Deputy Director of Curatorial and Academic Affairs and Curator of American Art

Job Details

Position Summary

The Deputy Director of Curatorial and Academic Affairs and Curator of American Art is a faculty, non-tenure track, senior leadership role at the Georgia Museum of Art (“Museum”), responsible for setting and executing the museum’s curatorial vision across its entire collection and exhibition program. Reporting to the Director, the Deputy Director provides strategic direction for exhibitions, acquisitions, publications, and academic programming, while ensuring the museum’s curatorial mission is deeply integrated with the teaching, research, and public service goals of the University of Georgia.

The Deputy Director leads and mentors a team of curators and curatorial staff, serves as a primary spokesperson for the museum’s collections and exhibitions, and plays a key role in long-range institutional planning.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Posting Details

Posting Number F2698P

Working Title Deputy Director of Curatorial and Academic Affairs and Curator of American Art

Department SRVPAA-Georgia Museum of Art

About the University of Georgia Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state’s flagship university https://www.uga.edu/. The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.

Posting Type External

Retirement Plan TRS

Employment Type Employee

Benefits Eligibility Benefits Eligible

Advertised Salary $100k - $120k; Commensurate with Experience

Anticipated Start Date 07/01/2026

Job Posting Date 05/01/2026

Job Closing Date Open until filled

Location of Vacancy Athens Area

Position Details

Classification Title Assoc/Asst Director, Division/Department AD

FLSA Exempt

Faculty Rank Administrative Faculty

Contract Type Fiscal (12 mo.)

Tenure Status Non-Tenure Track

Minimum Qualifications Master’s degree in art history, history, museum studies, or a related field

Additional Requirements

• Expertise in at least one area of American art and broad familiarity across the field from the colonial period through the present
• At least two years of experience curating and organizing major exhibitions and publications

Relevant/Preferred Education, Experience, Licensure, and/or Certification

• Ph.D. in art history, history, museum studies, or a related field
• Established national or international professional network in the museum and art history fields
• Advanced arts management training

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

• Deep knowledge of museum collections management, ethical and legal standards for acquisitions, and conservation principles
• Proven ability to lead, supervise, and mentor professional staff
• Strong record of scholarly research and publication
• Excellent skills in budget and project management
• Demonstrated success in donor cultivation and relationship building
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with a range of stakeholders, including faculty, students, artists, collectors, and community members
• Bold, collaborative, and community-minded leader
• Distinguished record of scholarly achievement, exhibition development, and donor cultivation
• Passion for connecting the museum’s resources to audiences on campus and beyond
• Familiarity with an academic museum environment
• Past success securing grants and other external funding

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

1. Resume/CV
2. Cover Letter

Duties/Responsibilities

Curatorial Leadership (30%)

• Set the strategic direction for the Museum’s exhibition program, ensuring rigorous, innovative, and wide-ranging programming that reflects current scholarship and engages broad audiences
• Oversee the care and development of the Museum’s American art collection, including acquisitions, deaccessions, provenance research, gift assessment, and donor cultivation; manage the departmental budget
• Conceptualize, research, and organize exhibitions and gallery installations drawn from the permanent collection and loans from other institutions and private collections, with deep expertise in at least one area of American art and broad familiarity across the field from the colonial period through the present
• Conduct and publish original scholarly research on American art and artists through peer-reviewed journals, exhibition catalogs, and other scholarly platforms; present at national and international conferences
• Build and sustain relationships with artists, scholars, collectors, and peer institutions to support exhibitions, research, and programming related to the American art collection
• Promote the Museum’s reputation in the field through participation in national and international professional organizations
• Host and collaborate with guest curators, artists, scholars, and critics, including occasional residencies and symposia
• Supervise and mentor direct reports, fostering a collaborative and intellectually ambitious departmental culture
• Work closely with conservators and registrars to assess conservation needs, ensure proper documentation, and maintain the highest standards of collection care

Academic Integration, Teaching, and Public Engagement (20%)

• Provide strategic oversight of the Learning and Engagement department, supervising the department head to ensure that programming aligns with the museum’s mission
• Supervise the Associate Curator of Academic and Campus Engagement and, working collaboratively, cultivate and strengthen partnerships with UGA faculty, departments, and research centers to develop exhibitions, programs, and publications that support the university’s academic mission
• Participate as a presenter, panelist, or subject expert in relevant symposia, conferences, and public programs
• Oversee departmental initiatives to train students in curatorial practices and methods through experiential learning opportunities, including museum internships
• Offer object-based class visits for UGA courses across disciplines, including art history, history, and museum studies
• Develop and teach undergraduate and graduate courses in the Lamar Dodd School of Art and other academic departments, as time and opportunity permit

Institutional Leadership and Planning (20%)

• Serve as a key member of the museum’s senior leadership team, contributing to long-range strategic planning, staffing decisions, and institutional priorities
• Work closely with the Museum Director and Development team to secure funding for exhibitions, acquisitions, and programming through grants, donor gifts, and institutional partnerships
• Develop and oversee curatorial and exhibition proposals, setting objectives and monitoring expenditures
• Represent the museum as an effective spokesperson at the local, national, and international level, advancing its profile in the broader museum and academic communities
• Participate in staff and advisory council meetings as needed

Donor Cultivation and Development (20%)

• Actively cultivate relationships with donors, collectors, foundations, and corporate funders in support of exhibitions, acquisitions, and programmatic needs
• Solicit gifts of art and financial contributions to grow the permanent collection and support the museum’s mission
• Collaborate with Development staff on grant applications and fundraising initiatives

Service and Public Engagement (10%)

• Provide tours of special exhibitions and the permanent collection for the public, university groups, and visiting scholars
• Attend exhibition openings and public programs featuring artists and academic peers to promote the museum’s outreach and community engagement mission