Curatorial Assistant, Center for African American Art

JOB TITLE: Curatorial Assistant  

DEPARTMENT: Curatorial  

REPORTS TO: Curator and Department Head, Center for African American Art 

CLASSIFICATION: Full-Time, Non-Exempt, Temporary, 1 year contract 

REMOTE WORK ELIGIBILITY: Museum-based 

GENERAL SUMMARY 

Under the supervision of the Curator and Department Head, Center for African American Art, the Curatorial Assistant provides support for the curatorial operations related to the African American art collection and projects and programs on African American art developed by the Center. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

• Support Curator and Department Head with incoming and outgoing communication, including responding to departmental and collection inquiries.
• Create, maintain, and organize object records, including hardcopy and digital files.
• Gather source material to assist Curator and Department Head on development and production of written materials.
• Assist with planning and organization of projects and programs related to the installation and interpretation of the permanent collection including scheduling meetings, preparing agendas and presentations with Curator and Department Head. 
• Schedule and assist with coordination of visiting guests of the department, including parking, arrival logistics, and hospitality.
• Support Curator and Department Head with loan paperwork as needed.
• Contact scholars, collectors, and museums for information as necessary.
• Conduct and compile some assigned research on the African American Art collection area as directed by Curator, Department Head.   
• Collaborate with Administrative Assistant, Curatorial to assist with travel arrangements and complete expense reports for Curator and Department Head.   
• Apply DIA values to interactions to support a culture of belonging among internal and external stakeholders.
• Perform other duties as assigned.  

QUALIFICATIONS 

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE  

Bachelor’s degree in art history or related field required. Master’s degree in a related field preferred. Specialization in African American Art preferred. Three (3) years of museum, university, or art gallery experience is required.  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES  

• Demonstrated skills to prioritize and complete multiple tasks to meet deadlines and goals.
• Demonstrated ability to work with attention to detail and produce accurate results.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills required.
• Demonstrated ability to share complex information, ideas, and instructions clearly, effectively, and professionally to diverse audiences through talking or writing.
• Demonstrated collaboration skills to work across departments and divisions internally and with diverse stakeholders externally.  
• Experience with collections database software, The Museum System (TMS) preferred.
• Ability to work occasional weekend and evening hours for special events.
• Must be proficient in the latest version of Office 365.
• Must have proficiency in the use of remote work technology such as scheduling with, connecting to, and using digital collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams.
• Must be able to establish and maintain professional, productive, and courteous interactions that promote positive teamwork. This encompasses going beyond giving and receiving instructions and includes but is not limited to (a) performing work activities requiring interacting or speaking with others; and (b) responding appropriately to constructive feedback or suggestions for improvement from a supervisor.