Director of Design and Experience

The Director of Design & Experience is a key leadership role essential to delivering design initiatives throughout the museum and its campus. Reporting to the Chief Exhibition, Design, and Publications Officer, this innovative and collaborative leader oversees both the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the Design & Experience Department, including exhibition design, graphic design, and gallery production teams. Beyond departmental management, the Director also leads major institutional design projects in partnership with and under the guidance of the Chief Exhibition, Design, and Publications Officer.

Rooted in our mission to create transformative experiences through art for the benefit of all people forever, this role defines and drives the design vision for projects across the institution. It fosters innovative, functional, and compelling experiences while upholding the highest standards of quality and ensuring brand consistency across all platforms and programs.

Summary of Responsibility:

• Lead and manage a department of 13 staff, providing strategic direction, oversight, and performance management.
• Oversee a dynamic portfolio of 30–40 concurrent projects, including temporary exhibitions, permanent collection rotations, and major strategic initiatives at various stages of development and implementation.
• Direct design strategies across approximately 25,000 square feet of temporary exhibition space, including regularly rotating permanent collection galleries, and the Transformer Station.

Requirements and Key Competencies

• Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four‑year college or university with courses in architecture, interior design, fine arts, art history, or related field; ten years of art museum experience with a proven track record of successfully planning and implementing highly complex design projects. Prior managerial experience is preferred.
• Advanced technical expertise in museum exhibition design, paired with a visionary and forward-thinking approach to creating innovative, accessible, and meaningful visitor experiences.
• Comprehensive knowledge of museum project/exhibition planning processes from initial design conception through fabrication, installation, and final realization.
• Exceptional design and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, balance shifting priorities, and adapt quickly to evolving challenges. Maintains a strong attention to detail, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and quality across all initiatives.
• Proficiency in industry-standard tools and software (Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Vectorworks, SketchUp, Rhino and CAD tools).
• Clear, confident, and responsive communicator with a demonstrated ability to present ideas and design concepts to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Creative and collaborative leader who inspires and mentors staff, fostering innovation and excellence in the creation of transformative visitor experiences through design.
• Demonstrated ability to perform effectively under pressure while maintaining flexibility, sound judgment, and strong problem-solving skills.
• In-depth understanding of museum best practices and exhibition display standards, including conservation requirements, casework fabrication, and lighting design.

Responsibilities

Department Leadership and Operations:

• Strategic leader with the ability to align departmental initiatives with institutional priorities, ensuring all work advances the museum’s mission and long-term strategic plan.
• Establish and communicate departmental priorities, ensuring projects reflect best practices in museum design and are delivered with excellence, consistency, and impact.
• Lead and mentor a multidisciplinary team of exhibition designers, graphic designers, and gallery production staff to execute a broad and complex portfolio of design projects at the highest professional standards.
• Oversee all aspects of departmental staffing, including recruitment, hiring, goal setting, performance management, professional development, and succession planning. Foster a culture that attracts, retains, and rewards high-performing individuals committed to advancing the museum’s mission and strategic objectives.
• Develop, implement, and refine standard operating procedures, workflows, and scope-of-work documentation to ensure operational clarity, accountability, and efficiency.
• Remain current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and evolving best practices in exhibition and museum design, integrating innovation thoughtfully into departmental work.
• Develop, manage, and monitor departmental budgets, ensuring responsible stewardship of resources while supporting ambitious and high-quality design outcomes.

Design Leadership

• Develop and implement comprehensive design and graphic standards across the museum campus, ensuring clarity, consistency, and alignment with institutional branding.
• Review and approve design specifications for gallery construction, back-of-house areas, offices, campus and gallery signage, and other public-facing and operational spaces to ensure quality, functionality, and adherence to design standards.
• Establish and maintain standardized design documentation to support cross-departmental communication, institutional knowledge-sharing, and archival recordkeeping.
• Produce highly detailed renderings, schematic plans, and construction and fabrication documents using industry-standard software to guide projects from concept through execution.
• Clearly and confidently present design concepts, technical plans, and strategic recommendations to a diverse range of stakeholders, including executive leadership, cross-functional teams, and external partners.
• Identify, champion, and implement sustainable design and operational practices, integrating environmentally responsible solutions into both project work and daily departmental operations.

Project Planning and Execution

• Align project scope, timelines, and deliverables with institutional priorities to ensure strategic impact and efficient resource allocation.
• Develop and manage detailed project budgets, schedules, and performance benchmarks to ensure initiatives are completed on time and within budget.
• Schedule, facilitate, and lead design planning meetings with key stakeholders; present design strategies, progress updates, and final plans to the Executive Team as requested.
• Oversee and manage relationships with external contractors, fabricators, and vendors supporting gallery construction and related activities, ensuring quality, accountability, and adherence to project specifications.
• Conduct comprehensive post-project evaluations assessing process, schedule adherence, budget performance, and final outcomes; implement lessons learned to strengthen future planning and execution.

Collaboration and Communication

• Partner cross-institutionally to ensure projects reflect and support the needs of key stakeholders, including curatorial, collections management, conservation, digital initiatives, interpretation, and facilities, while advancing shared institutional goals.
• Build consensus across diverse perspectives, fostering a culture of collaboration, transparency, and mutual respect among departments.
• Communicate ideas, expectations, and project updates clearly and professionally, both verbally and in writing, maintaining the highest standards of clarity, diplomacy, and accountability.

   Performs other duties as assigned by the Chief Exhibition, Design, and Publications Officer.