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The Chief of Curatorial Affairs and Conservation (CAC) reports to the Ann and Graham Gund Director of the Museum and is a member of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s leadership team. As such, the Chief shares accountability for the planning, priority-setting, integration, and stewardship of a forward-looking and financially sustainable institution. Responsible for the MFA’s global collections, ambitious exhibition program and curatorial activities, the Chief oversees the Museum’s curatorial, conservation, registration, collections, provenance, exhibitions, gallery reinstallation and rotations, design, and intellectual property departments. The Chief plays a lead role in developing and implementing strategy for the institution, working in close collaboration with the Director and the leadership team.

The Chief is responsible for the strategic planning, coordination, and implementation of the Museum's long-range exhibition schedule and touring program. Additionally, the Chief oversees the permanent collection gallery displays, including rotating spaces and renovations. They ensure exhibition and gallery planning aligns with and supports institutional strategies and priorities and deliver an outstanding visitor experience.

The Chief builds upon the MFA’s world-renowned global collection through intentional, systematic collections care and management, rigorous provenance research, and strategic acquisitions and deaccessions. They recommend and approve collections management policies and procedures, as well as requests for loans to the collection. As part of this work, they handle all claims to objects in the collection and oversee proactive and reactive provenance research, and approve or recommend to the Director changes in attribution, requests for loans from the collection, etc. The Chief provides overall guidance on legal and policy issues related to collections for the Museum and as part of national and international professional groups.

The Chief participates in Museum programs and events, presents public talks, engages with the press, and represents the Director and the Museum in professional associations and in other appropriate forums, locally, nationally, and internationally to further the MFA’s mission.

Essential Functions:

Working closely with the Director, the Chief:

+ Provides leadership to the Division and supervises Curatorial Chairs and others with ongoing direction, advocacy, and guidance. Hires and mentors staff, establishes goals and evaluates staff performance. Fosters a culture of collaboration and accountability across departments that leads to productive communication and aligns the work of CAC with others across the Museum, creating and delivering on shared goals.

+ Sets priorities for the Division to align activities and resources with institutional goals.

+ Effectively manages the development and implementation of a long-range exhibition schedule, gallery display, touring, and publication programs to achieve integration and meet institutional goals. Ensures overall programming is balanced and engaging, appeals to all in the Boston community and beyond, and meets the Museum’s objectives and forecasts, including but not limited to attendance and revenue. Ensures that exhibitions and gallery displays continue to reflect the high standards of the Museum and provide a meaningful experience to our visitors.

+ Has oversight of touring and loans program that optimizes and reinforces the reputational, financial, and scholarship goals of the Museum.

+ Works with Conservation leadership to determine priorities for conservation and scientific examination and treatment based on the many needs of exhibitions, loans, gifts of art, gallery reinstallations, renovation and permanent collections projects.

+ Works closely with Curatorial Chairs, Division and Department Heads and managers, to ensure that day-to-day operations in each respective area are functioning effectively and meeting budget expectations.

+ Leads Curatorial teams in developing a shared and integrated approach to content development, exhibitions, and gallery experiences that engage and leverage the Collection and history of the Museum in the context of the issues of our times, and are aligned with the reputational and financial goals of the Museum.

+ In conjunction with the Museum’s Director and the Chair of Provenance, advances the Museum’s efforts and commitment to ensuring that objects in the collections are properly identified and authenticated, taking appropriate action based on discoveries and circumstances.

+ Works closely with colleagues across the institution, particularly with the Learning and Community Engagement division’s Interpretation staff on matters of texts, labels, and other interpretive materials and programming that ensure relatability and balance of internal and external voices.

+ Works closely with the Museum’s Development team to advocate for funds that support a variety of initiatives, including endowment and naming opportunities, and gifts of art to the Museum's collection. Responsible for implementing agreements and obligations.

+ Works with cross-departmental teams to ensure the safekeeping of the collection while developing cost-effective measures for on/off-site storage.

+ Attends Board of Trustees and Board committee meetings, and serves as staff liaison to the Committee on the Collections.

+ Serves as a key contributor and leads CAC on all campus and capital initiatives.

+ Stays abreast of latest and innovative museum trends, including proposing financial strategies that meet budgetary expectations.

+ Performs other duties as required

Qualifications, Skills and Characteristics:

+ Advanced education in Art History or related cultural non-profit discipline.

+ Ten plus years related experience managing curatorial, conservation, exhibitions, and operational functions in a complex art museum environment.

+ A creative and strategic thinker who contributes fresh and innovative ideas, while possessing strong operational and project management abilities. Able to prioritize and apply granular and practical solutions, including aligning financial resources.

+ Strong leadership skills with experience in hiring, coaching, mentoring, motivating and evaluating employee performance as well as addressing employee issues when necessary.

+ Practices, encourages and inspires a team spirit that taps into individual talent and vision. Is a unifier with demonstrated excellent relationship management skills.

+ A nimble and creative thinker who performs well under pressure, while maintaining the Museum’s high standards.

+ A successful track record developing and stewarding donor relationships that support the Museum’s fundraising goals.

+ Evident deep commitment to developing a productive and accountable workplace culture that has at its heart the Museum’s institutional values.

+ Solid budget, project management, financial planning, integration and priority-setting skills. Demonstrated ability to think strategically and collaboratively.

+ Outstanding verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of constituencies.

+ Demonstrated strategic, relevant knowledge and experience that will optimize and translate the values of the Museum in its work.

+ Must exercise discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information.

Salary:

Salary: $240,000 - $280,000

Full-Time, 35 hours per week

The MFA is an equal opportunity employer. The community and audience we serve is diverse, and we wish to foster that diversity in our workplace. Toward that end, the MFA does not discriminate against individuals in hiring, employment or promotion on the basis of race, religion, color, sex/gender, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, citizenship, handicap or disability, veteran or military status, political belief, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.