Gallery Director

The University of Southern Mississippi is currently accepting applications for the position of Gallery Director.

Special Instructions to Applicants
The School of Performing Arts at USM is seeking a new Gallery Director. The Gallery of Art and Design is a university
educational exhibition space that has enjoyed a long history at USM. Over the
years, Art and Design’s exhibition program has presented numerous exhibitions
of national scope, including yearly juried exhibitions of contemporary art and
traveling exhibitions from private and public art collections. The gallery also
regularly presents Art and Design student and faculty exhibitions. The Gallery
is a 2000 sq. ft. contemporary space with dimmable track lighting, modular
walls, and a Unistrut ceiling grid for sculptural installations and suspended
works and serves as the primary exhibition space for The University of Southern
Mississippi Museum of Art. The University of Southern Mississippi maintains a
permanent art collection of more than two hundred works, is NAST, NASD, and
NASAD accredited, and the School of Performing and Visual Arts houses BA and
BFA programs in Theatre, Dance, and Art and Design.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the
United States on a full-time basis without the need for visa sponsorship. The
University will not sponsor applicants for work visas (e.g., H-1B).

Job Summary
The
Gallery Director provides leadership for the planning, curation, and
implementation of visual arts exhibitions and related programming for the Art
and Design program within the School of Performing and Visual Arts (SPVA).
Working collaboratively with faculty and the A&D Exhibitions Committee, the
position supports the University’s teaching mission through exhibitions,
lectures, receptions, and community outreach initiatives. The Gallery Director
oversees all gallery operations, including exhibition design and installation,
budget management, artwork handling and logistics, and event coordination. This
role supervises part-time gallery assistants and student workers to ensure
professional gallery operations. This full-time staff position may include an embedded
instructional load of up to one to two courses per semester, as needed. The
position requires a flexible work schedule that may include occasional evenings
and weekends.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities  

1. Plans,
   curates, installs, and deinstalls visual arts exhibitions and
   coordinates related programming in collaboration with faculty and the
   A&D Exhibitions Committee.
   
2. Oversees day-to-day gallery
   operations, including scheduling, exhibition logistics, budget
   management, artwork shipping and receiving, and vendor coordination.
   
3. Supervises, trains, and schedules part-time gallery assistants and student workers to ensure professional gallery operations.
   
4. Ensures
   the proper care, handling, and presentation of artwork and maintains
   safe, professional use of gallery facilities in accordance with industry
   standards.
   
5. Teaches up to one to two courses per semester as needed
   and collaborates with faculty, staff, and community partners to support
   academic and outreach goals.
   
6. Perform other duties as assigned.

• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, students, and community partners.
  
• Demonstrated supervisory and managerial skills, including the ability to mentor, train, and provide constructive feedback to student employees with varying skill levels.
  
• Knowledge of best practices in museum and gallery management, including exhibition planning, installation, and event coordination.
  
• Ability to manage budgets and facilitate expenditures in compliance with University policies and procedures.
  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, for scheduling, documentation, budgeting, and reporting purposes.
  
• Experience establishing work schedules, setting expectations, and overseeing gallery-related projects, exhibitions, and events.
  
• Ability to support marketing and promotional efforts for exhibitions and programs in collaboration with faculty and staff.
  
• Working knowledge of exhibition installation techniques, including the safe use of basic hand tools (e.g., tape measure, hammer, drill) and surface preparation methods such as sanding, spackling, and painting.
  
• Ability to safely lift and move exhibition materials and equipment and to work on ladders as required for installation and gallery setup.
  

About The University of Southern Mississippi
Since our founding in 1910, The University of Southern
Mississippi has remained dedicated to preparing
students for success. We deliver programs to more than 13,000 students
in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites across the
Mississippi Gulf Coast, as well as online. We
are a community-engaged Carnegie R1 university, earning distinction as one of
the nation's leading research institutions.

Southern Miss is known for pioneering work in
polymer science, ocean science, spectator sports safety and security, and bringing
language to children with communication disorders. We are also a national
leader in a broad range of disciplines, including cybersecurity, hydrography,
nutrition, aquaculture, kinesiology, and economic development, among others.

We produce graduates ready to enter
fields that are leading the way in emerging technologies through programs such
as computer engineering, information technology, and ocean engineering. We’re developing the next generation of
business leaders, while also responding to critical workforce shortages by
producing skilled professionals in education and nursing. With a tradition of
excellence in the arts, we are one of only 36 public institutions in the nation
accredited in four major areas of the arts. Home to the Golden Eagles, our
student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports. With a culture marked by passion and
persistence, Southern Miss is delivering graduates who are ready for life. For more information, visit www.usm.edu.