Director of Exhibition Development at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum
Job Title: Director of Exhibition Development
Job Status: Full-time
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Director of Exhibition Development is responsible for managing content development, research, and interpretive planning for the Museum’s core and special
exhibitions that support the organization’s mission to remember the nearly 3,000
victims of the 9/11 attacks and all those who risked their lives to save others. This
position is entrusted to sustain public-facing experiences that tell the story of 9/11
and the attacks’ ongoing ramifications thoughtfully and compassionately.
The Director is part of the Exhibitions department, which imagines and actualizes
physical installations, audiovisual exhibits, digital interactives, audio guide
experiences, and online storytelling platforms. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum has
approximately 110,000 square feet of interpreted space, and it is the responsibility of
the Exhibitions department to manage these installations, ensure their daily integrity
and performance, and plan for future use and relevance for Museum visitors.
This position works closely with historians, media specialists, project managers,
registrars, conservators, educators, designers, and production colleagues to create
exhibits that meet curatorial goals and design intent. This position may also manage
project schedules and contracts for any content-related projects. This is a full-time
position that reports to the Senior Vice President for Exhibitions.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
• Direct overall content identification, research, tracking, and archiving for 9/11
Memorial Museum core, temporary, and traveling exhibitions.
• Manage development of exhibition scripts, including writing, copyediting, style
guide adherence, and documentation of final interpretive copy.
• Work with colleagues to ensure factual accuracy of script and assets.
• Ensure thorough tracking and dissemination of information related to
exhibition resources under consideration or selected for exhibition, including
records in the asset management database.
• Coordinate cross-departmental exhibition rotation meetings and schedules.
• Manage rights and reproductions licenses for non-collection assets, in
coordination with the General Counsel’s office.
• Facilitate the work of graphic producers, physical designers and fabricators,
and media designers and producers with appropriate script and asset
information; review design, production, and installation to ensure fidelity to
narrative and curatorial intent.
• Prepare and provide exhibit-related materials for other internal stakeholders,
including Communications, Education, Institutional Advancement, Operations,
and others as requested.
• Under the direction of the SVP for Exhibitions, provide input into overall
Exhibition department calendar, staff assignments, and resource allocation.
• Assist with other exhibition planning, strategic thinking, and implementation
tasks and special projects as requested.
• Supports other project management responsibilities as they arise.
REQUIRED SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATIONAL EVENTS:
• Participate in the Annual 5K Fundraiser and September 11th Commemoration.
• Assist with other special projects and events in support of the 9/11 Memorial &
Museum mission, as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS REQUIREMENT:
• Overall understanding of exhibition development from concept development
through installation, as well as standards and best practices for exhibitions.
• Knowledge of exhibition content delivery systems, including two- and threedimensional display techniques and media display techniques.
• At least five to seven years of experience in a museum or interpretive position
preferred.
• Excellent research, writing, editing, presentation, and organizational skills.
• Methodical and attentive to detail.
• Ability to solicit, digest, and resolve sometimes conflicting feedback from
internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent exhibitions and projects while
maintaining flexibility with shifting priorities and deadlines.
• Respectful of trust, transparency, and differing perspective and
communication styles.
• Concurs with core department values of:
o Creativity: we encourage creativity as a driver of innovation,
improvement, and meaning making.
o Belonging: we welcome, reflect, and create space for the diverse
experiences of our staff and visitors.
o Integrity: we uphold the highest standards of integrity in our actions
and creations.
o Safety: we foster a safe environment to work in and for our visitors to
engage.
o Accountability: we are accountable for delivering on our commitments.
o Effectiveness: we believe being effective allows us to best realize the
mission of the institution.
• The Exhibitions department encourages candidates to apply even if their
experience is not a 100% match with the position description. We are looking
for someone with relevant skills and experience, not just a checklist. We want
to help you professionally grow and in return, you help us develop into a
stronger, more inclusive team.
HOW TO APPLY:
• Include position you are seeking in the email subject field.
• State the location where job posting was seen.
• Send resume and cover letter to 911mmexhibitionsjobs@911memorial.org.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The physical demands and work environment described in this job description are
representative of those that the employee will encounter and is expected to meet to
successfully perform the essential functions of the 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 is required to be mobile, and
have the ability for two-way communication with the public and staff.
The work environment is an indoor, climate-controlled office environment comprised
of cubicles, walled-offices, and group conference rooms. The noise level in the office
environment is typically low. Employee will be required to comply with
organizational Health and Safety Plan. Minimal travel may be required.
• This job description is a descriptive list of the responsibilities and qualifications
associated with this position and are not intended to be all inclusive.
Employees are expected to also perform other business- related duties as
assigned by the supervisor or other management.
• The organization reserves the right to change, modify, or reassign job
responsibilities, duties, and scheduled work hours as per business needs.