Curatorial Project Manager

Do you have a desire to manage projects from start to finish? Does it excite you to work with a passionate Exhibitions and Programming team that’s dedicated to building kindship between the artists and community? Do you strive at building and maintaining connections? If you answered yes to these questions, then we may have the opportunity for you!

The John Michael Kohler Arts Center (Sheboygan, WI) is seeking a Curatorial Project Manager to provide the project management and logistical support necessary to develop and deliver JMKAC’s exhibitions and programming. This position works closely with exhibitions and programming staff to ensure all exhibitions and programming criteria are met, including conceptual rigor, mission alignment, didactic delivery, and deadline adherence. This role is responsible for the coordination of budgets, schedules, calendars, and any contractual partnerships with collaborators.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Manage curatorial and programming project initiatives, including: exhibitions and programming, publications, site-specific installations, and any related didactics and/or digital engagement 
2. Participate in short and long-term planning of curatorial and programming and ensure proposed projects align with the Arts Center’s mission, the JMKAC Curatorial Backbone, exhibition and programming standards
3. Negotiate, create, and maintain budgets, schedules, and timelines 
4. Maintains open communication regarding project’s purpose, background, scope, requirements and critical issues with key stakeholders and project teams. 
5. Foster and maintain relationships with museums, arts centers, galleries, foundations, and any affiliated stakeholders 
6. Work directly with collaborators and contractors on contracts, budgets, and project deliverables
7. Lead on exhibition and programming publications, including as needed: contract writers, photographers, designers, and editors; securing image rights; and facilitating text and image proofing
8. Assist in investigating potential exhibition and programming projects and coordinate both in-house and outside proposals for potential exhibitions and programs in preparation for programming review meetings
9. Identify and escalate project risks/issues and participate in problem resolution.
10. Maintain organizational standards of planning documents, including calendars, filing, and archiving systems 
11. Other duties as assigned (i.e. facilitate meeting) 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Broad understanding of current contemporary art landscape
• Creative problem-solving
• Project management methodology and tools
• Flexibility
• Ability to work directly with artists and community
• Excellent communication skills – verbal, oral and written
• Maintain interpersonal relationships
• Proficiency with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
• Proficiency with PastPerfect, SketchUp and Adobe Creative Suite

Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in art history or a closely aligned field preferred and/or Bachelors of Fine Arts and 10 years of applicable work experience.
• Three to five years of project management experience or equivalent. 

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will frequently sit; use hands to finger, handle, or touch objects; and talk or hear. The employee will also intermittently stand, walk, climb or balance, and smell to complete this job. The employee should be able to lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities when performing this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Able to read and interpret documents, write routine correspondence, speak effectively with others. Able to add, subtract, multiply and divide using whole numbers. Able to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Able to deal with problems involving few concrete variables in standard situations.

Work Environments:  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The position is office/art gallery based and noise level usually moderate. May occasionally work inside or outside at events where noise level could be moderate to loud.

Hours of work include daytime hours Monday – Friday and include evenings and occasionally Saturdays and Sundays to meet staffing and/or event needs.