Director of Collection

About the role

Dia Art Foundation was established in 1974 for the purpose of collecting, commissioning, and presenting major works of art made in the 1960s onward. Today it consists of nine permanent sites across the United States and Germany, as well as three changing exhibition spaces in New York State: Dia Chelsea in the city, Dia Beacon in the Hudson Valley, and Dia Bridgehampton on Long Island. Dia is taken from the Greek word for “through” and conveys the foundation’s role as a facilitator of meaningful artistic experiences that can be encountered in single and repeated visits.

Responsibilities

• Engage in progressive and collaborative research and approaches to develop existing and new concepts for long-term presentations of Dia’s collection of works, in any type of media, in monographic exhibitions or other displays
• Lead discussions in shaping and strengthening the collection, including acquisitions strategy, with input from the curatorial team
• Manage relationships with artists, working closely with them to support the development of their work
• Collaborate on the development of the collection strategy and new curatorial thinking, helping to advance Dia’s mission
• Oversee the direction, department goals, and projects for Dia’s archive
• Assess and develop conservation and art-storage approaches, collaborate on the planning and execution of sustainable solutions, and participate in funding initiatives to support collection care and research
• Direct the collaborative efforts of staff responsible for the safety, condition, and maintenance of the collection and archive in accordance with the highest standards
• Participate in all curatorial discussions, meetings, and other activities designed to ideate and manage exhibitions and related public programs at Dia across all sites as assigned
• Lead tours and presentations of exhibitions for Dia staff, which might include guides, artists educators, and other members of Learning and Engagement as well as the Visitor Experience department as appropriate, providing imaginative and stimulating entry points to programs and exhibitions
• Oversee the installation and production processes of collection displays and other exhibitions as needed
• Liaise as needed across the Communications, Marketing, Operations, Registration, Security, and Visitor Experience teams
• Collaborate with the Curators in managing administrative-related tasks and projects, including but not limited to project archiving, maintaining files, tracking expenses, submitting forms, drafting presentations, and creating budgets as required
• Support fiscally responsible management of Curatorial department budget
• Work closely with the Deputy Director of Program, Manager of Exhibitions, and individual curators to plan exhibition timelines, implementation meetings, and installation calendars; control expenditures, within approved limits, to obtain best value without compromising high standards of presentation
• Develop relationships with funders and potential funders
• Maintain complex knowledge of contemporary art and demonstrate critical thinking with particular emphasis on emerging artists across the globe; demonstrate willingness and availability to travel internationally
• Maintain and develop an appropriate network of contacts among artists, artists’ estates, gallerists, critics, scholars, and authors
• Represent Dia as necessary in external meetings and functions

Qualifications

• M.A. in art history or other relevant subject desired or an equivalent
• At least 10 years prior art-museum experience in a relevant capacity required
• Significant and demonstrable experience with institutional collection building, strategy, and management required
• Minimum 5 years of progressive management and supervisory experience with demonstrated ability to mentor staff and lead teams effectively
• Demonstrable knowledge of and involvement in international contemporary art

Skills and Abilities

• High competency in leadership, staff management, and mentorship
• Follows and engages in debates about contemporary art, culture, and society
• Excellent organization, planning, and administrative skills, with ability to prioritize and coordinate multiple activities to meet deadlines
• Well-developed interpersonal skills, with the flexibility to work well within a team and collaboratively across Dia’s departments
• Awareness of issues of equality and cultural diversity and their impact on art institutions
• A well-developed visual sense and understanding of issues involved in the display of works of art
• Experience with the processes involved in mounting collection exhibitions, including but not limited to ideating and implementing shows, managing budgets, overseeing installations, and developing and presenting public programs
• Skilled negotiator with aptitude for managing different types of relationships
• Ability and willingness to travel and attend out-of-hours functions, as required, to meet Dia’s objectives
• Proficiency in Spanish, German, Korean, or French a plus