Touring Exhibitions Project Manager at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Job Title: Project Manager

Job Status: Full-time

Description

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art collects, studies, conserves, and presents significant works of art across all times and cultures in order to connect people to creativity, knowledge, and ideas.

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Since it was founded in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

The Touring Exhibitions Project Manager leads the delivery of The Met’s consistently high-quality touring exhibition program, developing and touring exhibitions to domestic and international venues. This position works directly with the Manager for Exhibitions and closely with the Deputy Director for Exhibitions, the Director’s Senior Project Manager, curators, collections managers, registrars, conservators and others to develop and manage desirable and feasible touring projects, identify venues, place projects, and coordinate all aspects of the touring program. The role manages all correspondence, serves as the key liaison between venues and Met staff, and manages the department’s venue and project databases, as well as all project budgets. The Touring Exhibitions Project Manager also serves as Project Manager for select Met exhibitions presented at The Met prior to touring. This position also consolidates and analyzes the Met’s internal exhibition budgets, working closely with the other exhibition project managers as well as the Finance and Development offices.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

  • Works closely with key stakeholders to develop touring exhibitions, identify venues, create project plans and oversee budgets.
  • Manages relationships with confirmed and potential venues; represents the Museum to promote exhibitions, cultivate new proposals and venues, and maintain contact with venues.
  • Manages complex logistics of multiple simultaneous touring exhibition projects, including management of the master touring exhibition schedule and coordination with the master Met exhibition schedule; applies knowledge of exhibition coordination and project management to planning and execution of concurrent projects.
  • Schedules and leads project development and planning meetings for all touring exhibition projects as necessary; communicates progress and next steps clearly and effectively.
  • Manages budgets and deliverable deadlines working with appropriate staff, and invoices partners.
  • Works with Counsel’s Office to create and negotiate all contracts for touring exhibitions with venues.
  • Facilitates contact with Licensing/Retail to maximize revenue opportunities from traveling exhibitions.
  • Monitors work of outside consultants and vendors as necessary.
  • Utilizes expertise in project management and analysis to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve quality.
  • Serves as courier and primary Met touring exhibitions program representative at exhibition venues as needed.
  • Manages all aspects of in-house presentations of select touring exhibitions prior to tour
  • Assembles, manages, analyzes, and reports on all touring and in-house exhibition budgets, working with key stakeholders in Finance and Development.
  • Other duties as necessary.

 

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

Fully vaccinated with an FDA or WHO authorized vaccine (or approved for an exemption as a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, sincerely held religious belief, or pregnancy, or because you are a victim of domestic violence, stalking, or sex offenses).

Experience & Skills:

  • Superior project management skills; proven expertise in managing and motivating project teams; ability to work under pressure and on deadline essential
  • Proven history of managing exhibitions of increasing scale and complexity from start to finish and ability to manage multiple tasks and projects
  • Expertise in representing institutions nationally and internationally with key project partners; expertise in touring exhibitions, knowledge of emerging markets and international network a plus.
  • Excellent organizational skills required
  • Ability to problem solve and prioritize needs and time
  • Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with external clients and through all levels of the institution

Knowledge and Education:

  • BA required, preferably in art history, MA or MBA preferred
  • Minimum of 3-5 years of progressive experience coordinating complex exhibitions
  • Excellent skills in budgeting and financial analysis
  • Comprehensive knowledge of art conservation, registration, and art handling
  • Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communications skills
  • Excellent computer skills, including Word, Excel, TMS, and Outlook
  • High level of detail orientation and proven expertise in deploying project management tools
  • Additional languages a plus

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Applicants are asked to please provide a cover letter in addition to your resume, expressing your interest in the position. Applications can be submitted via the posting on LinkedIn. Alternatively, applications can be submitted via email to Careers@MetMuseum.org – please reference position “Touring Exhibitions Project Manager – Exhibitions“ in the subject line of the email. Applications received with the requested cover letter will be given priority.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.