Description:
Worcester
Art Museum
PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Title: Chief
Preparator
Exhibition Design
& Fabrication, Museum Services Division
Type: Full
Time, Exempt
Reports To: Director
of Museum Services
Direct Reports: Lead
Preparator, Preparators (2)
Purpose: As department
head for the Exhibition Services Department, the Chief Preparator is
responsible for planning and managing the preparation of gallery spaces and
objects for exhibitions and for planning and managing the fabrication,
installation, and de-installation of both temporary exhibitions and long-term
installations. The Chief Preparator supervises the Museum’s preparators, as
well as contract art handlers, on all aspects of museum exhibition, art
storage, and art movement.
DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
·
Recommend department objectives and
priorities and develop a strategy to achieve them consistent with the Museum’s
vision statement, strategic plan, and divisional goals.
·
Manage all functions of the Exhibition
Services Department, its activities and personnel, including fellows, interns,
and volunteers; coordinate department activities with other departments and
divisions of the Museum.
·
Collaborate with the Museum’s Exhibition
Designer in the planning of the preparation of gallery spaces for exhibition
and in planning the fabrication, installation, and de-installation of both
temporary exhibitions and long-term installations.
·
Plan, prioritize and schedule daily
activities of preparators in the areas ofexhibition
installations/de-installations, graphics installation, gallery and exhibition
lighting, exhibition maintenance and art movements within the museum. Set team’s job assignments
to meet deadlines and priorities; oversee external vendors and contractors.
·
Prepare and present department budget
for approval; monitor department and project budgets within approved
limits. Assist in the development of
exhibition and special project budgets.
·
Supervise installation of works of art
and oversee production and installation of exhibition graphics, signage, and
labels.
·
Design and fabricate, or oversee the
design and fabrication of, display and storage mounts for objects using brass
armatures, plexiglass, pliacre forms and stabilizers, foam cor, matboard,
ethafoam, wood, steel, aluminum, conduit and piping.
·
Working with the Registrars,
coordinate exhibition installation/de-installation schedules as well as
internal and external art movements.
·
Contribute to the development of exhibition
schedules and budgets. Serve as a member
of project teams for exhibition development and implementation.
·
Remain current with approaches and
developments in materials and techniques used in preparation and display of the
museum collections.
·
Working with the Conservation and
Registration Departments, establish and maintain best practices for handling,
lighting, crating, and shipping of all collection media
·
Order materials for art packing and
exhibition installation.
·
Recommend improvements to museum art
storage.
·
Assist preparators with gallery
maintenance, including dusting of platforms, pedestals, and vitrines, and
assist with museum-wide lighting maintenance as needed.
·
Serve as a courier for outgoing loans.
Travel with objects on domestic and international shipments as required; act as
Museum representative as necessary
·
Represent the museum to various public
constituencies in the region
·
Represent department at various meetings and on internal committees
·
Represent
Director of Museum Services in his/her absence regarding exhibition design,
preparations, and art handling
·
Perform other related duties as
assigned
Qualifications:
•
Proven management skills,
including the ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively within a team,
comprising museum staff, contractors, vendors and couriers
•
Experience managing complex
projects: ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, working to
strict deadlines
•
Ability to prepare and manage
department and project budgets
•
Strong communication and
interpersonal skills
•
Knowledge of art storage and
display methods, techniques, and procedures
•
Good manual dexterity for fine
detail work and handling fragile objects
·
In-depth knowledge of art handling
techniques and methods of transporting works of art
·
Experience in exhibition design,
mount-making, crate fabrication, preparation and installation techniques
·
Ability to lift up to 70 lbs.
·
Ability to safely work with
installation equipment including ladders, scissor lift and scaffolding
·
Ability to work at heights over 10
feet
·
Massachusetts Class III motor
vehicle operator's license
·
Travel required for this position
EDUCATION
BA,
BFA required; MA, MFA preferred, or equivalent training in studio art, art
history, fine art or a related field.
EXPERIENCE
Five
or more years in a museum, gallery, or similar exhibiting institution with
extensive knowledge of installation/packing/crating, and proven experience in a
management or supervisory role.
About this Organization: Collection
Information
The Worcester
Art Museum creates transformative programs and exhibitions, drawing on its
exceptional world-renowned collection of 38,000 works of art spanning 51
centuries. Central to its mission is a focus on audience engagement, connecting
visitors of all ages and abilities with inspiring art and demonstrating its
enduring relevance to daily life. The Museum’s creative initiatives—from
pioneering collaborative programs with local schools, to fresh approaches to
exhibition design and in-gallery teaching, to a long history of studio class
instruction—provide opportunities for its diverse audiences to experience art
and learn both from and with artists.
Location
Centrally located in New England, Worcester is an hour from Boston, Providence
and Hartford, an hour and a half from the Berkshires, three hours from New York
City, and is convenient to Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
The
Museum is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity.