Director, Art Museum

The Director provides strategic operational and curatorial leadership for the Art Museum of the University of Memphis (AMUM) a principal teaching museum of the University stewarding collections in Egyptian art and archaeology African art works on paper and American architectural and design history. The Director is responsible for the museums exhibitions and public programs staff and budget management collections stewardship donor cultivation and grant development and administration of AMUMs interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program in Museum Studies. The position works in close partnership with the Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology (IEAA) a separately governed entity housed within AMUMs building and teaches up to 3 equivalent credit hours per semester in the Department of Art and Design as part of the positions assigned responsibilities per the Provosts approval.

Strategic Leadership and Institutional Relations

• Set and implement AMUMs strategic direction in consultation with the Dean and the Museum Advisory Board.
• Oversee daily museum operations including the Egyptian Hall exhibit space in coordination with IEAAs Director. Maintain a close working relationship with IEAAs Director on matters affecting shared exhibit space and collections.
• Represent AMUM within the University and to external constituencies including peer institutions and professional associations such as AAMG.
• Serve as a non-voting ex officio member of the AMUM Museum Advisory Board (an advisory body without independent governing or budget authority) and work with the Board to implement museum programs and policy.

Collections and Curatorial Management

• Oversee the stewardship documentation and care of AMUMs permanent collection.
• Curate and coordinate exhibitions and public programs including collaborations with Department of Art and Design and IEAA faculty.
• Maintain and expand AMUMs digital collections access and related public-facing resources.

Operations Budget and Staff Management

• Develop manage and report on AMUMs annual operating budget. Monitor expenditures and ensure fiscal accountability consistent with University and College (RCM) budget policy.
• Recruit train supervise and evaluate museum staff graduate assistants interns and student workers.
• Support professional development opportunities for AMUM staff.

Fundraising Grants and Advancement

• Cultivate donor relationships and identify philanthropic opportunities in coordination with University Advancement.
• Pursue grant funding to support AMUMs exhibitions programs and collections.

Teaching and Academic Engagement

• Teach up to 3 equivalent credit hours per semester in the Department of Art and Design including within the Museum Studies Certificate Program as scheduling permits.
• Support object-based and experiential learning opportunities for students across the University.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Dean consistent with the level and scope of this position.

• Terminal degree (PhD strongly preferred) in art history museum studies anthropology or a closely related field; candidates with a masters degree and a substantial record of professional museum leadership will also be considered.
• Minimum 710 years of progressively responsible museum experience including direct curatorial and exhibition development work.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets staff and collections in a museum or comparable cultural institution.
• A record of scholarship or public curatorial practice.
• Demonstrated experience with or clear aptitude for donor cultivation and institutional fundraising.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in a university- or college-affiliated museum.
• Subject expertise in ancient Egyptian art and archaeology African art or American architectural/design history.
• Experience building cross-departmental academic partnerships or faculty-curator collaborations.
• Experience with digital collections management digital exhibition strategy or object documentation technologies.
• Experience with organizational or operational redesign within a museum setting.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.