Director of Galleries

The Director of Galleries leads the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s gallery exhibition program plays a key role in shaping the visual arts experience in the Cultural District. Reporting to the Chief Programming and Engagement Officer, this position develops and advances a compelling curatorial vision for the Trust’s gallery spaces, oversees exhibitions and related public programming, and builds meaningful relationships with artists, curators, cultural partners, and audiences.
The Director provides strategic and day-to-day leadership for the Visual Arts team, (including supervision of four full-time employees and part-time gallery attendants and art handlers, as well as contractors and volunteers); management of budgets and gallery operations; and coordination of exhibition planning, loans, collections guidelines, and related administrative needs. Serving as both a community arts leader and a collaborative internal partner, the Director helps to ensure that the Trust’s galleries are vibrant, accessible, well-managed spaces that reflect artistic diversity and excellence, community engagement, and the Trust’s mission.  

 

Knowledge, Skills & Experience Required:  

Education : MA in Art History, Curatorial Studies, Museum Studies/Management or equivalent experience required.  
Work Experience : Minimum 6-8 years’ experience in relevant field required.  
Supervisory Experience : Minimum 3-5 years' management experience required. 
Technical Skills : Strong working knowledge of installation and exhibition best practices. Familiarity with Microsoft Office suite.  
Intangibles : Excellent strategic leader who works well with internal and external stakeholders. Demonstrated understanding of local and national/international visual arts community. Strong oral and written communication skills. Diplomatic and able to manage expectations. 

 

Essential Functions : 

Artistic Leadership :

• In collaboration with the Chief Programming and Engagement Officer, develops and maintains a dynamic vision for the Visual Arts program at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, including the creation and implementation of a multi-year strategy for Trust gallery exhibitions and related visual arts programming.
• Oversees the overall gallery exhibition program, including Trust-curated exhibitions, guest curators, commissions, partner projects, touring exhibitions, and community-based opportunities.

Exhibitions and Programming :

• Curates 2-3 exhibitions per year and leads the selection of guest curators, commissions, partners, touring exhibits and artists, as applicable, for remaining exhibitions. 
• Oversees and leads, as needed, public programs, receptions, talks, tours, and engagement opportunities connected to exhibitions.
• Oversees Gallery Crawl as a signature Visual Arts program, including artist/partner coordination, internal planning, and post-event evaluation.
• From time to time and as needed, contributes own writing about exhibitions and provides a voice to press and publications. 
• Collaborates with the Programming, Education and Community Engagement Departments to identify and implement collaborations around programmatic, educational, and engagement opportunities.  

External Affairs and Engagement :

• Collaborates with the Communications and Marketing Departments on the creation of marketing, press, and audience development strategies for Visual Arts. 
• Develops and maintains relationships with an established network of colleagues worldwide and locally.
• Supports donor, sponsor, board, and patron engagement through exhibition and artist events, cultivation opportunities, and special tours.
• Negotiates and manages relationships with artists, visiting curators, vendors, service providers, and arts organizations.   

Public Art:

• Oversees maintenance of public art installed throughout the Cultural District. 
• Partners with other Trust staff and contractors in planning public art installations and de-installations.
• The Trust is developing a longer term strategy for public art works in the Cultural District. While the Director’s focus is on the galleries, the Trust anticipates that the Director will be involved with public art planning and strategy.

Administration, Budget & Staff Management :

• Creates and maintains program-specific budgets and supervises expenses, consistent with artistic needs and budget guidelines. 

• Directs the hiring, training, and supervision of Visual Arts staff and contractors, including exhibition managers, art handlers, and gallery attendants.

• Develops and maintains a collections plan and related guidelines.
• Oversees exhibition-related agreements and artwork loans and manages oversight of insurance documentation, condition reports, shipping, installation schedules, deinstallation, and related records.
• Participates in facilities management and capital project oversight for gallery spaces. 
• Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias. 
• Performs other responsibilities as assigned. 

 

Organizational Values & Other Duties :

Supervisory responsibility : The Director oversees a mix of full-time and part-time employees, setting direction and policy. 
Decision-making responsibility : This position makes decisions for the visual arts offerings throughout the Cultural District. 
Budgetary responsibility : The Director exercises oversight and day-to-day responsibility for the Visual Arts budget.  
Strategic responsibility : In conjunction with the Chief Programming and Engagement Officer, the Director has strategic discretion for curation of gallery spaces as aligned with the Trust’s mission. 
Reporting requirements :  The Director reports to the Chief Programming and Engagement Officer. For large artistic initiatives, they may also report as needed to the President and CEO.   
Travel requirements : Occasional travel is required for this position. Ability to obtain and maintain passport for international travel is required. 
Physical demands : This position involves office work – occasional lifting up to 20-30 lbs. may be required.  The individual should be able to sit and/or view a computer screen for long periods.   
 
Salary Range: starting at $80,000 

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is an equal opportunity employer.  All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.    
Employees are expected to be able to perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this position, with or without job modification/reasonable accommodation. If an employee believes a job modification/reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact Human Resources so that a review can be conducted. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust strives to comply with the accommodation provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and other related federal, state, and local laws.