Program Manager, Exhibitions & Artistic Production

Universityofnotredame; Notre Dame (IN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Notre Dame’s Arts Initiative seeks a Program Manager of Exhibitions & Artistic Production to lead complex, cross‑functional arts projects. You will manage exhibition planning, installation, gallery operations, and collaborations with departments and external partners across Notre Dame’s arts ecosystem.

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will help plan the Notre Dame Arts Biennial and shape programs that foster interdisciplinary collaboration and experiential learning in the

Qualifications

• Experience in artistic production management including exhibition planning and installation.
• Budgeting, scheduling, and vendor coordination skills.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams in a university arts context.

Responsibilities

• Plan, implement, and staff an annual program of exhibitions, productions, and events including openings, talks, performances, and screenings.
• Serve as liaison between internal teams, external artists, and production vendors for Notre Dame Arts Biennial and related projects.
• Develop production schedules, budgets, and workflows, translating large projects into actionable steps.
• Direct design, installation, and deinstallation for exhibitions across campus galleries and partner sites; manage teams and contractors.
• Source and manage external vendors and specialists (production, rental, technicians, designers, printers, fabricators).
• Oversee project finances: budgets, expenses, contracts, POs, invoices, and documentation.
• Mentor student fellows/workers assisting exhibition, production, and event planning.

Job description

The Arts Initiative, one of the key priorities of Notre Dame's Strategic Framework, brings together the people and programs of the University's extended arts community to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and define the arts as vital to campus and community life. By transcending conventional boundaries - between art forms and across disciplines - the initiative mobilizes the transformative power of the arts to advance knowledge, invigorate learning, and foster human solidarity.

Arts research and creative practice, student engagement, and high-impact public programming are at the heart of the initiative's efforts to establish Notre Dame as a premier destination to study, practice, and experience the arts. By supporting and enhancing university and partner arts programming - from exhibitions to performances to symposia - the initiative sustains welcoming and intellectually rich environments for artistic collaboration and exchange both on and off-campus.

The Arts Initiative is actively building a collaborative and cross-functional team where each staff member mobilizes specialized expertise to lead projects but also works broadly with diverse academic departments, administrative units, and external collaborators. The Program Manager of Exhibitions & Artistic Production is a critical member of the initiative's small, highly motivated team and will manage complex, cross-functional projects and programs across all three priority areas of the initiative: research and creative practice; student engagement; and community partnerships.

Reporting to the Managing Director, the Program Manager of Exhibitions & Artistic Production will bring specialized expertise in artistic production management such as exhibition planning and installation, gallery management, and/or musical, theatrical, immersive, or other live event production. This position will also play a pivotal role in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Notre Dame Arts Biennial, a six-month collaborative festival grounded in the visual, performing, spatial, and literary arts. The inaugural biennial will run from January-June 2027.

This position is ideal for someone with industry experience in the visual and/or performing arts who is looking for opportunities to work on innovative projects that span disciplines while directly shaping the next generation of creative leaders. The successful candidate will be prepared to navigate a startup environment within an established institution and will be motivated by ambitious endeavors that require both compassionate collaboration and energetic innovation.

Gallery, Production, and Event Management

• Collaborate with the managing director and other Arts Initiative staff to plan, implement, and adequately staff an annual program of exhibitions, productions, and special events. Includes coordinating exhibition openings, artist talks, performances, special screenings, or associated public programming.
• Serve as a central cross-departmental and external liaison between internal teams, external artists, and vendors collaborating on artistic production led or supported by the initiative, with particular emphasis on the Notre Dame Arts Biennial.
• Build and maintain production schedules, budgets, and project workflows that translate large projects into actionable steps.
• Lead the design, installation, and deinstallation processes for each exhibition in the Arts Initiative's gallery spaces and in select off-site locations as special projects arise. May include a combination of hands-on install/deinstall as well as hiring and managing additional art preparators and art handlers.
• Source, onboard, and direct external vendors such as production and rental companies, technicians, designers, printers, and fabricators.
• Deliver operational excellence in the cross-functional area of finance as it relates to project implementation. Track and manage project budgets and ensure work stays within allocated financial limits. Prepare expense reports and process contracts, purchase orders, invoices, and other payments. Ensure accurate documentation and reconciliation of all financial records.
• Mentor student fellows and/or student workers to support exhibition, production, and event planning and implementation.

Facilities Management

• Manage current and future Arts Initiative spaces. Current spaces include an office suite and on-campus galleries used for visual arts exhibitions, screenings, performances, and other arts activities.
• Ensure facilities and equipment are well maintained. Includes duties such as patching and painting; placing work orders for construction, maintenance, or furnishings; and overseeing regular inspections and escalating issues as needed.
• Develop, maintain, and oversee a comprehensive space use process and inventory system to track and manage safe space and equipment usage across multiple departments.

Cross-functional Leadership and Administrative Support

Actively align project goals and mediate competing prioritie