Chief Curator & Experience Officer

Chief Curator & Experience Officer

The Jewish Museum of Florida (JMOF) seeks an accomplished and visionary Chief Curator & Experience Officer to lead the development and execution of the museum’s curatorial strategy, exhibitions, collections stewardship, scholarly initiatives, and public interpretation of Jewish art, history, and culture.

This is a rare opportunity for an entrepreneurial, mission-driven leader to help shape the next chapter of the Jewish Museum of Florida—an institution uniquely positioned at the intersection of Jewish culture, history, art, and one of the most dynamic and diverse communities in the country. At a pivotal moment of growth and renewed visibility, the Museum offers the successful candidate the chance to make a lasting impact by expanding audiences, deepening cultural relevance, and elevating the Museum’s role as a leading center for Jewish storytelling, scholarship, and public engagement.

This role places a creative, intellectually rigorous, and future-focused museum leader on the leadership team of an ambitious organization at a pivotal moment of transformation and renewal. As JMOF re-establishes itself as an independent nonprofit institution, the museum is redefining how cultural organizations can serve as catalysts for civic engagement, education, dialogue, and social impact.

Museums have traditionally preserved the stories of the past through objects, archives, and scholarship. Today, cultural institutions are also being called upon to help communities navigate complex contemporary challenges and imagine more inclusive futures. JMOF is embracing this expanded role, positioning the museum as a trusted civic and cultural platform that inspires understanding, action, and hope through the lens of the Jewish experience in Florida and beyond.

The Chief Curator & Experience Officer will play a central leadership role in shaping this next chapter. Reporting directly to the CEO, the successful candidate will provide strategic and operational leadership across exhibitions, collections, publications, partnerships, and curatorial programming. The ideal candidate will combine scholarly expertise with entrepreneurial thinking, collaborative leadership, and a deep commitment to community engagement and institutional innovation.

About the Jewish Museum of Florida

The Jewish Museum of Florida opened in Miami Beach in 1995, evolving from “Mosaic,” a traveling exhibition documenting Jewish history throughout Florida. The museum is housed within the historic former Beth Jacob Synagogue campus, including the first synagogue on Miami Beach — located in a neighborhood once shaped by discriminatory housing restrictions against Jewish and Black residents. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2012, the museum was gifted to Florida International University. Beginning August 1, 2026, the museum, its collections, historic campus, and remaining endowment assets will transition back to the original nonprofit entity, Jewish Museum of Florida, Inc., marking the beginning of a new era of independent leadership and institutional growth.

The next generation of JMOF will build upon its nationally accredited legacy while embracing innovation, digital accessibility, civic dialogue, and statewide community engagement. The museum seeks to expand public participation, deepen educational impact, and foster greater cross‑cultural understanding through exhibitions, scholarship, and storytelling rooted in the Florida Jewish experience.

Mission

The Jewish Museum of Florida collects, preserves, and interprets the material evidence of the Florida Jewish experience from 1763 to the present. Through exhibitions, education, scholarship, and public engagement, JMOF explores how Jewish communities have contributed to the evolving cultural mosaic of Florida while balancing heritage, tradition, and contemporary identity.

The museum uses the experiences of Jewish Floridians as a lens to promote cross‑cultural understanding, civic dialogue, and public education about American and global Jewish history.

Key Responsibilities

• Curatorial & Experience Leadership : Lead the research, development, and implementation of exhibitions that advance the museum’s mission and interpret Jewish history, identity, culture, and contemporary experience in compelling and accessible ways.
• Collections Stewardship : Oversee the acquisition, preservation, interpretation, and documentation of Judaic art, historical artifacts, archives, and material culture in accordance with professional museum standards and ethical practices.
• Strategic Planning & Institutional Vision : Develop long‑range exhibition and curatorial strategies aligned with the museum’s evolving mission, audience engagement goals, and commitment to diversity, dialogue, and cross‑cultural understanding.
• Community Engagement & Partnerships : Cultivate relationships with artists, collectors, scholars, cultural organizations, community groups, and peer institutions to expand the museum’s reach, relevance, and collaborative opportunities.
• Fundraising & External Relations : Serve as a visible ambassador for the museum with donors, stakeholders, and the broader public. Partner with leadership on fundraising initiatives, grant development, cultivation strategies, and institutional advancement efforts.
• Team & Operational Management : Manage and mentor curatorial staff and consultants while overseeing exhibition budgets, project timelines, publications, archival systems, and related operational functions.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Art History, Jewish Studies, Museum Studies, History, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible museum experience, including demonstrated leadership in curatorial practice, exhibition development, and institutional collaboration.

Expertise

• Strong knowledge of Jewish art, history, culture, and diaspora experiences, with the ability to connect historical scholarship to contemporary issues and public audiences.

Skills

• Exceptional research, writing, communication, and public speaking abilities. Strong organizational leadership, project management, budgeting, and team development skills are essential.

Areas of Strategic Focus

• Cultural Heritage & Ethics : Demonstrated understanding of provenance research, cultural property ethics, restitution issues, and responsible stewardship of historical collections.
• Identity & Interpretation : Ability to thoughtfully interpret Jewish history and identity within broader conversations around migration, discrimination, diversity, and civic life.
• Innovation & Accessibility : Interest in leveraging digital tools, technology, and interdisciplinary storytelling to expand access, participation, and audience engagement.
• Collaboration & Partnerships : Experience building partnerships with museums, universities, artists, educators, and community organizations to broaden institutional impact and visibility.