Exhibition Manager and Lead Preparator

The Exhibition Manager and Lead Preparator at the University Museums oversees the planning, coordination, and implementation of all exhibitions and permanent collection installations at the Harnett Museum of Art and the Lora Robins Gallery. This critical member of the Museums collaborative team reports to the Deputy Director and Curator of Exhibitions and is responsible for managing the Museum's exhibition program, developing production timelines, budgets, and installation plans, and ensuring exhibitions open on time and at the highest standards.

Responsibilities
Exhibition Planning and Management – 40%

Oversees exhibition planning and management for all museum exhibitions and permanent collection installations in coordination with museum leadership

Creates and develops exhibition and installation timelines using specialized project management software, including AirTable

Ensures benchmarks are met according to schedule

Presents timelines to the entire museum staff and assigns tasks as appropriate

Creates exhibition layouts professionally using CAD software, including SketchUp, with assistance from the Assistant Preparator and in consultation with curators

Ensures exhibitions and objects are installed according to the highest museum standards and best practices, and in accordance with programmatic, conservation, aesthetic, and ADA requirements

With the Deputy Director and Director of Operations, prepares and administers exhibition budgets and estimates, and ensures expenditures are within agreed upon budgetary limits

Researches, recommends, and hires specialized contractors and equipment as needed for complex exhibition projects and as approved by museum leadership

Oversees and coordinates routine gallery inspections, touch‑ups, and cleaning

Exhibition Preparation and Installation – 35%

Manages and executes all aspects of exhibition installation, deinstallation, and construction

Prepares exhibition spaces in advance of exhibitions, schedules any necessary contractors or campus partners, coordinates gallery painting, and facilitates building all temporary walls and installation components

With museum curators, determines display casework and presentation furniture as needed; produces construction plans and shop drawings; coordinates and builds all exhibition casework and display furniture with the Exhibition Preparator

Oversees the inventory and movement of cases, museum furniture, and other exhibition‑related objects

In consultation with curators, identifies framing and other artwork preparation needs for each exhibition

Assigns and supervises artwork preparation, including artwork framing, by the Assistant Preparator

Supervises the design, production, and installation of all exhibition didactics, text panels, title displays, object labels, and other graphic displays by the Assistant Preparator

Well‑versed in the technical demands of time‑based media; determines and coordinates all audiovisual requirements for exhibitions, assists with audiovisual equipment installation, set‑up, and regular maintenance, and supervises any specialized contractors

With the Curator of Collections, coordinates delivery and handling activities for loaned artworks

In consultation with museum curators, sets and maintains gallery lighting at accepted light levels

With Director of Operations, manages vendors, temporary contractors, and purchases; identifies skilled vendors and temporary contractors as needed; requests estimates, places orders, tracks, coordinates, and manages deliveries

Facilities Management – 10%

Oversees facilities maintenance and upkeep, organization of collections and storage spaces, and museum workshops in coordination with the Director of Operations, including scheduling and facilitating work with University Facilities and outside contractors

Ensures that storage areas are maintained at professional levels of environmental and security control

Monitors and maintains museum facilities, including overseeing the organization of collection storage spaces and maintaining the appearance of exhibition spaces

Manages the museum workshop and establishes workshop standards to ensure overall safety of museum facilities

Maintains tools and equipment and coordinates replacements with the Director of Operations

Tracks inventories of tools, materials, and supplies

Supervises the cleaning and organization of the shop facility

Assists with museum facilities environmental monitoring

Collections Care & Management – 10%

Ensures that collections storage areas are maintained at professional levels of environmental and security control and that all collections objects are safely moved, stored, and maintained

Maintains and updates the location of collections objects, packing materials, and supply storage with the TMS Administrator

Oversees and facilitates safe packing and transportation of collections objects

Supervises the matting and framing of collections objects and prepares them for storage and display by the Exhibition Preparator

In consultation with Museum leadership, curators, and the TMS Administrator, makes conservation recommendations

With the Curator of Collections, coordinates shipping and receiving, packing, and unpacking of all collection objects to ensure proper handling and security procedures are followed

Supervision – 5%

Supervises the Exhibition Preparator

Trains student interns and temporary exhibition workers

Ensures all workers understand and implement best museum practices and safety protocol at all times in all museum spaces and workshops across campus

Qualifications

Specialized knowledge of exhibition planning and project management, including project management software such as AirTable

Highly skilled in exhibition design and recent exhibition technologies

Ability to translate curatorial ideas into 3‑D models and CAD drawings

Broad knowledge of best museum practices for art handling, installation, collections management, object care, fabrication, and shipping

Fluent in time‑based media installation

Highly skilled in object handling, carpentry, matting and framing, fabrication of exhibition furniture, platforms and displays, hanging and mounting systems, gallery lighting, moving objects, patching, painting, and proper ladder use and safety

Skilled and clear communicator who can work with a diverse range of colleagues and stakeholders, including museum leadership, university faculty and staff, visiting artists, and students

Ability to carefully assign tasks to ensure exhibition planning and installation is completed on time and on budget

Ability to make independent decisions and apply creative methods to solve complex installation problems with attention to detail

Ability to work in a diverse environment and with a diverse range of colleagues, stakeholders, and visitors is required

Ability to work on multiple projects and tasks simultaneously to meet deadlines

Ability to prioritize multiple projects and competing demands, balance tasks, and see projects to completion

Continuously learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in exhibition planning and design

Working knowledge of SketchUp, AirTable, the Gallery System (TMS) Collections Management Software, Adobe Creative Suite, and Microsoft Office Suite

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of art preparator and exhibition planning & design experience with increasing responsibility

Knowledge of museum best practices, and appreciation for the stewardship, safety, care, and preservation of fine art

Requires a successful driving check

Salary Structure
Grade 6: $50,461 to $66,851

Scheduled Hours
Monday‑Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm; some nights and weekends

Full‑time, with benefits, exempt

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