Director of Curatorial Affairs

Home | Director of Curatorial Affairs – Yale Center for British Art

Director of Curatorial Affairs – Yale Center for British Art

ZRG Aspen Leadership Group is proud to partner with the Yale Center for British Art in the search for a Director of Curatorial Affairs (DCA).

Reporting to the Paul Mellon Director and a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Director of Curatorial Affairs is an experienced institutional leader who provides strategic direction, coherence, and oversight for the curatorial, interpretation, conservation, and publications functions of the Yale Center for British Art. The DCA ensures that the museum’s artistic program advances the YCBA’s mission, strengthens its public and scholarly impact, and aligns with the institution’s strategic plan.

The DCA is a strategic and creative partner to the Director, helping to shape the museum’s artistic vision, oversee a sustainable and ambitious long-range exhibition calendar, and drive the curatorial and publications program. The DCA brings both creative sensibility and the practical, logistical, and financial acumen to develop and manage complex projects, partnerships, and commissions from conception to execution. The ideal candidate will be excited about the YCBA’s collection strengths and committed to building them. The DCA brings both a deep familiarity with the wider museum and gallery field and strong relationships with artists and is charged with translating their knowledge and networks into opportunity for the YCBA.

Internally, the DCA leads a multidisciplinary division of approximately 20 staff, cultivating teamwork and collaboration across the museum. They set and steward the museum’s interpretation strategy, establishing coherence across departments and placing the visitor experience at the center of the museum’s work. They will mentor their team towards an audience-first approach and ensure that the work and outputs of the division form a strategically purposeful and mission-aligned program.

The Yale Center for British Art holds the largest and most significant collection of British art outside the United Kingdom and is unique in the United States for its focus on advancing scholarship and public engagement in the field. Its wide-ranging exhibitions and programs feature British art and culture from across five centuries and into the present day, revealing the diversity of British artists and sharing stories of enduring global relevance. Housed in the last museum designed by the acclaimed architect Louis I. Kahn, the museum offers visitors a singular environment in which to experience art and access to major resources, including a renowned collection of nearly 100,000 objects, a Reference Library, and a Study Room. Created through the generosity of philanthropist and Yale graduate Paul Mellon, today the YCBA remains free and open to the public.

The museum’s collections include around 3,000 paintings and sculptures, 60,000 prints, drawings, and photographs, and 35,000 rare books, manuscripts, and archival collections dating from the fifteenth century to the present. The YCBA’s Library holds more than 40,000 volumes supporting research in British art and related fields. The collection is rich in historic works by William Blake, John Constable, and J. M. W. Turner, as well as works by key artists of the twentieth- and twenty-first centuries, from Gwen John, Barbara Hepworth, and Henry Moore to Cecily Brown, Yinka Shonibare, and Barbara Walker.

A PhD in art history, museum studies, or a related field, and at least eight years of progressively responsible curatorial and administrative experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, is required for this position. The Yale Center for British Art will consider candidates with a broad range of backgrounds. If you are excited about this role and feel that you can contribute to the YCBA, but your experience does not exactly align with every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply. All applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and résumé. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of the Yale Center for British Art and the responsibilities and qualifications specified in the position prospectus.

The salary range for this position is $170,000 to $200,000. The Yale Center for British Art & Yale University offer a comprehensive package of benefits that goes beyond their competitive medical, dental, and vision coverage. Yale offers a robust package of programs and resources to support employees holistically, encompassing all areas of well-being and helping them thrive personally and professionally. The Yale Center for British Art offers a dynamic work environment, with opportunities for staff to enrich and develop their love of the arts while contributing their skills and talents to the mission of the museum.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or participating in the selection process, please contact Millie Taylor at View email address on click.appcast.io .