Assistant Curator; Architecture, Design and Decorative Arts [The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art]

Reporting to the Department Head and Senior Curator, European Arts, the Assistant Curator, Architecture, Design and Decorative Arts contributes to all aspects of departmental operations, which includes assisting the Senior Curator of the department with the care, display, interpretation, promotion and publication of the permanent collection; overseeing print gallery rotations; re-installing the permanent galleries; developing and assisting with future exhibitions; educating the general public and employees through various media and presentations; and to contribute to the attainment of funding for projects and acquisitions through the supervision of grant applications and cultivation of donors.

This position is challenged by the variety of responsibilities to the public and internal staff.  The role of Assistant Curator includes activities beyond academic research and object-specific tasks and requires the incumbent be involved in museum-wide activities such as public relations, fundraising and education programs.  The incumbent is expected to assist with the preparation of budgets and build relationships with external and internal partners.  This requires the incumbent have strong interpersonal, written and public speaking communication skills.

The Assistant Curator must be able to develop collaborative relationships with other museums in order to share collections and exhibitions, as well as expertise and best practices.

The successful candidate should possess:

• Minimum 2 years previous curatorial-related experience in an art museum.
• Master’s Degree in Art History or an equal combination of education and experience.
• Exceptional research skills and credentials required.
• Demonstrated oral and written communication skills are necessary.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Graduate work beyond the Master’s level is preferred.
• A record of publication or commensurate scholarly accomplishment is desirable in this role.

• An abiding belief in the museum’s mission and vision, and the ability to articulate this in a persuasive and inspiring manner.
• Demonstrated passion for the visual arts, with a strong commitment to making art collections more accessible and meaningful to the general public.
• A strong work ethic coupled with an assertive but non-abrasive manner. The successful candidate will be a highly energetic, hands-on individual.
• Must possess confidence, maturity, professionalism and integrity that is beyond reproach.
• A highly organized multi-tasker, able to balance several projects simultaneously in a timely and fiscally sound fashion.
• Results-oriented, adept at seeing the big-picture, planning, prioritizing, organizing and following through; a hard worker with a high energy level; emotionally mature with a sense of humor and an ability to maintain balance and perspective.
• Possesses a sophisticated understanding of what relationships are important to the organization and how to leverage them to meet the overall mission.
• Sees and acts on the need to gain broad support for ideas and initiatives; consistently engages others throughout the organization to gain buy-in and commitment.
• High emotional intelligence (EQ) with the ability to build and sustain productive and positive relationships in and outside of the organization