Museum Director & Chief Curator

Job Title: Museum Director & Chief Curator

Position Type/ Work Schedule 2080 Hours per year 12 Months per year 40 Hours per week (Estimated)

Provide administrative and operational leadership for the museum department, including strategic planning, staffing, budget management, and departmental infrastructure, thereby establishing the foundation for the museum’s curatorial and public-facing work. Lead, supervise, and evaluate museum staff; establish goals and strategic plans across the curatorial, collections, and exhibitions functions in support of a cohesive museum vision. Oversee museum operations and manage the department’s annual operating budget in regular collaboration with divisional and institutional budget managers. Serve as a member of the FAC senior leadership team and collectively set the strategic direction of the Fine Arts Center as a whole. Curatorial Vision & Exhibition Leadership Serve as the museum's chief curator, setting artistic vision for a program that draws on the intellectual assets of the Colorado College campus community and connects to the cultural legacy of the Southwest, within a broader curatorial focus on the art of the Americas. Direct a robust exhibition program, encompassing both collections-based and loan-based projects, foregrounding the museum's significant holdings in art of the Southwest and the diasporic art of the Americas, while also incorporating work from beyond the Americas that aligns with and extends the museum's curatorial vision. Ensure an intellectually rigorous and broadly engaging program; align exhibition planning with college curricular goals as well as divisional visitation and admission revenue goals. Maintain an active curatorial and scholarly practice engaged with ideas and issues critical to the college and its communities. Collections Stewardship & NAGPRA Compliance Hold ultimate institutional responsibility for collections stewardship and NAGPRA compliance, exercised in partnership with the Collections Manager & NAGPRA Coordinator, who carries out this work day-to-day. Ensure restorative collections stewardship practices that elevate the care of, and access to, the collection as a core institutional priority, including sustained engagement with descendant communities, tribal leaders, and college partners. Support the Collections Manager & NAGPRA Coordinator in fulfilling the museum's NAGPRA obligations on behalf of Colorado College, ensuring institutional resources and strategic priority. Work with Collections staff to prioritize collections management, care, and broadened access to the collection stewarded by the FAC. Academic & Institutional Engagement Serve as an active member of the Colorado College academic community, including teaching capacity within relevant departments, active participation in the museum studies faculty group, and service on college and community committees as appropriate. Collaborate with the Engagement department and academic departments to facilitate academic use of the museum and serve as a teaching and learning resource for regional K-12 schools and educators. Advancement, Fundraising & Community Visibility Partner with the college's Advancement Department to shape and execute fundraising strategy for the museum, cultivating major donors, foundations, and prospects, building membership, and driving museum admissions. Play a lead role in identifying and writing grants for program funding. Serve as a highly visible representative of the FAC within the greater Colorado Springs community through public talks, lectures, and active participation in community conversations, working groups, and civic initiatives. In partnership with the Office of Communications and Marketing, elevate the museum's profile and visibility through strategic communications, storytelling, thought leadership, and advocacy within regional and national museum discourse. Collaboration Skills Work requires sophisticated, sustained collaboration across a wide range of internal and external stakeholders — museum and FAC staff, Colorado College faculty and leadership, donors, tribal leaders and descendant communities, and civic and cultural organizations. The role requires building trust and authentic relationships across highly diverse constituencies, often navigating complex or sensitive institutional and cultural dynamics without direct authority over external partners. Technical Knowledge Work requires advanced, specialized knowledge of museum practice — including curatorial, engagement, and collections work, with particular depth in collections stewardship standards such as NAGPRA compliance — along with art-historical expertise in the art of the Americas. Requires the ability to design and implement complex, multi-year programs and institutional strategy. Fiscal Responsibility This position manages the museum department's annual operating budget (approximately $1.1 million), prepares and justifies budget and grant proposals, and actively cultivates and secures philanthropic funding, including major gifts, foundation grants, and bequests in collaboration with the CC Office of Advancement.

PhD preferred. Applicants are welcome to apply even ifyoudo not meet the preferred qualifications. We value diverse perspectives and encourage individuals with a genuine interest in the role tosubmittheir applications. Other Position Details Supervises Staff Position will not drive CC vehicles Anticipated Hiring Salary Range $103,295 to $129,119 per year