The Faculty of Arts at The University of British Columbia (UBC) – Vancouver campus invites applications for the position of Director, Museum of Anthropology, with an anticipated start date as early as July 2021. The successful candidate will hold an academic appointment concurrent with the directorship; the latter appointment is expected to be for an initial five-year term, with the possibility of reappointment upon successful review. We seek a person who can lead the Institution, building on the museum’s core values of community engagement and building relationships with Indigenous and First Nations communities.
REQUIREMENTS
Academic qualifications: PhD degree or appropriate degree preferred, but a combination of education and appropriate museum or cultural heritage leadership experience may be considered; however, candidates must meet the criteria for a tenured appointment at a senior professorial rank (Associate Professor or Professor), with the rank of appointment commensurate with qualifications and experience. The successful candidate must possess demonstrated leadership and administrative skills and experience including effectiveness in leading, managing, and working collaboratively with a team of professional staff; effective communication skills; and experience in fostering inclusive hiring practices and collaborative and respectful working environments. The successful candidate must also have a demonstrated commitment to progressive museum practices; strategic and innovative thinking and vision; demonstrated experience working with Indigenous communities; ability to build upon existing relationships with First Nations communities and establish and maintain successful working relationships with other First Nations and Indigenous communities; commitment to indigenization/decolonization within museums, and a commitment to developing productive relationships across the University and with communities beyond UBC at all levels. The successful candidate should have a track record of success in obtaining significant grants; ability and experience with fundraising, development, and donor stewardship; an excellent scholarly record, and a record of successful teaching and supervision of students.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Reporting to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, the Director is responsible for overseeing the long-term vision for the Museum, including managing the development of the Museum’s strategic plan for programming, staffing, facility needs, and expansion. The Director is also responsible for the management of the Museum’s professional staff and operation of the institution and works with staff committees to define the overall vision including exhibitions, acquisitions, programmes, etc. The Director is expected to lead the institution in demonstrating an ongoing commitment to indigenization/decolonization within museums and to foster a collaborative, respectful, and inclusive environment for students, staff, faculty, and community and First Nations partners. The Director oversees the Museum’s fiscal responsibilities to the University and external funders, including approving the Museum’s annual budget plans developed by the MOA Management Committee, approving research and project grants, authorizing significant expenditures, and ensuring operations and programming initiatives are undertaken within available resources and in accordance with UBC and external agencies’ policies and guidelines. The Director is also responsible for overseeing fund development and fundraising for the Museum’s operations, acquisitions, programming, research, and special projects, and works closely with UBC Development on stewardship of the Museum’s major donors and to cultivate relationships with individual donors, foundations, corporations, and government funding agencies. In addition, the successful candidate will be expected to maintain an active program of research and scholarly activity, to be engaged in teaching and supervising undergraduate and graduate students.
