schedules, deliverables, and major milestones.
• Supervises, mentors, and supports a dedicated team of exhibition project managers across all project phases.
• Fosters an inclusive, collaborative work environment aligned with the museum’s commitment to social, cultural, and workplace equity.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in museum exhibition management, including direct experience organizing complex loan exhibitions.
• Understanding of museum standards, exhibition administration, and industry best practices.
• Proficiency with modern project management practices and tools.
• Strong communication, decision-making, writing, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently, proactively, and collaboratively.
• Skilled in diplomacy, discretion, and leading cross-functional teams toward shared goals.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, and developing team members.
• Commitment to advancing the museum’s work in diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work onsite across museum spaces to oversee exhibition installations, gallery projects, and events, with flexibility for virtual meetings as appropriate.
• Ability to conduct walkthroughs and lead meetings across gallery spaces, exhibition areas, and offices.

• Hiring Range:$95,000-$115,000

The expected hiring range is an estimated amount for positions based on the grade. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, qualifications and other job-related reasons.

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Accessibility

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The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals compliant with federal and state laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at [e-mail] .

Equal Opportunity Employer
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