Director, Exhibitions and Planning

ABOUT THE LUCAS MUSEUM OF NARRATIVE ARTThe Lucas Museum of Narrative Art believes in the power of illustrated stories to connect us. With a growing collection that encompasses artworks from across cultures, places, times, and mediums, including paintings, sculptures, murals, photography, comic art, book and magazine illustrations, and the arts of filmmaking, the museum will explore narrative art’s potential to prompt questions, invite opinions, inspire community, and move people to think about the impact of images on our world. Co-founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the Lucas Museum was designed by renowned architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects with Stantec as executive architect and is under construction in Los Angeles’s Exposition Park. An 11-acre campus with extensive new green space designed by Studio-MLA will embrace the museum’s 300,000-square-foot building, which will feature expansive galleries, two state-of-the-art theaters, and dedicated spaces for learning and engagement, dining, retail, and events.
POSITION SUMMARY Reporting to the Deputy Director, Curatorial and Collections, the Director of Exhibitions and Planning is a key member of the leadership team at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, serving a critical role in leading teams responsible for exhibition management and planning. This position oversees the Exhibitions and Planning division of the museum, including exhibition coordination, exhibition design, production, and in-gallery media, which includes supervision of schedules, budgeting, and coordination of all exhibitions and rotating permanent collection installations, as well as any special and touring exhibitions. The Director of Exhibitions and Planning will be strategic and results-driven with strong leadership skills and a proven track record of success in roles of progressively greater responsibility. The person in this role will have a strong background in coordinating exhibitions and overseeing gallery design. In collaboration with the Deputy Director and other Museum departments, the Director of Exhibitions and Planning will provide clear, actionable thought leadership around the Museum’s exhibitions and oversee the successful implementation of its disparate components. As a key strategic partner to the leadership team, the Director of Exhibitions and Planning will exercise excellent judgment, an analytical mindset, great capacity for adaptability in an environment of change, and sound decision-making capabilities. The position will oversee practical management of the museum’s  exhibitions and artwork rotations and will work collaboratively with internal parties on the institution’s programmatic strategy.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides vision, strategy, and thoughtful leadership for all aspects of exhibition planning as it relates to the Museum’s mission
• Supports and works collaboratively with internal departments to ensure that the work of Exhibition Planning is in service to and aligns with Founder directives in partnership with Curatorial, Museum Services, Collections Management, Registration, Art Prep and Installation, Design, Publications, External Affairs, Security, and Operations
• Implements a transparent and disciplined approach to budgeting for exhibition planning by developing detailed operational budgets, ensuring and communicating the business case and cost-benefit analysis for all projects
• Responsible for planning and implementation of all exhibition coordination, both on-site and touring, which includes overseeing a multi-year exhibition schedule
• Oversees exhibition managers for the implementation of Museum exhibitions and potential traveling programs
• Oversees exhibition master schedule and ensures responsible partners adhere to deadlines
• Ensures project management accountabilities for all aspects of exhibition coordination including development of timeframe and budgets for in-gallery presentations
• Coordinates installations with internal and external parties as applicable, which may include permanent collection reinstallation or scheduling of gallery upkeep
• Coordinates with Museum Services regarding loan forms, feasibility and insurance accountability, and photography of collections and loaned works
• Manages external exhibition design and fabrication vendors, representing institutional priorities and timelines
• Oversees Exhibition Design and production, working with internal staff and external parties (such as contracted designers) to support Curatorial in translating concepts to in-gallery exhibitions
• Ensures that all aspects of Exhibition Design and production support the overall curatorial intent of the exhibitions, working collaboratively across the Museum to achieve ambitious intentions for Museum exhibitions
• Works closely