A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter must address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position as indicated in the posting and required qualifications.  Applications that fail to adhere to this requirement will not be considered.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as soon as they are submitted.

The Institute for the Humanities (IH) facilitates work that examines humanities traditions broadly across space and time, deepens synergies among the humanities, the arts, and disciplines across the University and brings the voices of the humanities scholars to public life. Each year we provide fellowships for U-M faculty, graduate students and visiting scholars who work on scholarly and artistic projects. We also offer a wide array of public and scholarly events, including public lectures, workshops, undergraduate focused programming and art exhibitions.

This position will report to the Curator/Assistant Director for Arts Programming at the Institute for Humanities providing both hands-on support to the institute's exhibition spaces including installation and de-installation of exhibits and the administrative logistical coordination and organization of 4-5 major exhibitions yearly and related programming. Similar support is also required for any potential off-site special projects/exhibits and related programming as assigned.

See the complete list of job responsibilities here.

40% General Gallery and Exhibitions

• Installation and deinstallation of exhibits, including but not limited to various methods of hanging artwork, setting lights, and packaging art.
• Communicate and coordinate with artists, galleries, and vendors related to exhibition details and logistics to ensure exhibition schedules and all deadlines are met.
• Arrange transport, shipping, and other logistical details as needed.
• Unpack incoming art, pack art for return shipment 

50% General Administrative  

• Maintain Gallery and Institute working calendars and project management tools related to exhibition/artistic programming.  
• Research and obtain any necessary permits, equipment, clearance, etc. from U-M, City of Ann Arbor or other oversight authorities. Schedule and manage consults, meetings with tech support, Plant Operations, artists or galleries and the Curator
• Track all receipts and expenditures related to materials and requirements for each exhibition. Maintain concise and organized Google and Dropbox files on each artist and project
• Assist the Curator with drafting artist contracts and outlining project timelines.
• Assist the Curator with creating and tracking budgets for each project, and adhere to specifications and budgets indicated in each artist's budget /contract. 
• Assist Curator with developing programming ideas

10% Social Media, Graphic Design and Website

• Design and create files for exhibition wall text, signage, and wall tags, in consultation and with the approval of the Curator and artist. 
• Design and schedule weekly social media posts relating to current gallery exhibitions, gallery events, and news about past IH artists-in-residence.
• Photograph artwork and exhibitions for promotional purposes.
• Update IH Gallery website pages with current information on exhibitions and gallery-related events.
• Create 90 second videos for publicity purposes

• Two or more years of work experience in an arts or humanities organization or other related entity assisting with organization and installation of exhibitions/programming/ public events.
• Demonstrated commitment to the appreciation of visual arts and humanities in general. 
• Demonstrated literacy in aesthetics and contemporary art. 
• Demonstrated strong project management skills
• At least one year of work experience utilizing Photoshop and/or the Adobe Creative Cloud suite of products for design purposes.
• The successful candidate must be a self-starter with the ability to take initiative and to hit the ground running. Proven ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects under time constraints, to work effectively and efficiently under pressure, and successfully meet deadlines. 
• Demonstrated ability to follow-through and follow-up on projects independently; must possess an ability to self initiate and complete the tasks required for a successful project in a timely manner.
• Demonstrated ability to present a professional image of the Institute, the gallery, and our activities/programming in meetings and engagements with artists, faculty, students, vendors, and outside organizations.
• Demonstrated troubleshooting and problem-solving skills with the ability to exercise sound and practical decision-making skills. 
• Proven excellence in oral and written communication
• Demonstrated ability to discern when to consult with the Curator regarding requests from the artists or the artist's gallery. 
• An excellent driving record/ability to pass a driver's license background check

Additional Requirements:

The ability to physically install exhibits and change lighting within the gallery, at times ascending and descending ladders and scaffolding to make the necessary adjustments. 
Ability to move and raise light to moderate equipment, weighing between 10 and 50 pounds, across campus and to potential off site exhibit spaces.
The ability to hang art at various heights assessing the artistic displays as directed by the curator.
This position will occasionally utilize university vehicles to transport or move exhibition pieces and supplies requiring a driver's license background check/approval by Transportation Services.

• BA/BFA in Visual Arts, Museum Studies or a humanities related field
• At least 4 years of museum practice experience or with art galleries assisting with organization, installation, and deinstallation of exhibitions.
• Art packing and shipping experience.
• Formal training in graphic design with at least two years of practical experience using Adobe Photoshop and the Adobe Creative Cloud of products.
• Experience creating content for, scheduling and posting on social media sites such as Facebook or Instagram.
• Experience creating and editing video/movie content
• High level of organization skills and attention to detail. 
• Experience with event planning/managing logistics for events.
• Experience in and/or understanding of basic construction skills/carpentry.
• Experience developing budgets and tracking expenditures for projects

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

While a regular work schedule will be established the candidate must have the flexibility and ability to change their regular schedule with adequate notice as well as work evenings and weekends as needed (sometimes as additional hours, sometimes in a flexible schedule) to support after-hours events, programming, installation and deinstallation schedules and required shipping time frames.

*The salary range for this position is $48,000-$52,400, please note a higher salary may be possible based on equity and the selected candidate's education and/or experience.

This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by the University Staff United (USU), which represents bargaining unit members in all matters with respect to wages, benefits, hours and other terms and conditions of employment.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.