Director of Collections & Exhibitions [Reginald F. Lewis Museum]

Position Summary

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture seeks an experienced, highly motivated museum professional for the position of Director of Collections and Exhibitions. The Director has primary responsibility for overseeing the research, content development, and interpretation of the permanent exhibition, changing exhibits, projects related to exhibitions, printed exhibition collaterals, and special projects. The Director works collaboratively in the development of community engagement initiatives and facilitates inter-departmental communication regarding research and interpretation. Proven museum experience in leading complex curatorial and collections projects is essential. Knowledge of the history of the Maryland African American experience and the contemporary status of African American Marylanders within the diaspora are also required.

Primary Duties

• Provide intellectual leadership for the collection and exhibitions for the museum.
• Initiate, as a primary responsibility, the complex project of redeveloping and updating of the museum’s permanent exhibition and collection.
• Collaborate in identifying grants and other funding sources for collections and exhibitions and be the primary resource in preparing grant proposals.
• Lead the intellectual efforts in developing content for exhibits and other interpretive materials, including catalogs and other publications, and other types of printed material.
• Maintain strong communications with internal museum departments and external museum leaders and professionals, subject matter experts, and people with knowledge in exhibit-related objects, etc.
• Coordinate the interpretive development of exhibits with the Education Department and other museum departments to design the strongest engagement and experience for schools, tour groups, and other targeted audiences.
• Supervise the Collections and Curatorial staff and curatorial fellows, interns and volunteers.
• Prepare, implement, and monitor the department’s annual budget.
• Maintain and, update as needed, a collection management policy in order to process the receipt of artifacts, collections, photographs, images, graphics, and other materials donated, acquired, or loaned to the museum.
• Attend board meetings and staff the Collections Committee of the Board of Directors as needed.
• Attend relevant public events, represent the museum in radio, television, and various public speaking forums, and maintain professional connections with colleagues in the museum field and other comparable institutions.
•  Provides support for collaborative initiatives with other museums, cultural and educational institutions.

Skills and Qualifications

• Advanced degree in American, African American History/Studies or Museum Studies (terminal degree preferred).

• A minimum of five years of museum exhibition curatorship and collections management experience; extensive knowledge of professional museum principles, practices, and procedures, especially in exhibit research and collection interpretation.

• Proven ability to build and manage multi-year budgets, calendars and project management timelines and a track record of identifying and securing funding sources.

• Demonstrative supervisory skills relative to a full-time, part-time, intern and volunteer staff.

Please send cover letter, resume, list of 3 references and desired salary via mail to:

Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Human Resources, 830 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202; via e-mail to woods@maamc.org; or, via fax to 410/333-1138. EOE.