Robert A. and Elizabeth Rohn Jeffe Chief Curator & Deputy Director

BACKGROUND

The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY, or the Museum) explores the city through the lenses of history, art, popular culture, and civic engagement. For more than 100 years, the Museum has interpreted the city’s past, present, and future through exhibitions, programming, partnerships, and a collection of approximately 750,000 objects. It is also known for its robust programming for K-12 students and educators through its Frederick A.O. Schwarz Education Center. The Museum currently employs 80 full-time and 53 part-time staff and operates on an annual budget of $18 million.

POSITION

The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) seeks a visionary and strategic Chief Curator & Deputy Director to shape and lead the Museum's curatorial and content initiatives as it enters a transformative era. Working under the dynamic leadership of Director and President Stephanie Hill Wilchfort, the Chief Curator & Deputy Director will drive the creation of compelling, immersive, and meaningful experiences that resonate with diverse audiences and celebrate the complex history and culture of New York City. This role oversees a team of approximately 25 responsible for all exhibitions, public programs, educational offerings, and collection initiatives.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Curatorial Vision and Programmatic Direction

• Craft a distinctive and forward-looking curatorial vision that honors MCNY’s legacy while expanding its appeal through innovative exhibitions, collections strategies, and partnerships to broaden the Museum’s reach and deepen engagement with new and existing audiences.
• Direct the senior leaders and the teams responsible for the development and implementation of all exhibitions, interactive experiences, educational content, and publications, providing creative oversight and mentorship to curators and content creators.
• Lead the vision for MCNY’s collections, overseeing acquisitions and deaccessions, and work alongside collections staff to establish and maintain collection policies, including a long-term strategy for off-site storage.
• Ensure that public programs and educational offerings complement and expand upon exhibition themes, engaging audiences while upholding the Museum’s intellectual and artistic standards.
• Serve on the leadership team, advising the Director on key institutional policies, objectives, and organizational planning, and overseeing budgets for curatorial, exhibition, collection, education, and public program departments in collaboration with the CFO.
• Establish productive working relationships with the Board and key committees involved in strategy, exhibitions, programs, and collections.

External Relations and Fundraising

• Represent MCNY in the public sphere, including the media and scholarly community, positioning the Museum as a thought leader in curatorial and cultural discourse.
• Actively contribute to academic and public discussions through publications and appearances at industry conferences, furthering MCNY’s reputation within the museum field. www.pbrsearch.com [email protected].
• Support the Director in cultivating donor relationships and securing funding for exhibitions and programming initiatives.
• Partner with the Director and the marketing team to elevate MCNY’s brand, shaping its visual identity, audience experience, and narrative voice.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate is a visionary curator, strategic leader, and experienced manager with an established reputation in the curatorial, arts, academic, or media sectors and a commitment to interdisciplinary and innovative programming. Preferred qualifications include:

• Demonstrated experience leading curatorial or content strategies in a museum or similar setting, with a record of driving engaging content that boosts audience reach and participation.
• Significant executive management experience, especially in structuring and leading complex teams to deliver large-scale, multi-dimensional projects.
• Proven ability to expand artistic programs in alignment with an organization’s values and strategic goals; expertise in design and development of exhibitions, immersive experiences, or other cultural platforms preferred.
• High emotional intelligence, with proven skills in presenting complex ideas clearly and navigating diverse relationships and perspectives.
• A broad, inclusive vision and intellectual curiosity, with a track record of exploring diverse curatorial practices and content formats.
• Extensive knowledge of and passion for New York City’s history, arts, popular culture, or urban planning strongly preferred.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills.
• A Ph.D. or advanced degree in a field relevant to MCNY’s mission strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of collections management and acquisition practices is an advantage.

COMPENSATION

• Anticipated salary of $275,000+; commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefit package; pension plan.

Frequently cited statistics show that women and people from underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they think they meet 100% of the criteria. If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for the role,MCNY encourages you to apply.

MCNY is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies. In addition, MCNY will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.