Assistant Director, Collection Management and Art Services

ABOUT THE GALLERY

The National Gallery was first established in 1967 as the Commonwealth of Australia’s national cultural institution for the visual arts and opened to the public in October 1982. The National Gallery, based in Kamberri/Canberra, is the custodian of the national collection and is a vital part of the Australian cultural landscape. It has played a leadership role in shaping visual arts culture across Australia and regions and continues to develop exciting and innovative ways to engage people with the national art collection. 

Our Purpose is to collect, preserve, promote and share the national collection of art.  Our Vision is to be the international reference point for art in Australia, inspiring all people to explore, experience and learn.

The National Gallery is supporting the Australian Government’s National Cultural Policy – Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place through the Sharing the National Collection pilot project which focuses on sharing the national collection with regional and remote communities.

Find out more about the National Gallery through our Annual Reports and policies and plans

OUR STRUCTURE

The National Gallery is governed by the Council of the National Gallery of Australia (the Council) in accordance with the National Gallery Act 1975. The Council oversees and endorses the strategic planning and performance framework and monitors progress through regular reports on performance against the corporate plan.

The Director of the National Gallery is appointed by the Governor-General under the Act. The Director reports to the Council, and under their direction sets and manages the strategic direction of the National Gallery.

The Assistant Director, Collection Management and Art Services is a new position and will report to the Deputy Director, managing the artistic program portfolios, to achieve the vision and purpose of the Gallery.

The Senior Management Group is responsible for performance and corporate management of the National Gallery. The SMG currently comprises:

• Director
• Deputy Director
• Assistant Director, Marketing, Communications & Visitor Experience
• Assistant Director, Building Services & Infrastructure
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Operating Officer.

The SMG are supported by Department Heads (EL2 level) and their teams to help deliver on the Gallery’s purpose.

The new Assistant Director – Collection Management and Art Services will lead the following:

• Registration
• Conservation
• Strategic Collection Projects
• Research Library and Archives
• Provenance

WORKING AT THE GALLERY

When employed by the National Gallery of Australia you will have the opportunity to work with some of the world’s leading Australian and international art and artists. We are located in the National triangle on the waterfront and your lunchtimes can be spent in our beautiful sculpture garden or around Lake Burley Griffin.

We support flexible working practices, including working from home, and you will have access to low-cost, onsite car parking.

The National Gallery is committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of our people and we expect our people to share this commitment and work safely at all times.

We value the contribution that a diverse workforce brings and encourage people from a diverse background to apply. This might include identifying as First Nations peoples, people with a disability, culturally and linguistically diverse people and LGBTQIA+ people.

THE OPPORTUNITY

In accordance with the SES1 work level standards, you will:

• – Work closely with the Deputy Director, as a critical enabler of the Artistic Programs Portfolio at the National Gallery of Australia
• – Lead and take accountability for the Collection Management and Art Services departments and their associated functions
• – Actively plan, influence and create stakeholder relationships to achieve specific and set objectives and represent the National Gallery authoritatively internally and externally
• – Provide intellectual leadership and where necessary marshal expertise in the use of complex methods and techniques within the area of Collection Management and Art Services
• – Plan and manage budgeted resources.

REMUNERATION

Remuneration reflecting the importance of the role will be negotiated with the successful candidate. Remuneration will include:

• Base salary
• Superannuation (15.4%)
• Low-cost onsite parking available.

Other benefits may include:

• 18 days personal leave
• 20 days annual leave
• Flexible Working Arrangements
• Access to free annual flu vaccinations
• Relocation Assistance (if relevant)

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE

We are seeking an inspiring leader who will provide thought leadership, creativity, innovation and collegiality across the National Gallery. A warm and empathetic leadership style is essential; someone who is capable of motivating and inspiring colleagues across the organisation.

You will need to be forward thinking, self-motivated, resilient and adept at building relationships in a large, complex and fast-paced environment. Your strong leadership credentials and ability to engender trust and respect will be complemented by sound judgement, a strong focus on results and the ability to resolve complex issues in the cultural sector context. You will also have considerable museum experience, preferably in a collecting institution in the arts and culture sector in Australia. With management experience at a senior executive level, you will be experienced in providing strategic leadership and direction as well as building the capability of your team and the organisation more broadly.

Your application should focus on your experience or potential to develop the following:

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for this role please go to the National Gallery’s Careers portal.

You should provide a tailored CV (maximum of three pages) along with a statement of no more than two pages that outlines your skills, capabilities and experience, against the information above.

In your statement response you should keep in mind the capabilities and behaviours required to be successful for this role, as identified in the information above.  Try not to duplicate information that can be found in your CV but do highlight any specific examples or achievements that demonstrate your ability to perform the role.

Contact

Further information about the position may be obtained by contacting Alex Munnings at  deputy.director@nga.gov.au