Sr. Exhibition Project Manager

CMA•Cleveland, OH

2d•$80,000

About The Position

The Exhibitions Department oversees a dynamic portfolio of approximately 30 exhibitions and permanent collection projects at any given time, each at different stages of development—from early planning and research to design, production, installation, and post-opening evaluation. Reporting to and working under the leadership of the Chief Exhibition, Design, and Publications Officer, this position plays a central role in planning for and implementing the museum’s multi-year exhibition program. Through leading collaborative, cross-departmental planning teams that bring together colleagues from across the institution, this role is key to ensuring exhibitions are delivered on schedule and within budget, while maintaining the highest level of standards and a focus on the visitor experience.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree (B.A.) in art history from four-year college or university minimum
Master’s degree (M.A.) in Business Administration, Art History, Museum Studies, or Arts Management preferred, with a minimum of five years of progressive experience in exhibition planning.
A combination of education, training, and/or experience will be considered.
Record of delivering complex exhibitions within institutional scope, schedule, and budget.
Candidate must be self-motivated and highly organized, detailed oriented, and able to work on multiple complex projects simultaneously.
Clear, confident, and collegial communicator with a demonstrated ability to successfully collaborate with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
Flexible mindset with the ability to reprioritize, anticipate and address challenges, and identity opportunities for process improvements.
Working knowledge of exhibition planning best practices in the areas of international partnerships, contracts, budgets, workflows and production schedules.

Nice To Haves

Experience with project management tools, such as Asana, a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead cross-institutional teams that include curatorial, collections management, conservation, digital initiatives, interpretation, facilities, and security, among others, by building consensus across diverse perspectives, and fostering a culture of collaboration, transparency, and mutual respect.
Work respectfully and collaboratively with colleagues in the Exhibitions Department, supporting one another in adhering to a cohesive and consistent exhibition planning process.
Throughout the planning process, ensures projects align with institutional priorities.
Alerts Chief Exhibition, Design, and Publications Officer of potential project reach outside of intended scope.
Communicate ideas, expectations, and project updates clearly and professionally, both verbally and in writing, maintaining the highest standards of clarity, diplomacy, and accountability.
Prepare/present project updates to executive team, as requested.
Schedule and lead planning meetings, draft agendas, distribute meeting notes, and follow-up on outstanding action items.
Within the established timeline, develop and oversee interdepartmental production schedules to ensure on-time completion.
Assist the Chief Exhibition, Design, and Publications Officer with developing budgets for assigned projects.
Conduct regular budget reforecasting for assigned projects to ensure projects stay on budget.
Track spending through projects’ lifecycle and reconcile budgets upon close.
Provide budgets updates for grant applications/reporting, as requested.
Maintain master exhibition planning documents for assigned projects and share updated information with key stakeholders in a timely manner.
Draft/review and negotiate exhibition agreements in a timely manner and in accordance with the museum’s standard legal expectations. This includes sharing drafts for internal review, collating feedback, and distributing final agreement for internal reference. Once agreements are signed, this role will ensure compliance.
Lead post-project evaluations assessing process, schedule adherence, budget performance, and final outcomes; offer lessons learned to strengthen future planning and execution.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Partner level membership to CMA
Free, unlimited admission to select Cleveland Museum of Art ticketed exhibitions (two adult member tickets per visit, subject to availability)
50% off admission to select ticketed exhibitions for members' guests
Free admission to select ticketed exhibitions for unlimited children, 17 and younger, when accompanied by a member
Priority registration and discounts for museum art classes for adults and children
20% discount in the museum store
10% discount in the museum restaurant and café
Annual subscription to Cleveland Art members magazine
Free Garage Parking
Your employment relationship with the museum qualifies you for free or discounted admissions to other cultural institutions such as the Natural History Museum, Botanical Gardens, The Cleveland Zoo, etc.
Medical
Dental
Vision
Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
Voluntary Life
Short Term Disability
Long Term Disability
HSA