Exhibitions Project Manager

The Princeton University Art Museum welcomes applications for the position of Exhibitions Project Manager, a role asked to manage and deliver the successful planning, development, and execution of special exhibition and collections gallery projects, including but not limited to special exhibitions focused on the museum’s collections held in the museum’s galleries or traveling to other venues and temporary exhibitions on loan from other institutions. This position would also help manage the regular changes within the museum’s collection galleries. The responsibilities of this position span from detailed oversight to the hands-on management of complex facets of project details, communications, budgets, procurement tasks, and project scheduling. The position will report to the Senior Manager, Museum Projects & Strategic Initiatives.

About the Museum:

With a collecting history that extends back to 1755, the Princeton University Art Museum is one of the leading university art museums in the country, with collections that have grown to include more than 117,000 works of art ranging from ancient to contemporary art and spanning the globe. Committed to advancing Princeton’s teaching and research missions, the Art Museum also serves as a gateway to the University for visitors worldwide. As the Museum prepares for a dramatically reconceived new building scheduled to open in Fall 2025, the Art Museum presents three exhibitions in its downtown venue Art@Bainbridge. When the new building opens, the Art Museum will open with 32 galleries and initiate its new exhibitions program with seven annual exhibitions onsite and on tour.

To learn more about the Princeton University Art Museum, visit artmuseum.princeton.edu.

• Exhibitions and Collections Galleries Project Management
• Draft, disseminate, and manage the production schedule for assigned projects, liaising with other departments and external colleagues as necessary and monitoring progress throughout each project.
• Work closely with the appropriate personnel within the department and also museum-wide, including Preparators, Designers, Registrars, Curators, Operations and Security, and other staff to coordinate tasks associated with exhibition production, keeping all parties informed. Establish and maintain a positive working relationship with all internal and external colleagues, including lenders and key stakeholders, working with diplomacy and discretion at all times.
• Establish key milestones and deadlines, ensuring that these are achievable alongside concurrent workloads, and then ensure that they are met.
• Schedule timely meetings, prepare agendas, and facilitate positive and productive collaboration
• Initiate and/or attend key project meetings.
• Manage assigned project budgets, keeping track of all committed and actual expenditures, and generating financial reports as requested.
• Maintain a record of shared costs for partnership exhibitions, reconcile costs at appropriate stages of each project, and see that partners are invoiced accordingly.
• At times, other collections and exhibition projects may be assigned. Responsibilities would mirror those listed above.

Essential Requirements

• Three to five years of demonstrable experience with the planning and/or management of art exhibitions, or complex art projects, including budget planning and management experience, and experience executing and managing contracts.
• Knowledge of museum practices and standards for exhibition planning and project management, including experience working in collections galleries and not just special exhibition spaces.
• Superb project management skills, including the ability to set and manage priorities and to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and to be a productive member of teams who can work in a dynamic and collaborative environment.
• Effective facilitation skills with excellent persuasion and negotiation abilities, as well as demonstrating initiative, creativity, and sound judgment.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills. Meticulous attention to detail and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Proficiency with project management software and other tools designed to promote efficient and effective communication.

Preferred Requirements 

• A degree in art history, museum studies, or a related field.
• Evidence of a growing network of relationships in the community of artists, museums, and galleries.
• An ability to work flexibly and the willingness to take on additional/varying responsibilities
• Work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment and can work collaboratively.
• Experience using TMS (The Museum System®, a collections management database by Gallery Systems).
• Demonstrated relationships with other museums and other cultural institutions, including institutions that host travel art exhibitions and vendors that work in support of such projects.

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

The University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's qualifications, work experience, education/training, key skills, market, collective bargaining agreements as applicable, and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The posted salary range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate for a full-time position; salaries for part-time positions are pro-rated accordingly.

If the salary range on the posted position shows an hourly rate, this is the baseline; the actual hourly rate may be higher, depending on the position and factors listed above.

The University also offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees. Please see this link for more information.