The Director of Curation is a member The Center’s senior staff reporting to the Chief Program Officer. The Director of Curation helps develop the curatorial vision for the institution, oversees the development of rotating exhibitions and/or identifies curated exhibition opportunities for mission-focused temporary installations, and develop temporary installations with the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. collection in The Center’s designated gallery twice a year. 

Curatorial 

• Works closely with the Chief Program Officer to create master calendar for exhibitions and spearheads the exhibition offerings of The Center including developing or securing pre-developed installations for the new temporary gallery space. 
• Directly curates, or supervises production for, temporary exhibitions to create dynamic, aesthetically engaging, and intellectually-sound displays reflecting The Center’s mission. 
• Oversees regular rotations of the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection gallery (includes curatorial responsibilities and work with guest curators). 
• Work closely with artists, rights advocates, and aligned organizations to develop exhibitions and experiences within The Center’s mission. 
• Develops a maintenance plan for The Center’s permanent exhibits and works collaboratively with facilities teams to implement.  
• Identifies opportunities for temporary and interactive inclusions in permanent exhibitions and curates those experiences.  
• Supervises collections management for The Center’s limited collections and develops partnerships to manage assets held elsewhere. (The Center is not a collecting institution.)  
• Leads collections management for traveling and loaned materials.  
• Continually develops and shares content expertise in civil and human rights as related to The Center’s Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan.  

Planning and Administrative 

• Provides exhibitions leadership for mid- and long-range planning with executive leadership team, including capital improvements team. 
• Serves as departmental representative within the administrative team, interfacing with facilities, finance, development, and program departments to ensure that administrative needs related to exhibitions are met and opportunities for alignment between exhibitions and other departments are maximized. 
• Develops, manages, and reports on exhibitions budgets. 
• Maintains and manages SharePoint files and other digital assets relating to exhibitions. 
• Collaborates with Education staff to ensure relevance/applicability to state education standards, create supplemental collateral, and inform content choices.  
• Works with the Marketing Department to create publications, brochures, and catalogues in print and digital formats; and provide copy for press releases, social media, and website. 
• Upon request, serves as The Center’s representative for Center-affiliated offsite exhibition projects and public installations.

Team Management 

• Develops and interfaces with advisory committees for exhibition-related work. 
• Manages curatorial, archival, and design project staff and interns as needed. 
• Manages relationships with scholars, publishers, film companies and others seeking access to The Center’s assets. 
• Hires and manages exhibition vendors including fabricators, framers, painters, printers, installers, art handlers, mount makers, archivists, conservators, designers, etc. 

Qualifications  

This is a mid-senior level curatorial position.  Previous experience in a leadership position is preferred, particularly with reference to curating exhibitions, managing staff, consultants and vendors, balancing budgets, and leading projects.  

The Director of Curation will be expected to offer leadership and vision in a manner that advances and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion for the benefit of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.  

Additional qualifications 

• Five to seven years of exhibitions experience as a curator and/or exhibitions manager working with collections in a museum.  
• Bachelor’s degree (a master’s degree preferred) in Museum Studies, Public History, U.S. History, or related field; commensurate experience will be considered. 
• Background in museum studies, history and/or art & culture. 
• Knowledge of current curatorial and exhibition management practices and active participation in professional development communities within this arena. 
• Strong project management and organization skills. 
• Superior verbal and written communication skills; ability to confidently demonstrate knowledge and articulate concepts to a diverse range of audiences.  
• Demonstrated interest and background in civil and human rights issues. 

Physical Requirements 

The Center will make accommodations as needed. 

• Capable of working on a computer for extended periods of time. 
• Extended periods of sitting and/or standing.  
• Ability to lift, carry, and or move up to 25 pounds. 
• Bending, reaching, and kneeling. 

Employment Eligibility 

The Center is dedicated to the principles of equal employment opportunity. We prohibit unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees based on age (40 and over), race, sex, color, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, gender identity, and the statuses protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. 

About Us 

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights (The Center) is an engaging cultural center that connects the American Civil Rights Movement to today’s ongoing struggle for human rights, whether at a local or global level.  Our purpose is to create a safe space for visitors and attendees to explore the fundamental rights of all human beings so that they come away inspired and empowered to join the ongoing dialogue about human rights in their communities, workplace, and lives.  The Center has a local footprint in downtown Atlanta, Georgia with a national reach in the ongoing pursuit of civil and human rights for all. To learn more, visit our website civilandhumanrights.org.