Senior Exhibition Manager & Lead Preparator

University of Richmond; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

On-site role

Job summary

University of Richmond is seeking an experienced Exhibition Preparator to lead planning, installation, and care of the museum's exhibitions and permanent collections. The role requires advanced skills in CAD, SketchUp, and time-based media, with collaboration across curatorial, operations, and campus partners.

Responsibilities include budgeting, contractor coordination, lighting, and the development of exhibition didactics, ensuring safety and ADA compliance while maintaining high showroom

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and at least 5 years of art preparator and exhibition planning and design experience with increasing responsibility. MFA is preferred.
• Knowledge of museum best practices, an appreciation for the stewardship, safety and care, and preservation of fine art.
• Requires a successful driving check.

Responsibilities

• Oversees exhibition planning and management for all museum exhibitions and permanent collection installations in coordination with museum leadership.
• Creates and develops exhibition and installation timelines using specialized project management software, including AirTable.
• Prepares exhibition spaces in advance of exhibitions, schedules any necessary contractors or campus partners, coordinates gallery painting, and facilitates building all temporary walls and installation components.
• With museum curators, determines display casework and presentation furniture as needed for specific exhibitions, produces construction plans and shop drawings for all necessary furniture, and coordinates and builds all exhibition casework and display furniture as needed with Assistant Preparator.
• Oversees the inventory and movement of cases, museum furniture, and other exhibition-related objects.
• In consultation with curators, identifies framing and other artwork preparation needs for each exhibition.
• Assigns and supervises artwork preparation, including artwork framing, by the Assistant Preparator.
• Supervises the design, production, and installation of all exhibition didactics, text panels, title displays, object labels, and other graphic displays by the Assistant Preparator.
• Well versed in the technical demands of time-based media and its installation, determines and coordinates all audiovisual requirements for exhibitions, assists with audiovisual equipment installation, set up and regular maintenance, and supervises any specialized contractors.

Skills

Project management

AirTable

CAD drawings

SketchUp

Time-based media

Exhibition design

Communication

Safety protocols

Education

Bachelor's degree

MFA preferred

Tools

SketchUp

The Gallery System (TMS)

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Office Suite

CAD software

Job description

University of Richmond is seeking an experienced Exhibition Preparator to lead planning, installation, and care of the museum's exhibitions and permanent collections. The role requires advanced skills in CAD, SketchUp, and time-based media, with collaboration across curatorial, operations, and campus partners.

Responsibilities include budgeting, contractor coordination, lighting, and the development of exhibition didactics, ensuring safety and ADA compliance while maintaining high showroom