WESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

JOB DESCRIPTION

TITLE:                                Museum Advisory Council Curator of Costumes & Textiles

RESPONSIBILITY:          Responsible to the Curator of Collections & Exhibitions for the acquisition, care, and management of the costume & textile collection, as well as the presentation of those collections (onsite, offsite, and online) in exhibits, programs, outreach and engagement activities.

CLASSIFICATION:           This position is classified as full-time professional and overtime exempt.

COORDINATION:             The MAC Curator of Costume & Textiles reports to the Curator of Collections & Exhibitions and coordinates with WRHS Division Directors, including the Director of the Cleveland History Center, Director of Hale Farm & Village, the Director of the Research Library, and the Vice President of Development for the presentation, care, management and stewardship of WRHS collections.  He/she develops and cultivates relationships within the museum, local arts and culture community and donors.  Public outreach and community engagement is an integral function of this position.

SUPERVISION:                  Responsible for the supervision of interns, volunteers, and consultants engaged in the preservation, maintenance and presentation of collections in exhibits, programs, and outreach.

DUTIES:                            

Stewardship – of WRHS collections and      management of collections staff, responsible for the organization,      development, and implementation of collections care and management procedures      for the costume and textile artifacts of the Western Reserve Historical      Society.

Presentation – Responsible to the      Director of the Cleveland History Center and Curator of Collections &      Exhibitions for the fresh, imaginative and ongoing presentation of WRHS      collections in Cleveland History Center galleries.

Management – of WRHS collections stored      and exhibited at other WRHS sites.       Oversees collections care and management as it pertains to costume      and textile permanent collections, special exhibitions, research,      education and outreach, scholarly publications, and digitization.

Relationships – Develops and sustains      relationships with the community to advance WRHS’s mission, vision, and      activities.

Continuous Learning – networks with      peers and maintains memberships in various professional organizations to      remain current and to be relentlessly committed to the pursuit of best      practices in collection care, management, and presentation.

Fundraising – Works with the Curator of      Collections & Exhibitions, the CHC Director, the President & CEO and      the Development Department to secure funding for collection related      activities through grant writing, sponsorship requests, requests for      individual contributions, engagement activities, programs and tours, in-kind      gifts and other forms of fundraising. Involved with the budgeting, funds      acquisition, and long-range planning for the costume & textile      collection.

Compliance – Responsible for the ongoing implementation and adherence to WRHS Collections Policies and      Procedures.

Undertakes other duties as assigned by the CHC Director and the Curator of Collections & Exhibitions.

Please forward your cover letter and resume to Janet Waterman, Human Resources Associate at jwaterman@wrhs.org.

QUALIFICATIONS:       

The MAC Curator of Costume & Textiles is a professional position that requires an advanced degree in museum studies or American history, with a minimum of three years’ curatorial experience.

A proven track record in management and administration, knowledge of professional museum standards and best practices, as well as skill in conceptualizing, organizing, and directing projects simultaneously, and the interpersonal skills to effectively work with a broad range of people are required.

The Curator of Costume & Textiles must provide evidence of high quality written and verbal communication skills.  Writing, including grant writing, and the ability to interpret collections and communicate knowledge relevant to the collections is also required.

This position represents the Society’s collections department both internally and externally and therefore requires demonstrated public speaking ability and professional demeanor and attire.

Learning agility is absolutely essential in a dynamic organization like WRHS.  The incumbent must be comfortable with ambiguity, flexibility and have the ability and willingness to solve problems from different perspectives.

Personal characteristics that are essential include: flexibility, loyalty, respect, maturity, tact, diplomacy, originality, the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, creativity, enthusiasm, problem-solving abilities, and a sense of humor.  An understanding and respect for organizational behavior at all levels is essential.

Please forward your cover letter and resume to Janet Waterman, Human Resources Associate at jwaterman@wrhs.org.