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The Associate Director for Exhibitions & Education provides strategic leadership for the Ransom Center’s exhibitions program and other educational activities. Reporting to the Director, this role oversees a portfolio of interpretive initiatives including exhibitions, public programs and symposia, classroom instruction, and fellowships.

Working closely with the Director, senior leadership team, and unit heads within the portfolio, the Associate Director for Exhibitions & Education translates institutional strategy into coordinated programs that deepen engagement, build partnerships across campus, and expand public understanding and appreciation of the Center’s collections.  This position plans, coordinates, and manages the Center’s active schedule of public exhibitions and associated public programs.  In coordination with the Head of Instruction & Archival Engagement and Library Services staff, it oversees a robust program of classroom instruction with rare and unique primary sources, and in coordination with the Head of Education & Public Programs, it ensures consistently engaging visitor experiences.  The Associate Director for Exhibitions & Education collaborates with the Head of Fellowships & Scholarly Programs in the review, selection, and administration of the Center’s fellowship program which serves approximately fifty fellows a year.  The position works closely with exhibition curators, events staff, teaching faculty, speakers, and community partners to deliver consistently engaging experiences in the Center’s exhibition galleries, theatre, classrooms, and online. 

The Associate Director for Exhibitions & Education serves as a member of the Ransom Center’s senior leadership team and participates in setting institution-wide priorities and strategic directions.  The position manages the annual budget for the Exhibitions & Education Department and collaborates with development staff in securing exhibition sponsorships.

• Program Execution
  • Plan and manage the Center’s rotating exhibitions (2 to 4 per year), and with the support of the Registrar, oversee a national and international program of collection loans to peer research libraries and museums. 
  • In collaboration with the Director, the Head of Education & Public Programs, and Ransom Center leadership, develop an engaging series of readings, lectures, and other program offerings that amplify exhibition themes or engage public audiences with the Center’s collections.
  • In collaboration with the Head of Education & Public Programs and Visitors Services team offer rich engagement opportunities for all ages of learners. 
  • In collaboration with the Head of Instruction & Archival Engagement, provide rich instructional opportunities for the UT undergraduate and graduate student community. 
  • In collaboration with the Head of Fellowships & Scholarly Programs, manage a campus-focused works-in-progress series, the Flair Symposium, and other occasional symposia.
  • In collaboration with the Membership Manager, coordinate around exhibition opening member events and scheduling of 6 – 8 membership events annually.
  • Supervise, support, and provide guidance to department program leaders in setting goals, managing projects, and navigating operational challenges.
  • Foster a collaborative culture within and across the Exhibitions & Education Department.
  • Work closely with curatorial, collections, conservation, Reading Room, and operations teams to support integrated approaches to access and engagement.
  • Partner with communications and development colleagues to promote programs, and support exhibition sponsorship and other fundraising opportunities.

• Strategic Leadership for Exhibitions and Education
  • Provide vision and strategic direction for engagement initiatives that connect the institution’s collections with public audiences, teaching faculty, fellows, and students.
  • Plan and maintain the Center’s long-range exhibition plans (3 to 5 years ahead) and collaborate with, and provide guidance to, in-house and guest curators on exhibition development.
  • Ensure alignment of exhibitions and program offerings with the Center’s mission, strategic directions, and priorities. 
  • Monitor program outcomes and support data-informed improvements to engagement strategies.
  • Represent the Exhibitions and Education Department on the Center’s senior leadership team and collaborate with leadership on institutional directions and priorities. 

• External Partnerships & Representation
  • Cultivate relationships with faculty, researchers, cultural institutions, and community partners.
  • Represent the institution in collaborations related to exhibitions, teaching initiatives, fellowships, or public programs.

• Master’s degree or higher in one of the Ransom Center’s areas of collection strength (e.g., literature, theatre, film, photography, or art).
• At least seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in library or museum education and exhibitions.
• Experience leading major cross-departmental initiatives, institutional programs, exhibitions, or other complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and areas of expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic initiatives, manage multiple priorities, and collaborate effectively across departments and areas of expertise.
• Demonstrated experience supervising, mentoring, and developing professional staff and supporting teams through organizational or programmatic change.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with faculty, scholars, students, community partners, cultural organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated record of scholarly or professional publication.
• Flexibility of schedule with the ability to work on site on some weekends and evenings.
• Familiarity with museum exhibition best practices.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

• Experience providing strategic leadership across multiple engagement areas, such as exhibitions, instruction, fellowships, scholarly programs, public programming, or visitor services, preferably within an academic library, archives, museum, or cultural institution.
• Experience using program assessment, evaluation, and other evidence to inform strategic decision-making and improve engagement initiatives.
• Experience with collection management systems.

$110,000, non-negotiable

• Standard office conditions including repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.  

• Resume/CV

• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Importantfor applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.