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Senior Manager, Collections

Senior Manager, Collections

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Art Jameel Collection

The Art Jameel Collection acquires, supports, documents and presents significant artworks by Middle Eastern and international artists.

At the heart of Art Jameel’s programming and long-term vision, the Collection serves as a catalyst for exploration and enquiry, challenging traditional notions of museum collections and fostering a discursive dialogue with artists and audiences.

Currently comprised of around 400 artworks by more than 190 artists and collectives, the Collection focuses on artists from West and South Asia but transcends geography – instead defining acquisitions through diverse and dynamic curation, guided by radical thematic frameworks that raise debate and engage broad audiences.

Art Jameel’s acquisition strategy focuses on contemporary art by living artists; the Collection includes some modernist works (1950s-80s) that help our exhibitions tell crucial, overlooked histories, and that resonate strongly with both the contemporary themes we explore and the audiences we serve.

The Art Jameel Collection has an active loans programme – both to exhibitions taking place at our centres in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and to partner institutions around the world.

This role is based at Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai, which opened in 2018 as a dynamic, 10,000-square-metre museum, known as Dubai’s hub for contemporary art and ideas. The centre is funded and managed by Art Jameel, one of the Middle East’s most prominent independent arts foundations, and sits alongside its sister site Hayy Jameel, Jeddah’s home for the arts. The Dubai office at Jameel Arts Centre is also the base for Art Jameel’s global activities and partnerships and is home to its Collection.

Role

The Senior Manager, Collections has responsibility for the management of all aspects of the Collection — including research, programming, administration, cataloguing, insurance, storage and transportation, conservation, loans and logistics – and contributes to the strategy, policy- and decision-making as regards acquisitions and collection-focussed exhibitions in general (alongside the Director, Deputy Directors, Heads of Exhibitions, Programmes, Learning and Research).

The role involves project-managing programmes related to the Collection, including Research Fellowships and symposia; curating and caring for Collection works on display in our centres and Sculpture Park; advising and supporting curators in developing exhibitions including Collection works; and networking in order to seek out collaborative opportunities for joint research and advocacy projects, including around Art Jameel themes of sustainability and radical collecting.

Current major Art Jameel Collection projects include building resources around the Collection, such as an online platform for information and images, and collaborating with Jameel Library staff on comprehensive Artist’s Files, plus research and advocacy around context- and geography-specific responses to the climate crisis as pertains to Collection Management in the Global South.

Accountability

The Senior Manager, Collections reports to the Director of Art Jameel.

The role includes overseeing the Collections Research Assistant and Registrar.

 

Job Description

Collection Management and Acquisitions

  • Work with the Director and Head of Exhibitions and Programmes on acquisitions strategy and research, identifying artists and works of potential interest; prepare documents regarding artists and available works for acquisitions meetings and for the Acquisitions Committee; liaise with galleries and artists regarding acquisitions management; track upcoming exhibitions and identify works of potential interest and discussion
  • Lead on the management of all aspects of the Art Jameel Collection, including administration, insurance, logistics, documentation, cataloguing and storage
  • Manage and report on budgets related to the Collection and its activities
  • Liaise with finance and legal departments in managing valuations, insurance, assurance, purchase agreements and acquisitions; manage the day-to-day of the Art Jameel Collections Company
  • Oversee the management and updating of the software system for recording and documenting all aspects of the Collection; update and/or devise SOPs as regards the Collection and communicate these to other team members as is appropriate
  • Manage the Art Storage rooms at the Jameel Arts Centre and other external, off-site storage facilities in Dubai; liaise with security, shipping agents and other technicians to ensure the set-up is up-to-date, secure, expertly managed
  • Manage relationships with storage and transportation providers and oversee process of clearing works through Customs (managed by in-house Shipping Coordinator)
  • Lead on preparing presentations and documents referring to works under consideration for the Acquisitions Committee meetings
  • Oversee the Registrar; lead on scheduling annual (or as needs) physical inspection/condition check/count of works; research and devise ways to maintain works including audio-visual; manage conservationists and other technicians as needed; oversee condition reporting processes for both the Art Jameel Collection as well as works incoming/outgoing for exhibitions
  • Manage and build further an active loans policy, liaising with institutions to ensure Art Jameel Collection works are seen as widely as possible
  • Lead on efforts to reduce the carbon footprint and waste associated with management of the AJ Collection, working with colleagues across operations, sustainability and programming
  • Work closely with government ministries and other legislative bodies to stay on top of (or ahead of) local government changes as regards customs/import duties, storage and so on
  • Build and maintain relationships with local and international galleries of interest to Art Jameel, and with galleries whose artists are already present in the collection
  • Together with the registrar, oversee climate conditions in the Jameel Arts Centre and Hayy Jameel, advising on how to maintain adequate climate controls
  • Work closely with the Registrar in managing art handlers and art restoration

 Research, Programming, Curatorial

  • Lead on research as regards existing and potential new Collection artists and their works; conduct studio visits; attend fairs and other gatherings; liaise with galleries; grow and maintain supportive relationships with artists and galleries
  • Lead on the programming and organisation of biennial symposia (and other workshops/programmes related to the Collection), bringing together key practitioners and institutional leaders in order to further Collection Management in the Global South
  • In liaison with the Deputy Director and Head of Learning and Research, lead on overseeing the Research Fellowships related to Collection Management, enabling and encouraging (and disseminating) groundbreaking new research
  • Oversee the current/ongoing project to digitise images and information about works in the Collection, part of a broader project to develop [the learning and resources portal] Art Jameel Online
  • Collaborating with the Jameel Library team, manage the development of Artist’s Files for Collection artists and encourage scholars and “the curious” to make use of resources
  • Oversee the interpretation and care for Collection works on semi-permanent display at Jameel Arts Centre, Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park and Hayy Jameel
  • Support curators in their research and encourage the inclusion of Art Jameel Collection works in exhibitions at AJ Centres
  • Network and connect with colleagues locally and globally, and seek out opportunities for Art Jameel Collection works and displays to be shown in other institutions, globally
  • Liaise with (or oversee the Registrar in) AJ Collection artists (and galleries, other institutions) in building up knowledge and connections with their works
  • Contribute to Art Jameel’s curatorial strategy and thematics and – working with the Exhibitions/Curatorial management team – contribute to the development of commissions and exhibitions, particularly as relates to commissions-to-acquire, including the Artist’s Gardens
  • Devise and contribute to efforts to open up access to the Collection and its works/artists for the public and to increase awareness around key works and themes, collaborating with Programming and Learning team colleagues

General

  • Represent Art Jameel at policy meetings, conferences, networking events, community gatherings etc; give talks, tours, contribute to panel discussions and so on
  • Attend events, exhibitions, openings related to the local arts scene and endeavour to support the local and regional arts community
  • Attend to any other duties and support colleagues, as deemed necessary by the Director and Deputy Directors
  • As part of the senior leadership of the organisation, the Senior Manager would also be expected to:
    • Contribute to capacity-building and establishing SOPs/procedures/organisational structure for the organisation as a whole and the arts centres in Dubai and Jeddah
    • Contribute to development, outreach and audience generation in terms of ideas, strategy and implementation (working with the Enterprises, Audiences and Programming teams)
    • Contribute to ideas re staffing structure and needs, and inspire colleagues and junior staff; lead by example and encourage positive thinking, work ethic and a collective approach to problem-solving

Personal Specification

Essential

  • A relevant degree in arts and/or collection management or equivalent
  • Relevant and substantial work experience in managing collections in an appropriate not-for-profit institutional context, including overseeing or liaising with legal and finance teams
  • Ability to communicate and negotiate effectively and diplomatically with a diverse set of team members, assistants and stakeholders
  • Knowledge of artists from/in the GCC, Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, and an interest in arts scenes, globally; keen understanding of the theoretical, conceptual and political tropes prevalent in these arts scenes
  • Excellent writing skills and proven experience in producing high-quality, carefully researched documents re artists and their work
  • Proven organisation, planning and administration skills; attention to detail
  • Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and independently, remaining calm under pressure
  • Experience of managing projects and budgets within an organisational context
  • Ability and willingness to travel and to attend work related events out of hours, as required

Desirable

  • Experience of working in the Gulf, particularly UAE and KSA, and an understanding of how to navigate typical arts scene and government cultures and structures
  • Awareness of the range of new technologies vis-à-vis collection management
  • Ability to speak/write Arabic as well as English
  • Experience in working in an arts centre / museum’s environment
  • Established network of contacts in the creative scenes of the UAE and wider region
  • Familiarity with art loaning and art acquisition legal agreements

Especially during this period of growth for the organisation, positions are broad, and staff expected to engage in wide diversity of tasks, be resourceful, creative and flexible. The candidate should have the necessary experience and the capability to work at all levels and across different roles, adopting a “start-up mentality” with ease.

Conditions of Work

  • Full time permanent position, based in Dubai
  • Hours of work: 9am – 6pm, Monday-Thursday and 9am-1pm on Friday, plus some occasional weekend and evening work
  • Travel on occasion to visit exhibitions, manage touring shows and so on, as meetings and the organisation demands

In addition to your salary, the benefits you are eligible to receive, subject to availability, are:

  • 25 days’ annual holiday
  • Health Insurance
  • Training opportunities
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