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Home > Opportunities > Museum Director – San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
Organization
The San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles (Museum) is the first museum in the United States to focus exclusively on quilts and textiles as an art form and stands proudly in the worlds of both art and craft. The mission of the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles is to preserve, celebrate, and promote knowledge about quilts and textiles, their creation, their beauty, and their relationship to human culture and expression.
Founded in 1977 and incorporated in 1991 as a 501c3, the Museum’s California-focused permanent collection comprises more than 1,400 objects, including historic and contemporary quilts, world textiles, and wearable art. The Museum has cultivated an environment that allows it to present makers both as finely skilled artisans and as professional contemporary artists who reflect on and display social matters within their work. Many of its exhibitions highlight the connection between fiber arts and current cultural, political, and environmental issues, such as Guns: Loaded Conversations,” (2018) an exploration of U.S. gun rights, violence, and history; and the upcoming Queer Threads, (2023) featuring contemporary works by U.S. LGBTQIA textile artists. Museum exhibitions, representing both local and world textile pieces and historic and contemporary art works, appeal to the diversity of Bay Area residents and tourists.
The Museum is an anchor cultural institution in San Jose’s downtown South of Market Area (SoFA). Prior to pandemic closures, the Museum hosted 18 to 20 exhibitions annually, along with related workshops, lectures, panels, performances, docent-led tours, and other events. The Museum has historically welcomed 12,000 local, national, and international visitors and has served 500 K-12 students and their families annually. Admission is free to the public on SoFA First Fridays and the Museum typically attracts more than 300 visitors in an evening.
The Museum is committed to providing a welcoming environment for all and strives to create an inclusive educational, cultural, and artistic space through on-going practice and reflection in the following areas:
Exhibitions & Interpretation
Collections Stewardship
Education & Community Outreach
Visitor Experience
Governance & Support Organizations
Work Environment
Development & Institutional Giving
At a critical juncture for renewal and growth, the Museum’s Board of Directors has set goals to expand and diversify programming, membership, and community connections with an enhanced commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Museum’s board and staff leadership teams actively participated in the American Alliance of Museum’s Facing Change Initiative to diversify museum boards and leadership, amplifying the Museum’s commitment to building an inclusive culture that more closely reflects the San Jose community.
The Museum’s operating budget for 2021-22 was approximately $750,000 and is led by a Board of Directors, Chaired by Melissa Leventon. The Museum is a proud partner, and receives support from, donors, members and sponsors including San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs, SVCreates, Veggielution, School of Arts and Culture/Mexican Heritage Plaza, Applied Materials, The David and Lucille Packard Foundation, Cal Humanities, Heritage Bank, California Natural Resources Agency, and The Alberta S. Kimball – Mary L. Anhaltzer Foundation.
Community
Populated by more than a million residents, San Jose is the third largest city in California, the 10th largest city in the United States, and the county seat of Santa Clara County—the most affluent county in California. It is a vibrant city at the south end of the San Francisco Bay and is considered the “Capital of Silicon Valley.”. Silicon Valley is an iconic hub of innovation, creativity, and technology—home to thousands of tech start-up companies and headquarters to many of the largest high-tech companies in the world, such as Apple, Google, Applied Materials, Intel, and Zoom.
With a Mediterranean climate and more than 300 days of sunshine each year, outdoor activities are a local favorite. San Jose features 193 regional and city parks and gardens, including 60 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and walking. In addition, San Jose’s vibrant dining scene offers a kaleidoscope of authentic global flavors with more than 250 dining and entertainment options.
Diversity is the most frequently mentioned element of San Jose’s culture, both as a demographic fact and as a long-held civic commitment. Two-thirds of San Jose’s residents are either foreign-born or have foreign-born parents, representing 176 of the 194 nations in the world. More than half of the adults living in Silicon Valley hold a college degree.
San Jose State University is part of the California State University system and offers intellectual, artistic, and commercial opportunities to its 30,000 students and the broader community. In 2020, San Jose State was named the most transformative college in the United States by Money magazine. Other nearby educational institutions include Santa Clara University, Stanford University, and the University of California, Berkeley.
Sources: census.gov; sanjose.org; sanjoseca.gov/home; sjsw.edu
Position Summary
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Museum Director will lead the Museum through an exciting period of growth and stabilization. With board and staff, the Director will rebuild the visitor experience and programs by creating deeper and authentic connections with former and new community, school, and corporate partners. The Director will maximize new revenue streams while stewarding existing supporters of the Museum. The Director will oversee the local, national, and international reputation of the Museum and champion its mission, building trust and positive relationships with its diverse constituencies.
Roles and Responsibilities
Leadership
Financial Sustainability
Community Engagement
Planning, Organization, and Operations
Board of Directors
Traits and Characteristics
The Director will be an assertive, decisive leader driven by experience and practical results which maximize resources and efficiency. An effective communicator, they are receptive to new ideas, concepts, and ways of approaching material. They can systemically analyze information, look at all aspects of a situation, and evaluate the consequences of their decisions.
Other key competencies include:
Qualifications
Qualified candidates must have demonstrated success in a leadership position, ideally in a cultural organization, and maintained a proven track record as an effective fundraiser. A minimum of five years of senior nonprofit management experience is required alongside a demonstrated commitment to community inclusion and social change. Museum leadership experience, an advanced degree in the fine arts or arts education, is a plus.
Compensation and Benefits
The Museum provides a competitive and equitable compensation package, with a salary range between $120,000 and $145,000, commensurate with experience. A comprehensive range of benefits includes paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, health insurance, and the quality of life that the San Jose Area has to offer.
Applications and Inquiries
To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/employment. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact:
Nan Keeton, Senior Vice President
268 Bush Street, Suite 4100
San Francisco, CA 94104
Tel (888) 234.4236 Ext. 203
Email SJMQT@ArtsConsulting.com
The staff and board of San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles are devoted to cultivating a welcoming space for all visitors across race, age, ethnicity, abilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, political affiliation, religion, geography, or culture.
San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles is a progressive, equal opportunity employer.
All candidates are encouraged to apply.