Head of Collections & Exhibitions

The Winnipeg Art Gallery is one of Canada’s oldest civic art galleries and holds in trust the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art with close to 14,000 works. The celebrated Indigenous collection will be featured in the new WAG Inuit Art Centre scheduled to open in 2020. At the core of the Gallery’s mission is the goal of advancing a meaningful dialogue with the public, and creating a welcoming forum where art and culture are at the forefront with audiences and stakeholders.

The WAG is seeking a dynamic and collaborative Head of Collections & Exhibitions to join its executive team. Reporting to the Director & CEO, the person in this role will lead and inspire the curatorial program at the Gallery, including exhibition planning and delivery, collections growth and management, and touring programs. The ideal candidate will have 5-7 years of progressively expanding experience, including managerial experience; an extensive national and international professional network and will be committed to curating scholarly, relevant, and impactful exhibitions that provide a foundation for inter-disciplinary and socially engaged discourse, learning and enrichment. A curator with proven expertise in Canadian art, including historical and modern art, is required.

DUTIES

As part of the executive team, the Head of Collections & Exhibitions will be in charge of:

• Building teams that develop the curatorial vision, strategies, and implementation for the WAG;
• Working with the executive team to lead and execute the exhibition critical path;
• Preparing, administering, and monitoring all budgets for the department;
• Preparing and monitoring the collection development plan;
• Planning and facilitating Works of Art Committee meetings; and
• Maintaining an engaging profile to positively represent the gallery in the community.

QUALIFICATIONS

• University degree at the Masters level; with a focus in art history, cultural and museum studies;
• Minimum five years of experience in a senior curatorial position with supervisory responsibility;
• Management experience including administration, financial planning, project management, and leadership with human resources;
• Strong profile and professional relationships in the art museum industry and academic community nationally and internationally.

ASSETS

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a strength in writing;
• Ability to manage a complex workload with multiple stakeholders;
• French-English bilingualism; and
• Ability to speak and write an Indigenous language.