| Additional Information | |
| Position Description |
Application Deadline: February 28, 2018
Start Date: August 1, 2018
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery seeks a dynamic, inspiring Executive Director to lead this contemporary ceramic and glass gallery as it grows and develops new audiences with greater outreach into the community, and onto the national and the international stage. The Executive Director will work to fulfil the Gallery’s artistic vision, tell its story, advocate publicly for the Gallery and lead development efforts to support the expansion of its programs and to ensure the Gallery’s financial stability.
The Executive Director is responsible for leading and mentoring a dedicated team of staff professionals, and for building strong collaborative relationships with other galleries and community partners, locally and in a wider context. The Executive Director will effectively manage the operation of the Gallery, adhere to Board policy and carry out its strategic vision. The Executive Director will report to a committed and engaged Board of Directors.
ABOUT THE GALLERY
With an emphasis on Canadian artists, the Gallery brings exhibitions to the public that are grounded in craft processes, engaged in contemporary experimentation and meaningful to diverse audiences. By exhibiting and collecting contemporary works in ceramics and glass, the Gallery inspires dialogue, critical discourse and new ways of thinking. The Gallery is committed to supporting artists at all stages of their career, from emerging to established, and actively seeks to feature artists from diverse cultural backgrounds. The Gallery’s media specificity is its distinguishing characteristic and greatest strength. Through exhibitions that address issues relevant to our times and intriguing public programs that engage, educate and inspire, we are accessible to all. The Gallery Shop, a fine-craft gallery in its own right, is an integral part of the Gallery, featuring exclusively Canadian artists from across the country. Having adopted a national mandate in the early stages of its organizational development, the Gallery continues to develop its reputation as a national centre of research, scholarship and artistic excellence.
GALLERY BACKGROUND
The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery opened in 1993 in a purpose-built, award-winning building designed to showcase contemporary Canadian ceramic and glass art. Now in its 25th year, it has recently undergone a $1.3 million renovation to bring the Gallery to a new standard of excellence. The Gallery is supported by the City of Waterloo, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts, along with corporate, foundation and individual funders.
LOCATED IN WATERLOO REGION
The Gallery is located in Waterloo Region, an area of entrepreneurship, collaboration, fresh ideas, innovation, world-class technology, arts activity, economic initiatives and educational excellence on a world-class scale. Waterloo is one of the fastest-growing regions in Canada.
KEY FUNCTIONS
The successful Executive Director will raise the profile of the Gallery locally, nationally and internationally; lead its artistic vision; implement its recently completed Strategic Plan; lead its next level development and fund-raising; lead connections with other galleries; lead the Gallery to more diverse audiences; communicate the Gallery mandate; advocate for the Gallery; incorporate a digital strategy into the Gallery’s offering; and manage all administrative and functional assets of the Gallery.
REQUIREMENTS
- 5-10 years experience as a senior manager in an visual arts institution
- advanced degree in arts/arts administration or equivalent education or experience
- in-depth knowledge of contemporary Canadian and international art
- in-depth knowledge of best practices for Gallery management
- strong leadership and mentorship skills and the ability to lead a team
- the ability to forge innovative collaborations with other galleries and community partners
- creativity and ability to develop programming to reach a wider, more diverse audience and engage with them in a meaningful way
- demonstrated experience in securing major gifts and stewarding donor relationships
- an optimistic problem-solver
Interested applicants are invited to submit, in confidence, a letter of application, and a detailed résumé outlining their qualifications for this position, along with names, titles, and contact information for their three professional references.
Canadians, permanent residents, and/or foreign nationals with a valid work permit will be given priority consideration. The Gallery is committed to employment equity and diversity and encourages applications from culturally diverse persons, Indigenous persons, Deaf persons and persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.
Applications should be submitted electronically in a single PDF file to the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery Executive Director Search Committee at: [email protected]
We would like to thank all applicants for their interest in this position but regret that we are only able to personally contact those individuals whose backgrounds best match the requirements of the position.
