Director of Exhibitions

Art Institute of Chicago•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Director of Exhibitions leads the strategy, administration, oversight, and execution of the Art Institute of Chicago’s exhibition program. Reporting to the Vice President, Campus Operations and collaborating with stakeholders across the museum, the Director guides short- and long-term strategic initiatives and establishes exhibition-related protocols, workflows, and procedures. The role oversees a varied program of temporary exhibitions, from collection-based presentations to major loan exhibitions, including exhibitions presented at the museum and those touring to other institutions. The Director oversees exhibition scheduling, budgets, project management systems, external partnerships, and the work of exhibition project managers. The position also coordinates with museum resource teams on staffing and gallery-project logistics, represents the museum in professional networks, and fosters an inclusive, collaborative environment aligned with the museum’s commitment to equity.

Requirements

At least 7 years of progressive experience in museum exhibition management, including direct experience organizing complex loan exhibitions.
Understanding of museum standards, exhibition administration, and industry best practices.
Proficiency with modern project management practices and tools.
Strong communication, decision-making, writing, and organizational skills.
Ability to work independently, proactively, and collaboratively.
Diplomacy, discretion, and ability to lead cross-functional teams toward shared goals.
Experience supervising, mentoring, and developing team members.
Commitment to advancing the museum’s work in diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion.
Ability to work onsite across museum spaces to oversee exhibition installations, gallery projects, and events, with flexibility for virtual meetings as appropriate.
Ability to conduct walkthroughs and lead meetings across gallery spaces, exhibition areas, and offices.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a dynamic exhibition program that balances popular, scholarly, and mission-driven projects.
Oversee long-term exhibition scheduling and advise leadership from initial concept through the full project lifecycle.
Establish consistent, modern project management practices; identify project challenges and develop collaborative solutions.
Serve as a primary liaison with external partners for co-organizing and venue agreements, negotiating terms, timelines, and contracts.
Represent the museum in professional networks and the global exhibition community, bringing industry innovations and best practices to the institution.
Oversee the exhibitions program budget, ensure fiscal responsibility, and work with stakeholder departments to re-forecast projections as needs evolve.
Collaborate with museum resource teams to plan staffing allocations for in-gallery projects, including installation, buildout, maintenance, and deinstallation logistics.
Oversee project management tools and systems used to track schedules, deliverables, and major milestones.
Supervise, mentor, and support exhibition project managers across all project phases.
Foster an inclusive, collaborative work environment aligned with the museum’s commitment to social, cultural, and workplace equity.