Associate Director, Production

Company: Oakland Museum of CA
Location: Oakland
Posted on: June 8, 2021

Job Description:

The Associate Director of Production is a big-picture thinker and a positive and supportive coach and mentor, responsible for the management of exhibition and core gallery production and media, as well as the oversight of all preparator activities related to the collections. The position leads by facilitating a culture of mutual accountability and enabling agency. Reporting to the Head of Content and Experience, and coordinating a team of full time preparators, the Associate Director of Production brings a collaborative spirit to the work of scoping, developing, and monitoring staffing and production plans for exhibitions, integrating that work with collection activities on and off site, prioritizing projects and assignments, continually conducting overall project and calendar risk assessments in a deadline-driven environment, and supporting institutional objectives for campus-wide initiatives.ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESThe following reflects OMCA’s definition of essential functions for this position, but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. OMCA may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIESSupport the Museum’s mission, values, vision, and core commitment to the visitor experience, community engagement, anti-racism and institutional relevancy for the future;Contribute to and support the OMCA strategic plan, annual priorities, and institutional initiatives such as diversity advancement;Contribute to a positive organizational culture based on mutual respect, a spirit of collegiality, cooperation, and openness to many perspectives;Participate in a culture of ongoing learning, collaboration, innovation, creativity, and community engagement.All positions will have core functional responsibilities, cross functional team activation and learning and development as a core function of each rolePOSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESCulture SettingCoach and mentor the preparator group in skill development, effective collaboration, communication, priority setting, and professional developmentCollaboratively establish clear expectations. Foster a positive culture of mutual accountability both within the preparators and to staff across the organizationCommunicate widely and effectively, ensuring all possible stakeholders are included in decision making. Provide and receive status updates and thoroughly and effectively convey information to staffDelegate effectively, modeling shared leadership by sharing information and authority.Cultivate a strong, collaborative and aligned team of preparators through clear and consistent communication, planning and priority setting; participate in the annual goal setting and evaluation; conduct recruitment and hiringProvide coaching and training opportunities for preparator staff, including professional skill building and developing and maintaining a health and safety programProvide guidance and oversight to project leads in the development and management of production budgets, schedules, workflow and processes for exhibitions and core gallery projects; provide budget and other solutions and adjustments in response to various project changes and value engineering needsProject Management and AdministrationAbility to display the competencies of strategic thinking, development of self and others and ability to deploy and align organizational strategies and objectivesPrepare annual production timeline and staff schedule for exhibitions, core galleries, collections storage and other campus projects such as onsite marketing and wayfinding; work in collaboration with stakeholders across the organization to ensure priorities and needs are being addressed; adjust plans as assumptions shiftWork in close collaboration with other teams across the institution, particularly Collections, Curatorial, Facilities and Operations, and Information Technology to ensure strategic deployment of resources (people, time and budget) and accountability around institutional prioritiesParticipate in cross-institutional priority setting, and strategic and annual business planningDevelop, manage, monitor and reconcile budgets across production shop, staff development, and core gallery upkeep and to scope exhibition plans and budgets; plan, manage and monitor all production-related purchasing to maximize use of resourcesEnsure essential information is communicated consistently and in a timely manner with key partnersTechnical ResponsibilitiesEstablish and monitor standards related to production and handling of artifactsMaintain and promote health and safety of project work sites, shops, tools and equipment in coordination with Facilities and Operations and according to institutional policies and protocolsEXPERIENCE5-7 years related experience in a logistics, project management, or a related environment; experience with collections and exhibition preparation/fabrication experience a plusSupervisory experience preferredEnglish language proficiency in both spoken and written formStrong organizational, communication, and negotiating skillsManagement style that can adjust to unexpected shifts in or additions to the calendarProfessional approach to working within a complex, creative environment; experience with living artists a plusExcellent personnel management skills in alignment with the Museum’s values of building an inclusive and empathetic community of employeesAbility to manage multiple projects at different stages of development simultaneouslyGeneral knowledge of the critical path of exhibition developmentKnowledge of scheduling spreadsheets (Excel, Google sheets, Smartsheet), Autodesk software, and other project management software; imaging or drawing software such as Vectorworks, a plusKnowledge of conservation standards for artifact handling, storage and climate controlAbility to read blueprints and interpret design and construction drawings helpfulKnowledge of electrical, including audio/visual hardware, soldering, circuitry, and basic wiring a plusWORK ENVIRONMENTThe physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The environment may include:Museum environment involves both indoor and outdoor working conditionsAbility to travel between OMCA locations, and other travel as required by position responsibilitiesAbility to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekendsAbility to lift up to 50 lbs.Requires strenuous physical work including lifting, pushing and pullingModerate to loud noise from production events, machinery, equipment or vehiclesWorking near mechanical partsExposure to dirt, dust and fumesEEO STATEMENTThe Oakland Museum of California is dedicated to diversity, inclusion, accessibility and equity. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ability/disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We highly encourage our diverse community to apply for available employment, internship, fellowship and volunteer positions at the Museum, as we aim to ensure our staff reflects the diversity of our visitors and the surrounding community. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, OMCA will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.

Keywords: Oakland Museum of CA, Oakland , Associate Director, Production, Other , Oakland, California