Director (Mulvane Art Museum)

Position Title: Director (Mulvane Art Museum)

Department: Mulvane Art Museum

Campus Location: Washburn University

Application Deadline:  Application review will begin as applications are received and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants can be assured of full consideration if submitted by: January 21, 2025.

Position Summary: Washburn University’s Mulvane Art Museum invites applications for the position of Museum Director, beginning in Spring 2025. This is a full-time 12-month position.

About the Mulvane Art Museum
Washburn University's Mulvane Art Museum, a distinguished AAM-accredited institution opened in 1924, invites applications for the position of Museum Director. The Mulvane houses a permanent collection of over 6,000 artworks, including pieces by significant European and American artists like Salvador Dalí and Rembrandt van Rijn, as well as notable works by Kansas and regional artists. The Rita Blitt Gallery serves as the centerpiece for the museum’s extensive collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, and archival materials that highlight the lifelong work of artist Rita Blitt. In addition to over 9,000 square feet of exhibition space, the Mulvane includes four art classrooms, two sculpture gardens, and an interactive artmaking space. Now marking its centennial, the Mulvane has recently completed significant renovations to these facilities, enhancing its ability to serve the community well into the future.

The Mulvane is part of Washburn University’s College of Arts and Sciences, where it supports experiential learning opportunities for students, including student exhibitions and internships. The museum also contributes to the university’s popular undergraduate minor in Museum and Curatorial Studies, one of the few such undergraduate programs in the area.

The Mulvane Art Museum is supported by a diverse range of funding sources, including federal, state, and local grants, the university’s budget, fundraising efforts by the Friends of the Mulvane Art Museum, as well as private donations and corporate sponsorships. With deep ties to alumni and the local community, the Mulvane plays a vital role in the cultural life of Washburn, the capitol city of Topeka, and the Northeast Kansas region.

For more information, please visit: https://www.mulvaneartmuseum.org/index.html.

About Washburn University
Washburn University is a teaching-focused, student-centered, public institution located in the metropolitan setting of Topeka that has earned national recognition for its high-impact programs for first-generation students. Washburn has a student body of over 5,500 undergraduate, graduate, and law students, a significant and growing number of whom are first-generation and Pell Grant eligible. The University has created educational pathways for all students to be successful and achieve their educational goals.

Washburn is dedicated to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty, staff, and student body and cultivating a vibrant and inclusive working environment and curriculum. We employ more than one thousand faculty and staff on our campuses throughout Topeka and strive to offer competitive wages, an excellent benefits program, and a supportive culture and a healthy work/life balance. Washburn seeks to create an environment that reflects our core values for creating positive IMPACT: inclusion, modernization, partnership, achievement, community and transformation. In 2024, Washburn was recognized as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to Great Colleges to Work For® program.

Essential Functions:
The Museum Director will manage the following:
• Leadership and Vision: Develop and implement a strategic vision to align with the mission, core values, and long-term goals of both the Mulvane Art Museum and Washburn University. Serve as the primary ambassador for the museum, actively promoting its role in the community and region. Stay updated on developments in the field and engage in professional development.
• Operations and Financial Management: Oversee the daily operations of the museum. Direct the museum’s budget to optimize operational efficiency and align resources with strategic priorities.
• Fundraising and Development: Work closely with the Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation and Friends of the Mulvane Art Museum to lead fundraising initiatives and cultivate relationships with donors, corporate sponsors, and grant providers. Current fundraising initiatives include the annual Mulvane Art Fair, a juried event that features artists from across the country working in a variety of media that draws thousands of patrons.
• Curatorial and Program Development: Work with curatorial and education staff to develop dynamic exhibitions, educational programs, and research initiatives. Ensure programming is accessible, diverse, and engages a broad audience. Work with collections staff to oversee the appropriate management, conservation, documentation, security, and storage of the museum’s collection, both physical and digital. Maintain best practices for museum accreditation and oversee reaccreditation through the American Alliance of Museums.
• Community Engagement: Foster partnerships with educational institutions, cultural organizations, and community groups. Lead initiatives to enhance the museum’s visibility and relevance to campus and the community.
• Education and Outreach: Work with education staff to design programs that promote lifelong learning and accessibility, ensuring programs meet the needs of diverse audiences, including college students, schools, families, and adult learners.
• Staff Development: Cultivate a positive, inclusive work environment that encourages professional growth. Supervise, mentor, and support staff, student workers, interns, and volunteers to promote high levels of performance and engagement.
• Perform additional job-related duties as assigned or as appropriate.
This position may require occasional evening and weekend hours to accommodate events, community outreach, and museum programming.

Required Qualifications:
• Graduate degree (M.A., M.F.A., or Ph.D.) in art history, visual culture, museum studies, or related field.
• Minimum three years of experience in museum management or a senior leadership role within a cultural or educational institution.
• Demonstrated dedication to inclusive practices that engage students and community members of all backgrounds.
• Visionary and strategic thinker with a passion for the arts, culture, and education.
• Financial and budget management expertise.
• Skilled in relationship building, both within the museum and university and externally.
• Effective problem-solving, communication, and organizational abilities.
• Ability to inspire, mentor, and empower a team of individuals with varied talents and backgrounds.
Official educational transcripts required at time of hire.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience working in an accredited museum.
• Proven track record in fundraising, including special events, grant writing and securing external gifts and grants to support museum operations and collections development.

Special Instructions to Applicants: Applications must include a cover letter outlining relevant professional experience and qualifications and a curriculum vitae. Contact information for three current professional references will also be collected as part of the application form.
• If you have questions about the position, please contact Dr. Kelly Erby, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, at kelly.erby@washburn.edu 

   
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