Director of Public Engagement [Hauser Wirth & Schimmel, Los Angeles, CA]

Description

Hauser & Wirth is one of the world’s leading contemporary art galleries with offices in Zurich, London, Somerset, New York and soon, Los Angeles. ??Hauser Wirth & Schimmel (HWSLA), located in a historic 100,000 square foot flour mill complex in the city’s burgeoning downtown Arts District, will open to the public in March 2016. The gallery will transform the site’s sprawling collection of late 19th and early 20th century buildings and outdoor spaces into a dynamic multi-disciplinary arts center. The new venue will offer innovative exhibitions, museum-caliber amenities, and a robust schedule of public programs that contextualize the art on view, drawing upon, illuminating, and contributing to the urban culture of Los Angeles.

We are seeking a Director of Public Engagement to join our team in Los Angeles, starting December 2015.

Main Tasks include oversight of four major areas, as below. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Education

• Establish, manage and develop, working closely with senior staff, a program of talks, seminars, events and activities in response to exhibitions
• Liaise with local schools and colleges, as well as other organizations based within the community, to establish and maintain relationships and actively promote HWSLA and its resources
• Establish a local and national network of useful and productive education partnerships that could result in collaborative projects and events; research and review educational programs to stay current in the field; collate, analyze and apply feedback on the educational activities provided
• Create and develop educational resources for all visitors
• Establish, manage and develop the HWSLA Book Lab to highlight the Hauser & Wirth publications program through curated displays and comprehensive presentations of documentation, works on paper, ephemeral and resource materials to HW publications
• Lead tours of exhibitions, using both formal and informal teaching, to a broad spectrum of groups
• Research and book program participants, manage correspondence, travel arrangements, payment, reimbursement and all related forms and paperwork in collaboration with Gallery Assistants and accounting department
• Oversee and coordinate audio visual recording of programs; secure necessary rights and permissions from speakers, catalogue and maintain archive of all audio visual materials

Public Relations (PR)

• Working closely with external PR companies and internal staff based in New York, London and Zurich, establish, manage and develop PR strategy for the launch of HWSLA
• Manage and develop local PR strategy for HWSLA including writing press releases and organizing targeted press and media coverage for exhibitions, programs and special events
• Create and manage promotional material for all gallery events

Special Events

• Oversee all aspects of gallery related events, openings, tours, lectures and VIP events; manage guest lists, seating, ticket sales, catering and vendors as needed, assisted by the Gallery Assistants
• Coordinate events and programs with HWSLA tenants (restaurant and bookstore) to optimize audience opportunities and avoid conflicts

Visitor Services

• Administer and manage all group bookings to HWSLA to ensure that the specific needs, interests and learning objectives of the audience are met
• Develop and monitor guidelines (including risk assessment) for visiting groups and liaise with the Director of Operations to ensure that the access needs of all visiting groups are met

Additional Responsibilities

• Prepare and manage annual budget for Education, PR, Special Events and Visitor Services
• Overseeing staff, interns and volunteers as needed for all gallery events and programs

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field required, Master’s degree preferred
• At least five years experience in a gallery or museum setting implementing education programming and managing public relations
• Previous experience managing staff and budget oversight
• Extensive knowledge of contemporary art and passion for arts education
• Computer proficiency (particularly with Mac OS X, Microsoft Office Suite, and Google Apps for Business) and willingness to learn new programs as necessary
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills
• Superior organizational skills with ability to handle multiple priorities
• Collaborative spirit, working across departments and with diverse audiences