Exhibition Coordinator, Special Projects

About Us

At The Huntington, we believe that having a team of diverse backgrounds and voices working together will enable us to support and promote the appreciation of the humanities, the arts, and botanical science. The Huntington is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, disability, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal law.

The Huntington

Founded in 1919, The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens is a collections-based research and educational institution open to the public, housing world-class library, art, and botanical collections. Its mission is to support research and promote education in the arts, humanities, and botanical science and to display and interpret its extraordinary resources for diverse audiences.

The Culture

Here we are committed to the highest of standards in all that we do – from preserving and protecting the collections, to exhibitions, educational and scholarly programming, visitor and reader services, and beyond.  Achieving excellence across these pursuits requires a diversity of perspectives, expertise, experience, and methodologies. We are better together.  We believe an explicit commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion directly impacts and improves staff and audience engagement and experience. 

Job Description

About the Role

Reporting to the Head of Exhibition Management, this position will assist in the implementation of the exhibition program including permanent collection projects, rotations, touring exhibitions for The Huntington. The Exhibition Coordinator for Special Projects primary responsibility will be the project management of the inaugural permanent collection installations in the History of Science Hall, Main Hall and the special exhibition in the West Hall for the Library collections scheduled to open in 2029 in conjunction with the opening of the new Library and Art Building (LAB). In addition, the position will be responsible for assisting on other exhibitions and permanent collection installations, as well as provide administrative support. The position will work with appointed staff from Art Museum, Library, Botanical Gardens, Advancement, Finance, Communications, Facilities, Janitorial, Security, Preservation and Conservation, Education, Publications, Technology and Information Systems and the Store, in addition to various types of contractors, on-call staff, organizational partners and living artists.

S/he/they will demonstrate a background of working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds, using a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible approach.

This is a full-time, limited-term position, budgeted for 2-years.

Essential Duties

• Coordinate meetings and other planning throughout all stages of assigned exhibition and permanent collection projects with a focus to in-gallery implementation; work with curatorial, designers, contributing departments, other independent contractors daily to manage projects from implementation to opening and closing of exhibition.

• Prepare project documents including project directory, implementation schedule with deadlines, meeting agendas, action items and other documents as required for each assigned project to ensure information and deadlines are distributed and met.

• Work with curators and assigned registrar to obtain object checklists, images, exhibition text for purposes of design, object preparation, packing/shipping and installation, preservation and conservation requirements, editing, publication planning, marketing and promotion, interpretation and education. – oversee this process

• Prepare independent contractor agreements and other necessary agreements for assigned projects and monitor compliance with terms of agreement; process contracts, documentation and invoices to Huntington procedures. Facilitate on-site work of independent contractors.

• Work with Head of Exhibition Management to monitor and ensure assigned project budgets are met; distribute contributing department budgets, provide tracking documents for budget and financial reconciliations for assigned projects.

• Work with Head of Exhibition Management, Senior Exhibition Coordinators, Exhibition Coordinator to distribute guidelines and procedures related to the implementation of exhibitions and reports as required by internal departments, partner organizations, living artists, organizing venues, participating venues, and lenders.

• Assist with coordination of touring exhibitions with venues, this includes working with curators on exhibition tour proposals, drafting correspondence, preparation and tracking of contracts for touring exhibitions, including issuing invoices, tracking payments and compiling necessary reports. Assist with preparation of exhibition tour schedule and reconciliation, working closely with registrars and other depts. as needed.

• Perform administrative duties required to maintain effectiveness and efficiency of the department including streamlining procedures, processing invoices, ordering supplies, and organizing and maintaining files.

• May perform other related duties as assigned and as determined by the unique needs of a project; occasionally including image reproduction requests and copyright clearance.

Candidate Requirements and Experience

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Art, Art History, Museum Studies, or a related field

• Minimum of one to three years of experience coordinating exhibitions in an Art Museum, Library or other cultural Institution.

• Excellent communication skills, including oral, written, editing and proofreading. Demonstrated ability to compose routine business correspondence with correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

• Highly organized, efficient, and attentive to detail, with excellent follow-up skills.

• Self-starting, resourceful, proactive, and motivated in performing and excelling in responsibilities.

• Skill in organizing work, defining tasks, setting priorities, working independently and following through on all assignments with minimal direction.

• Ability to work in fast-paced environment, under pressure and on multiple projects at one time

• Ability to prioritize and adjust heavy workload, manage a variety of tasks, and meet various deadlines with changing priorities, frequent interruptions, and conflicting deadlines.

• Excellent interpersonal skills to interact diplomatically and establish and maintain cooperative working relationships internally and externally.

• Creative problem-solving skills, with meticulous attention to detail.

• Ability to discreetly and tactfully recognize and handle sensitive and confidential information.

• Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office programs, Adobe acrobat and preferably Adobe design programs, knowledge of collections management database (The Museum System).

• Some knowledge of or fluency in Chinese or Spanish is preferred.

• Maintain and preserve appropriate and orderly filing systems.

Working Conditions  

• The Huntington is an extensive and diverse campus; the Exhibition Coordinator will work in an office environment but will be required to walk across grounds to various galleries and stand for periods of time.

• Pay Rate/ Range: $29.50 - $31.00/hr. Commensurate on experience.

• Medical, Dental, Vision  

• 403(b) retirement plan and matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match 

• Hybrid remote work schedule available for applicable positions 

• Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and holidays 

• Discounts for staff in The Huntington Store and restaurants 

• Free admission to various museums and cultural institutions 

• Free passes each month to welcome family and friends to visit the grounds 

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