LSU Museum of Art Executive Director [Louisiana State University]

The Louisiana State University Museum of Art is searching for a charismatic, energetic leader who is passionate about the arts and has applicable experience in an art museum setting. This individual must possess the vision for continued advancement of the organization’s resources, mission and potential.  In addition to providing strong personal and organizational leadership, the Executive Director must be a highly accomplished fundraiser. The Executive Director will further develop awareness and create relationships that will result in increased private and institutional financial support, private/public partnerships and positive public recognition. Reporting to the Vice Provost for Human Resources and Facilities Management, the Executive Director will demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting the value of the visual arts in a research university environment and in the diverse community beyond.  The individual should be enthusiastic about collaborative, innovative projects, with a goal of supporting LSU’s academic mission and the cultural enrichment of the Baton Rouge community.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Executive Director will:

• Develop and execute the vision for the LSU Museum of Art going forward that aligns with the University’s goals and mission;
• Establish productive working relationships with the Vice Provost and other administrators, the Museum staff, key members of the LSU faculty including key relationships in the Department of Art + Art History, and other stakeholders;
• Build strong relationships with the members of the Advisory Board and find ways to bring forth their best ideas, efforts, resources and contacts; continue to build and strengthen the Board;
• Assess the collection in concert with the Collections Manager and Curator;
• Determine short- and long-term fundraising needs in the context of the Museum’s strategic and programmatic goals; cultivate individual, corporate and foundation supporters in collaboration with the Advisory Board and the LSU Foundation’s development staff;
• Enhance the Museum’s role as a teaching and research resource; ensure integration of exhibition and education objectives; build relationships with LSU’s academic departments;
• Ensure, by effective leadership and management, that the day-to-day operations and programs of the Museum are professionally and efficiently administered; cultivate, nurture and hold staff accountable; support staff’s professional development;
• Evaluate and expand the Museum’s marketing and communications including oversight of the Museum’s website;
• Develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with key civic, foundation and corporate partners in the Baton Rouge community;
• Fulfill all requirements to maintain the museum’s accreditation with the American Association of Museums.
• Be a visible and energetic spokesperson and ambassador for the Museum and LSU.

THE INSTITUTION

The LSU Museum of Art (MOA) first opened in 1962 and in 2005, the museum strategically moved to its current location in downtown Baton Rouge in the Shaw Center for the Arts. The Museum is a significant public face for the University and serves as a bridge between LSU and the community at large. The MOA is the only dedicated art museum in Greater Baton Rouge.  Comprising 13,000 square feet of gallery space, the museum has one of the largest university-affiliated art collections in the South. The LSU Museum of Art presents exhibitions of regional, American, and European painting, sculpture, decorative arts, works on paper, and photography. The curatorial strengths of the Museum lie in its collection of Southern fine and decorative arts, including significant collections of antebellum silver and Newcomb pottery. The Museum continues to develop its holdings of regional southern and African American art and photography. The museum has a full-time staff of 10 and a budget of $1.2 million.

LSU is the State’s flagship research university and carries the designation of “very high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation. In 2014, for the seventh consecutive year, LSU was ranked in the first tier of “Best National Universities” by U.S. News & World Report. It is one of 21 universities nationwide holding land, sea, and space-grant status. LSU enjoys a lively and diverse community of nearly 35,000 faculty, staff, and students from every state and more than 120 countries. Occupying 2,000 acres on the Mississippi River in Louisiana’s capital city, Baton Rouge, LSU is approximately 80 miles northwest of New Orleans in the heart of the culturally diverse delta region. LSU’s campus, largely of Italian Renaissance-inspired architecture, is regarded as one of the top 20 most beautiful campuses in the United States with 57 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places and over 1,200 magnificent Live Oak trees.

Inquiries and nominations may be addressed to the search committee chair, Alkis P. Tsolakis, at atsolakis@lsu.edu.  Applications will be accepted online on the LSU Careers website: https://lsusystemcareers.lsu.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=58919 position number 005955.

Candidates must include a letter of interest, resume or curriculum vitae, a vision statement for the LSU Museum of Art and contact information for five (5) professional references with online application materials.  The review of applications will begin March 1, 2015 and continue until the position is filled.  Salary will be competitive and commensurate with qualifications.  An offer of employment is contingent on a satisfactory pre-employment background check.

LSU IS COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY AND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/EQUAL ACCESS EMPLOYER 

• Master’s degree.
• At least five years experience in an art museum building permanent collections and developing exhibition and education programs.
• Demonstrated track record of executing a successful fundraising operation that builds community trust along with financial security.
• Experience in building institutional identity, including clear and proactive brand vision.
• Expertise in developing and maintaining public/private partnerships.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, computer literacy, and the ability to use current technology to further the museum’s educational and artistic goals.
• Demonstrated ability to organize, lead and support a professional staff, including experience managing operations and budgets.
• Broad knowledge of the arts and commitment to museum best practices.
• Knowledge of the museum world and key players nationally and the ability to capitalize on those relationships for loans and exhibitions.
• An advanced degree in art history, art or a field closely associated with the executive director duties from an accredited school is preferred.
• Strong fiscal skills with experience in preparing and managing budgets of $1,000,000 or greater is preferred.