Job Opening Title:
Joan Livingstone Director of the Textile Resource Center
Name of Employer:
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Job Site Location (City, State) :
Chicago, IL
Application Deadline:
March 30, 2023
Minimum Degree Requirement:
Years of experience required:
Salary Range:
Job Opening URL:
https://tinyurl.com/43xjzbet
Job Description (if URL to posting not available). Include instructions for how to apply.:
As part of a collaborative and dynamic team at SAIC’s Library + Special Collections, the Joan Livingstone Director of the Textile Resource Center (TRC) provides leadership in the development and design of all programs and collections at the TRC. This position provides highly specialized duties to support and fully engage in the School’s educational mission and its students’ success–and in particular, the curriculum and pedagogical practices of the Fiber and Material Studies department. Directly oversees all material acquisition transactions, regular budgetary management, and general facility inventory and upkeep of the TRC. Supports the Fiber and Material Studies department’s curriculum. Serves as a resource to students, faculty, academic departments, and the broader community. We require a commitment to art and design education; and a commitment to and demonstrated knowledge of diversity, equity, and inclusion issues as related to research, instruction, collections, and user-centered services.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
Leadership:
Oversees for TRC daily operations; develops, directs, and assesses the work of the TRC students employees, including the responsibility for the day-to-day oversight of all policies and procedures.
Works with the Dean of the Library + Special Collections along with the Fiber and Material Studies (FMS) chair and faculty to develop long-term goals and strategic initiatives for TRC.
Oversees the fiscal development of the TRC, which includes: grant writing and reporting, developing new sources of revenue, and working with the Dean and the Office of
Advancement on budgets, grants, and reports. Prepares all final reports on the expenditure of government and foundation funds.
Liaises with the Office of Advancement to develop and implement fundraising strategies for the TRC.
Manage, supervise, and coordinate schedules of volunteers and student employees.
Builds and maintains mailing lists of collection advisors, benefactors, faculty and friends of the TRC.
Develops and maintains internal and external communications and statistical data.
Collection Development + Management:
Develops and maintains the TRC collection to support SAIC curriculum, and in conjunction with FMS chair and faculty, ensures that the TRC’s mission, collection, and programming align to support curriculum.
Leads in the acquisition of new materials and seeks to broaden the collection to support the curriculum fully. Works to ensure that the TRC collection is responsive to the academic needs of the SAIC community.
Responsible for the documentation, preservation, and care of the collections.
Maintain the TRC collection, which includes: gifts; textiles, publications, print, and visual materials.
Collaborates with the Flaxman Library’s Collection Management and Digital Services teams to maintain and update all TRC collection information in a variety of systems–this includes cataloging print publications, textiles, and other objects.
Responsible for the acquisition, cataloging, repair, conservation, and cleaning of all TRC collections
Teaching + Learning:
Works in collaboration with the FMS chair and faculty to support curriculum, as well as serving as a teaching resource for SAIC at large.
Designs, produces, and oversees a range of instructional programs and materials, including leading object-based instruction sessions, class visits, workshops, and tutorials to support SAIC curriculum.
Plays an essential role in advising, coordinating, and collaborating with colleagues throughout the Library + Special Collections, Fiber and Material Studies, and the campus to optimize and promote the use of collections for teaching, learning, and research activities. Also engages the broader arts community to enrich opportunities for our students and faculty.
Plans, develops, and coordinates programming in conjunction with the Dean of the
Library + Special Collection and the Fiber and Materials Chair and faculty
Supports research in the collections; provides all forms of research services for students, faculty, and other researchers, including but not limited to in-person and email research assistance.
Proactively engages the School’s agenda for student success.
Other duties may be assigned by the Dean of the Library + Special Collections at SAIC.
Qualifications
Required:
Commitment to the educational mission of the School and demonstrated knowledge of the principles of accessibility, diversity, and inclusion; the ability to work well with diverse populations; and demonstrated level of cultural competence.
A minimum of five years of professional experience working with textiles or similar collection management, including acquisition, conservation, and general collection care.
Master’s degree in Art, Art History, Curatorial or Museum Studies, Library and Information Science, or a related field with relevant experience working in a similar environment and/or related field.
Proven track record within the textile field, which may include experience teaching, curating, and/or publishing.
Deep and demonstrable knowledge of world textiles, textile history, and contemporary fiber practices.
Ability to approach collection development and teaching with objects within a diverse population and is inclusive of individuals from all backgrounds.
Demonstrable knowledge of current issues and best practices related to textile collections, including conservation, preservation, teaching, and exhibition.
Experience in successful program development and planning.
Strong communication skills and an ability to successfully respond to a diverse range of communication and learning styles.
Excellent analytical, organizational, time, and project management skills.
Preferred:
Significant and progressively responsible experience in a similar position at a museum, gallery, cultural institution, or academic institution, especially at an independent, non-profit college of art and design
We recognize that applicants may not have all of the skills and qualifications listed. However, if you have several of these qualifications and a passion for textiles, collection management, and object-based teaching, please apply for this role
.
Benefits
We offer a competitive, comprehensive benefits package:
Generous paid time off
Paid holidays (up to 14 days)
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Generous parental, caregiver, and medical leave benefits
Competitive retirement plan (up to 9% matching contribution)
Tuition remission and Tuition Exchange Program
Great employee discounts
Complimentary general admission to participating cultural institutions
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