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Director of Academic Programs

The Hammer Museum seeks a Director, Academic Programs, oversees all academic programs and initiatives for the Hammer Museum, and manages the Museum’s Artist Council.

The Director, Academic Programs supports the Museum’s mission to contribute to the intellectual life of the UCLA campus and the Los Angeles community at large. The Director, Academic Programs is charged with the research, development, and implementation of academic programs, including but not limited to fostering creative partnerships with UCLA faculty from various disciplines on academic projects and the development of University seminars and courses related to the Museum’s collections and exhibitions by using the Museum’s resources as a point of departure for scholarly and multi-disciplined investigation.

Additionally, the Director, Academic Programs is responsible for developing and maintaining the Museum’s academic programming, with the primary focus of giving UCLA students first-hand exposure to the larger world of creative human endeavors and the inner workings of the Museum. This includes, but is not limited to the development and oversight of the Museum’s internship program, the Student Educator program, and the Student Advisory Committee. The Director, Academic Programs works with multiple Museum departments to develop meaningful internship opportunities for UCLA students, which in turn provides valuable administrative support to Museum staff. The Museum’s Student Educators are UCLA students who serve as the Museum’s “docents,” leading tours of special exhibitions and the permanent collection for audiences of diverse backgrounds and ages. Hammer Student Educators are the bridge between our visitors and our artworks and are therefore key representatives of the Museum. The Director, Academic Programs is responsible for developing a Student Educator training program, and directs the Program Assistant in the execution of this initiative. Finally, the Director, Academic Programs oversees the Student Advisory Committee (SAC) at UCLA. This committee was organized to raise awareness of the museum’s programs and exhibitions in the UCLA community and foster a greater working relationship with the students on campus. Since 2004, the committee has adeptly served as a conduit of information between the UCLA student body and the Hammer Museum in promoting the calendar of events and programs. This collaborative effort has also nurtured a mutually beneficial relationship of exchange and participation between the museum and students through special Hammer Museum funded UCLA student-only events.

The Director, Academic Programs also oversees the Artist Council, the Museum’s advisory board of internationally recognized artists. The Artist Council is a model in the field and is a key component of the Museum’s initiative to integrate artists throughout the institution. The Director, Academic Programs oversees Council initiatives and activities, including but not limited to managing working groups and the relationship of the council to the Museum’s administrative and programming departments. Other responsibilities include budgetary oversight of the program, managing communication, developing agendas, and planning council meetings for the Council members and working subcommittees.

The Director, Academic Programs works in close conjunction with the Director, Public Programs, and supervises a Program Assistant, volunteers, and interns. Incumbent reports to the Chief Curator / Deputy Director, Exhibitions and Programs.

QUALIFICATIONS: Minimum 4–6 years experience in museum, non-profit, and/or university education and outreach programs in a management position. Demonstrated success in developing, implementing, and sustaining new initiatives and education and outreach activities targeting adult audiences; proven ability to interact effectively with the academic community, students, and university and/or public officials; proven relationships with leaders and key figures in local, national, and international arts communities; knowledge of art history and familiarity with arts education models and strategies; experience supervising staff, volunteers, and interns; exceptional interpersonal and oral/written communication skills; ability to juggle multiple priorities and conflicting deadlines in a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment; and availability to work some evenings and weekends.

Please send resume and cover letter, including "Director, Academic Programs" in subject line to: hr@hammer.ucla.edu

Curator of Public Engagement

The Hammer Museum seeks a Curator of Public Engagement to oversee and conceptualize all aspects of a new initiative for the Museum focused on enhancing our visitors’ experiences, through creative approaches to infrastructure, education, and programming, in tandem with a Public Engagement Artist-in-Residence.

The Curator of Public Engagement will lead an innovative new department at the Museum that supports the Museum’s mission to think critically and imaginatively about how all aspects of the institution operate and to bring in artists, whenever possible, to partner with us on our endeavors. The Curator of Public Engagement is charged with implementing and managing a new program that seeks to broaden the interpretation and scope of a “visitors services” department within the Museum to include admissions and reception, orientation and wayfinding, as well as programs and events around the Museum that will actively engage the public in relationship to many facets of the Museum—including the exhibition program, educational initiatives, duties and roles of staff members, and the physical site—in an effort to add transparency to the Museum’s practices and to stimulate curiosity and personal connection in our visitors.

The Curator of Public Engagement will be a conduit between the Artist-in-Residence—who will propose programming and various temporary and longer-term solutions to greeting, orientation, and interpretation at the Museum—and other members of the Museum staff who will need to be informed and involved with Public Engagement activities, including the Director, Chief Curator, Director of Public Programs, Chief Preparator, Director of Operations, Director of Security, Bookstore staff, and others. The Curator of Public Engagement will vet ideas, evaluate feasibility, negotiate, manage, and implement all aspects of the Public Engagement infrastructure and programming. The position will be responsible for addressing educational agendas and activities with other relevant staff members in relationship to the exhibitions and programs. As a visitors’ services position, The Curator of Public Engagement will also attend to problems with the public that may arise and will troubleshoot with all staff to resolve any conflicts and assure that visitors’ experiences are positive.

The Curator of Public Engagement must have experience and familiarity working with artists and directing an agenda that is both creative and administrative. The position is vital for the Museum and will bring a distinctive perspective, modeled in part on social practice, which brings with it an appreciation of the complex dynamics of artistic process, including collaboration with teams of people, social and spatial research, and sustained programming. The Curator of Public Engagement must be comfortable consulting and collaborating with artists within the framework of visitors experience, and diplomatic in collaborating with staff and existing systems in the Museum to introduce new and challenging social processes.

The Curator of Public Engagement will participate in discussions with the Director, Chief Curator, and curatorial team to identify and recruit an appropriate artist to serve as the Public Engagement Artist-in-Residence each year. Other responsibilities include budgetary oversight of the program; successfully managing communication of the program to the appropriate staff members; developing internal visitors services standards; overseeing visitor surveys and gathering demographic data; making recommendations to other staff in all areas affecting visitor experience (security, facilities/custodial, café, parking, signage, etc); ensuring friendly greeting of visitors and a comfortable reception area.

The Curator of Public Engagement will supervise a Public Engagement Coordinator and a number of work study students who will man the admissions desk, as well as the Public Engagement Artist-in-Residence. The Curator of Public Engagement will operate within the curatorial structure and will work in conjunction with a cross-departmental team representing the Museum’s curatorial and programmatic divisions as well as its administrative, communications, front line (security and bookstore), and advancement functions, and including both junior and senior staff. The Curator of Public Engagement is a member of the curatorial department and reports to the Chief Curator and Deputy Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs.

QUALIFICATIONS: Minimum 3-5 years experience in museum, non-profit, and/or university education and outreach programs in a management position. Demonstrated success in developing, implementing, and sustaining new initiatives and working with artists and the public. Knowledge of contemporary art and art history and familiarity with managing time-based performance/events. Experience supervising staff, volunteers, and interns; exceptional interpersonal and oral/written communication skills; ability to juggle multiple priorities and conflicting deadlines in a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment; and availability to work some evenings and weekends (the position will be on a Tuesday through Saturday schedule).

Please send resume and cover letter, including "Curator of Public Engagement" in subject line to: hr@hammer.ucla.edu