Who we are:

Scottsdale Arts was established in 1987 as a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) and has evolved into an organization with six dynamic operating departments that span the visual and performing arts, arts education and cultural engagement. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) as part of Scottsdale Arts offers diverse, high-quality visual arts experiences to hundreds of thousands of Scottsdale residents and visitors annually.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) is an accredited and internationally recognized institution that encourages reflections and conversations about life through art. We produce and mediate creative expressions that lead to shared curiosity and meaning across a wide range of publics.  We value creativity, collaboration, experimentation, and exchange. We strive to adapt to shifting environments by leading with empathy while fostering trust and mutual transformation. 

What we offer:

• Great company culture. We understand the importance of work-life balance and offer flexible schedules and hybrid work opportunities to help you achieve that. We celebrate diverse perspectives and are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered. We believe in recognizing and celebrating the hard work and achievements of our team where your contributions are acknowledged and appreciated through our employee recognition program
• Making an Impact. Your work here will have a real impact. Everything you do, each day makes a difference in our community.
• Location.  Located in the heart of downtown Scottsdale, access to Scottsdale Civic Center, old town galleries, local restaurants, live venues, and more.
• Rest and relaxation. Our PTO program allows you to accrue more hours the longer you stay with us which means your time off grows as you grow with the company, rewarding your dedication and service. Enjoy 9 paid holidays plus 5 floating holidays each year, giving you the opportunity to relax and celebrate important occasions with family and friends.
• Benefits. Medical and dental – We believe in taking care of our team. Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to support your health, well-being and overall quality of life. We cover 90% of the employee premiums and 70% of the dependent premiums for Medical and Dental plans. In addition, we offer extensive coverage options for Vision, Disability, Life Insurance, FSA Account, 401K with employer match, Pet Healthcare, and Gym Membership. You can gain access to a wide range of arts and culture organizations through our reciprocal membership with NARM and Local arts and culture organizations plus one membership to share. Enjoy exclusive discounts on tickets to events and performances.
• Opportunities for Growth. A mindset of internal growth and advancement.

Summary:

The Director and Chief Curator of Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) is a senior leadership position responsible for developing and executing strategic initiatives to promote, enhance, and lead the museum forward with the highest level of professionalism, integrity, and a proven track record of success. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art is an accredited museum part of a larger multi-disciplinary organization. This role combines creativity and curatorial vision with strong leadership and business acumen. It requires a strong collaborative approach that embraces the opportunities of working with a leadership team across multiple disciplines. Do you possess excellent interpersonal communication skills and are adept at working collaboratively with a diverse community? Do you have experience in cultivating, nurturing, and expanding donor relations while simultaneously inspiring fundraisers to become enthusiastic ambassadors for the museum? Do you have the passion to create a strategic vision and a commitment to furthering dialogue and engagement around visual arts and programming? Do you have a deep understanding of artists’ ideas and voices and how to harness that to drive dialogue in our community? Do you possess strong leadership skills centered on equity and belonging? Do you have experience executing a strategic vision that contributes to an organization’s success and financial sustainability?   If so, then we are looking for you! Come join the SMoCA Team at Scottsdale Arts as the Director and Chief Curator of Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.  

Important Details to Know:

• Compensation: $100,000 - $107,000 DOE
• Shift/Hours: 40 hours per week, some evenings and weekends. Travel may be required.
• Job Type: Exempt
• Location: Scottsdale, AZ

If you need assistance or accommodations during the recruitment process please reach out to us at Recruiting@scottsdalearts.org

Here is what you will get to do:

Senior Management Functions:

1. Ensures clarity around the priorities and goals for the museum managed in accordance with the President/CEO direction and the Scottsdale Arts Strategic Plan.
2. Responsible for developing the division budget and ensuring fiscal compliance. Ensures compliance with finance policies regarding expenditures, payments, and request approvals that have a fiscal impact, etc.
3. Responsible for communicating goalsetting and results, fiscal operations, and key performance indicators related to division and organization to stakeholders, including members of Senior Management Team (SMT) members, City of Scottsdale, Advisory Council, Board of Trustees, etc.
4. Utilizes a high level of discretion in the management of the team, including oversight of personnel functions within the organizational guidelines. Works across functions with peers, managers, staff, and volunteers to ensure collaboration for shared goals.
5. Works in conjunction with senior management for strategy development and execution planning.
6. Responsible for setting, maintaining, and promoting a positive culture of inclusiveness and performance.

Divisional Functions:

1. Establishes and maintains the curatorial vision for SMoCA.
2. Provides direction and oversight and leads the museum’s research, collection management, and development strategy.
3. Oversees curatorial, exhibitions, collections, retail, and administrative staff while ensuring that all levels of staff understand goals, strategies, and budget considerations to create effective exhibitions and programming that achieve operational objectives.
4. Works collaboratively with SMoCA staff to determine the exhibition schedule.
5. Demonstrated knowledge of standards and museum best practices under AAM.
6. Oversee the reaccreditation process in collaboration with SMoCA staff and maintain ongoing best practices for museum management.
7. Works with SMoCA staff to maintain the museum’s active series of programs, events, and community initiatives that extend and deepen the visitors’ understanding of exhibitions, contemporary art, architecture, and design.  
8. Strategic success in donor relations, fundraising, and grant writing. Works with the SMoCA Advisory Council to define the museum's vision and goals.
9. Cultivate community engagement and elevate the museum’s presence, influence, and relevancy locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally while simultaneously providing greater museum access to a diverse constituency.
10. May develop and implement exhibitions in the museum, performing the duties of curator for an assigned exhibition.
11. Lead the museum’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts to expand the perspective of the museum’s exhibitions and to amplify to the larger community.  

Here is what you will need to be successful:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

1. Education: Master’s Degree in Art History, Arts Management, Museum Studies or related field; doctorate highly desirable.
2. Experience: Minimum 5-7 years progressive experience with proven senior leadership with demonstrated accomplishments in areas of fundraising and grant-writing, scholarly art publications, strategic planning, advisory board management, communications, and marketing, collections, and acquisitions, as well as strong curatorial experience with a proven record of exhibitions and publications.
3. Attributes:

• The capacity to manage and inspire others to achieve objectives while establishing a collaborative team structure with accountability.
• Strong interpersonal skills to be able to establish rapport, demonstrate genuine interest in people and ideas, and authentically communicate effectively to a diverse spectrum of people.
• Value diplomacy and tactfulness and the ability to exhibit respect for people as well as the capacity to deal with others equitably regardless of personal preferences, beliefs, or ideas to cultivate positive and dynamic relationships.
• Possess a deep passion and knowledge of contemporary art, with an eye towards identifying trends and emerging voices in the field.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written. Strong public speaking skills and the ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format.
• Ability to analyze, read, and interpret common and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.
• Demonstrated ability to rebound from adversity and challenges and push past obstacles in a way that brings about change.
• Established knowledge of standards and best practices for accredited art institutions.
• Significant experience in patron cultivation and proven relationships with collectors, artists, galleries, and scholars.
• Excellent organizational abilities with strong initiative-driven method of work production.
• Experience managing and overseeing complex budgets.
• Enthusiasm for the arts and ability to articulate their value to a diverse community.
•  
• 1. Work Environment: Primarily office environment, may be required to stand/walk for significant periods of the day.

1. Other requirements:

• Must be available to attend events and programs during evenings and weekends.
• Must drive for organizational purposes; therefore, must hold and retain a valid AZ license, appropriate proof of insurance, and have an acceptable driving record.

Please use the link below to apply:

https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/2969723/Scottsdale-Cultural-Council/Director-and-Chief-Curator-of-Scottsdale-Museum-of-Contemporary-Art