Museum Director

Who We Are

In 1965, the University of California, Irvine was founded with a mission to catalyze the community and enhance lives through rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and dedicated public service. UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Three UCI faculty members, one postdoctoral scholar and one alumnus have received a Nobel Prize. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 37,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. The university is designated as a Hispanic-serving institution and as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution and ranks as a top choice for first-generation, in-state students among all UC campuses. It is located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is one of Orange County’s largest employers, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide.

Your Role on the Team

University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) is building a new, 21st century museum and research institute that expresses the value of art and culture at a leading public university committed to community and inclusive excellence. The Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art (Langson IMCA) is a place where creative thinkers and makers come together through interdisciplinary, cross-cultural dialogue to innovate and address critical questions through the lens of California Art. The intentional blending of creativity, research, learning, well-being, and community is the hallmark of IMCA.

The Director of the Langson IMCA reports to the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor of UC Irvine. Working in partnership with staff, faculty, supporters, and other key stakeholders, the Director is responsible for strategic leadership and developing vision for the Museum in its mission as an academic and public-facing institution, and for overseeing its daily operations. The Director serves as the lead ambassador for the museum locally, nationally, and globally.

The Museum Director Must Be An Inspiring Yet Pragmatic Leader, Fundraiser, And Manager Who Can Generate Ideas As Well As Empower And Support Others To Implement Them. The Director Will Have The Following Priorities

• Along with campus leadership, museum and institute staff, faculty and volunteers, develop a programmatic vision for IMCA that reflects a commitment to excellence, accessibility to a wide range of audiences, dedication to programming that will foster love for art and the museum, and advance research in California art;
• Participate in the design and construction of the Langson IMCA building. The plan calls for a 40,000-square-foot structure on the UC Irvine campus. Work with campus and IMCA leaders to plan for and execute the opening of the museum with the broadest possible audience participation and coverage;
• Forge strong and sustainable working relationships with UC Irvine’s Chancellor, Provost, and Deans; get to know and gain the trust of department heads, faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders to ensure broad support for the museum and position Langson IMCA to be an integral participant in campus and community life;
• Embrace the role of primary spokesperson and chief fundraiser for the museum, proactively addressing development needs including the building of a substantial endowment fund and cultivating existing as well as new patrons while ensuring that sound fundraising strategies are in place; garner media attention in national markets for institutional accomplishments; Understand and shape the financial dynamics of IMCA; ensure, by effective leadership and management, that the day-to-day operations are efficiently administered in a fiscally responsible manner;
• Embrace new technology and digital media in order to meet audiences when and where they want to learn;
• Identify avenues for introducing the museum’s collections to the broadest audience possible; be an active participant and leader in the cultural arena and position Langson IMCA as a convener and catalyst; identify opportunities to collaborate across a wide spectrum of regional, national, and international cultural institutions;
• Oversight in the creation and development of an Institute to advance new scholarship in California art;
• Hire, manage, motivate, and evaluate staff and maintain a collegial and supportive staff structure; encourage staff’s desire for professional development and rigorous standards; take a leadership role in diversification of the professional pipeline and audience in alignment with UC Irvine’s notably diverse student population and regional community;
• Develop short- and long-range plans for Langson IMCA, and continually ensure that policies are congruent with the highest institutional goals, university and industry best practices, and are regularly evaluated.
  
  

Total Compensation

What It Takes to be Successful

In addition to the salary range listed below, we offer a wealth of benefits to make working at UCI even more rewarding. These benefits may include medical insurance, sick and vacation time, retirement savings plans, and access to a number of discounts and perks. Please utilize the links listed here to learn more about our compensation practices and benefits.

The expected pay range for this recruitment is $275,000- $350,000 (Annual).

Required

The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to lead, collaborate, and inspire. The candidate should be a dynamic and effective communicator who can be the principal advocate for Langson IMCA and its initiatives. Through education, professional development, and experiences relevant to the museum field and arts and cultural leadership, candidates should demonstrate an understanding of the role of museums in the 21st century. The candidate will have a record of success cultivating relationships among diverse constituencies as well as engagement in an academic setting. Candidates are expected to have knowledge and experience across museum functions. Strong interpersonal skills and collaborative leadership competencies are critical.

An enthusiasm for working within the context of a public research university and the capacity to engage intellectually with a wide range of disciplines are essential. The candidate is expected to lead, encourage and tap the leadership of others within the museum, and collaborate with other partners and leaders on campus. The candidate should have a demonstrated commitment to inclusive excellence, ethical collections stewardship, and sustainability in all aspects of museum operation, including but not limited to collections and exhibitions, interpretation, staffing, and audience engagement and participation. The ideal candidate will bring deep knowledge of the art world and its key players, as well as an ability to translate this into meaningful collaborations and exhibitions for the institution that speak to the internal campus, external audiences, and the national stage.

The most attractive candidates will be able to demonstrate a history of the following skills and competencies:

• Strategic Vision: The ideal candidate will have a record of innovative thinking and successful implementation. They will have the discernment and judgment to lead Langson IMCA toward a new building as well as a coherent and compelling vision that will strengthen museum, University, and community relationships. They will demonstrate knowledge of the key issues facing museums broadly and those that are specific to campus-based museums. They will facilitate re-framing and expanding museum narratives, partnering with various stakeholders in the stewardship and interpretation of collections.
• Communicating, Influencing, and Building Relationships: The candidate will demonstrate the capacity to build collaborative partnerships across campus and in the community. The candidate must be able to engage a wide network of contributors and supporters, including donors, university faculty and students, artists, collectors, business and civic leaders, and the many and diverse publics surrounding the university. The ideal candidate will be optimistic, creative, and enthusiastic about the potential for the Langson IMCA, and a strong ambassador for its mission and vision.
• Resource Development: The best candidates will demonstrate the ability to build the resource base for the museum, engaging in fundraising and friend-raising, through stewardship and cultivation of supporters, prospective and current donors, foundations, and other granting agencies. They will possess the ability to negotiate graciously yet remain clear, decisive, proactive, and fair.
• Management of Teams and Resources: With humility, trust, and transparency, the candidate will cultivate a vibrant workplace. Fostering a culture of collaboration, mutuality, and respect, the candidate will have the capacity to translate overarching goals into clear objectives for staff. They will have experience improving organizational structure and internal communication as well as defining processes to promote efficiency, flexibility, and accountability, employing transparent strategies for decision-making, planning, and evaluation. They will have experience with strategic, responsible, and sustainable budget management. The ideal candidate will possess financial acumen commensurate with running a facility the size and stature of Langson IMCA, including the ability to interpret and articulate financial statements and financial performance.
• Commitment to Inclusive Excellence: The candidate will seek to build an organization that represents and reflects the diversity of the region. They will have experience creating spaces and platforms for multiple voices and narratives, especially the historically excluded and under-represented. The candidate will foster connections with other cultural institutions and seek opportunities for partnerships with a wide range of communities.
  
  

Conditions Of Employment

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) seeks to provide a safe and healthy environment for the entire UCI community. As part of this commitment, all applicants who accept an offer of employment must comply with the following conditions of employment:

• Background Check and Live Scan
• Employment Misconduct*
• Legal Right to work in the United States
• Vaccination Policies
• Smoking and Tobacco Policy
• Drug Free Environment
• Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.
  
  

The following additional conditions may apply, some of which are dependent upon business unit or job specific requirements.

• California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act
• E-Verify
• Pre-Placement Health Evaluation
  
  

Details of each policy may be reviewed by visiting the following page - https://hr.uci.edu/new-hire/conditions-of-employment.php

Closing Statement

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status.

For the University of California’s Affirmative Action Policy please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4010393/PPSM-20.

For the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination.

We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce along with honoring unique experiences, perspectives, and identities. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

UCI provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request. For more information, please contact Human Resources at (949) 824-0500 or eec@uci.edu.

• Russell Reynolds Associates has been exclusively retained for this search. Questions should be directed to LangsonIMCADirector@russellreynolds.com*
  
  

Consideration for Work Authorization Sponsorship

Must be able to provide proof of work authorization