Job Opening: Exhibitions & Commons Director, MIT School of Architecture and Planning

Job Title & Grade: Program/Project Administrator, Gr. 8

Position Title: Exhibitions & Commons Director, MIT School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P)

Effort:  100%

Term:  Three years, with probability of extension

Position Overview

The SA+P Exhibitions & Commons Director will helm an exciting set of spaces. Known as “the commons,” the newest of these have been carved out of the redesigned Metropolitan Storage Warehouse on the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Vital to the academic and research programs of the several departments, labs, and centers of MIT’s top-ranked School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P), the commons is envisioned both as an assembly of curated physical sites and a set of related programs with a primary focus on architecture, design, urbanism, art, and technology.  Collaborations between units, including the newly-launched, cross-Institute entity Morningside Academy of Design, will be a priority, as will participation by faculty and students. 

The Director will engage faculty, students, and school administrators to budget, fundraise, develop, and install lively architectural, urbanist, and artistic displays in the variety of spaces within this adapted facility to be experienced by a range of audiences, including the general public.

This is a new position.

Primary Responsibilities (Essential Functions)

  • In close collaboration with SA+P faculty, plan and mount a sequence of exhibits or installations in the commons, including approximately three exhibitions per year in the 1,000 sq. ft. main gallery and four to five smaller installations in distributed spaces;
  • Contribute to the faculty-led vision for exhibits and serve as the expert on implementing that vision; may curate as needed;
  • Help plan long-term budget goals to support expanded exhibitions; manage those budgets and expenditures;
  • Assist faculty and resource development staff by engaging in grant-writing and other fundraising activities;
  • Assemble and direct teams of vendors, students, and others as necessary to design, fabricate, and install exhibitions;
  • Solicit and manage exhibit proposals and selection processes;
  • Encourage collaboration between units of the School and participation by faculty and students;

Supervision Received

Reports to the School’s Director of Communications, with guidance from a SA+P Commons committee made up of faculty and staff.

Supervision Exercised

No direct reports. As leader of exhibition projects, will direct the work of others. 

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in related field required; Master’s or higher degree in related field preferred;
  • Demonstrated experience with artistic, media, architectural, and urban design discourses and display practices;
  • Experience building consensus among multiple stakeholders;
  • Ability to function effectively and build relationships in a highly diverse academic environment;
  • Strong organization skills and attention to detail;
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and manage budgets;
  • Creative problem solver;
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
  • Experience bridging university and community concerns a plus. 

MIT Careers Applictaion link: https://careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/client_mit/external/results/searchResult.html