Exhibition Project Manager

Detroit Institute of Arts; Detroit (MI); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Detroit Institute of Arts is seeking an Exhibition Project Manager to lead planning and execution of major exhibitions and permanent collection installations. The role provides direct support to the Director, Exhibitions, coordinating schedules, budgets, and cross-department collaboration.

Ideal candidates will have a strong background in fine arts museum project management, experience with exhibition budgeting, and proficiency in project management tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in art history, museum studies, arts administration, or related field.
• Five years of experience in fine arts museum project management.
• Exhibition project management experience preferred.
• Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate planning activities for exhibitions and permanent installations.
• Develop and track project schedules; ensure deadlines are met.
• Facilitate liaison with internal stakeholders, vendors, and contractors.
• Leverage software tools to aid exhibition project management and execution.
• Organize meetings, develop agendas, and distribute results.
• Assist with building and oversight of exhibition budgets.
• Coordinate interdepartmental communication for planning processes.
• Support departmental projects and events.

Skills

Collaboration

Organization

Budgeting

Ethics

Communication

Public speaking

Vendor management

Remote collaboration tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in art history, museum studies, arts administration, or related field

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Wrike

Microsoft Office 365

Microsoft Teams

Job description

JOB TITLE: Exhibition Project Manager

DEPARTMENT: Exhibitions

REPORTS TO: Director, Exhibitions

CLASSIFICATION: Full-Time, Exempt

REMOTE WORK ELIGIBILITY: Partial

GENERAL SUMMARY

Under the guidance of the Director, Exhibitions, the Exhibition Project manager provides direct support to the Director, Exhibitions in the administration and execution of the DIA’s exhibitions and permanent collection installations.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Manage and coordinate planning activities that pertain to the scheduling, tracking, duration, resources, sequencing, and constraints related to special exhibitions and permanent collection installations as assigned.
• Develop and track project schedules and ensure project teams stay on track and deadlines are met.
• Facilitate and manage communication and collaboration as the liaison for internal stakeholders and outside organizations, vendors, and contractors to make sure teams are communicating, working together, meeting deadlines.
• Leverage technology including the use of software tools to aid in exhibition project management and execution.
• Initiate, organize, and conduct meetings; develop agendas, record meeting notes and distribute meeting results.
• Assist Director of Exhibitions with the building, oversight and approval of exhibition budgets.
• Coordinate, review and execute exhibitions and permanent collection installations.
• Coordinate interdepartmental communication to facilitate and track exhibition planning processes and procedures.
• Assist with details of departmental projects and other special projects and events.
• Apply DIA values to interactions to support a culture of belonging among internal and external stakeholders.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Bachelor's degree in art history, museum studies, arts administration, or related field required. Master’s degree preferred. Five (5) years of experience in fine arts museum project management required, exhibition project management experience preferred. Additional years of experience may be substituted for degree requirement.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrated collaboration skills to work across departments and divisions internally and with diverse stakeholders externally.
• Knowledge of all aspects involved in developing and organizing exhibitions and gallery installations.
• Demonstrated organizational skills to plan, manage, prioritize, and complete multiple on-going projects tomeet deadlines and goals.
• Experience with developing and tracking budgets for projects, assuring adherence to approved budgets.
• Must possess a demonstrated understanding of ethical business conduct and professional practices including maintenance and protection of confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to provide information, ideas, and instructions clearly, effectively, and professionally through talking or writing.
• Demonstrated ability to speak publicly, including presenting or sharing information in a clear, effective, and engaging manner suited to the audience.
• Experience with project management software, Wrike preferred.
• Ability to identify challenges and opportunities, engage others in their resolution, and recommend appropriate course of action.
• Ability to communicate with, manage and oversee vendors to meet expectations and deadlines.
• Ability to work occasional weekend and evening hours for special events.
• Must be proficient in the latest version of Microsoft Office 365.
• Must have proficiency in the use of remote work technology such as scheduling with, connecting to, and using digital collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams.
• Must be able to establish and maintain professional, productive and courteous interactions that promote positive teamwork. This encompasses going beyond giving and receiving instructions and includes but is not limited to (a) performing work activities requiring interacting or speaking with others; and (b) responding appropriately to constructive feedback or suggestions for improvement from a supervisor.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Upon receiving notice, reasonable accommodations may be made, if possible, to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate and exchange accurate information using various methods including in-person, telephone and email.