Director of Collections

About the job

Job Title: Director of Collections

Department: Collections and Exhibitions

Section: Contents

Unit: Collections

Reporting to: Senior Director of Collections and Exhibitions

Project Overview:

Join a team of dedicated professionals to create a new landmark museum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that will showcase the cultures of the world like no other place, combining extraordinary artefacts with cutting edge technology, innovative interpretation and inclusive public engagement. The project is a key element in the Kingdom's Vision 2030 agenda. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a project of national significance and global impact.

Job Purpose

The Director of Collections is responsible for shaping and implementing the Museum’s curatorial vision through the development, research, presentation, and interpretation of its collection. The jobholder will lead a team of curators in planning and delivering long-term displays, making the collection accessible to diverse audiences both physically and digitally. A key priority is the development of a comprehensive collecting strategy that supports the Museum’s thematic and global curatorial concept, covering cultures across continents and oceans, from deep history to the present. The Director will cultivate long-term partnerships with public and private collections around the world to secure major loans that enhance the Museum’s holdings and public offer. In addition, the role includes fostering international curatorial networks, initiating collaborative research, and contributing to the Museum’s engagement with scholarly and public audiences alike.

Roles and Responsibilities

Strategy and Planning

• Develop collection acquisition strategies based on verifiable research, and set standards, guidelines, and tools for the development of the collections through acquisitions and loans in line with museum’s curatorial narrative.
• Develop a strategy for academic research on the collection, and for the publication of research in print and digital.
• Ensure that research outcomes inform all interpretation of the collection across the galleries (label, panels, screens etc.) as well as online.
• Develop a strategy to make the collection accessible and researchable online.
• Ensure the development of a Collections business plan, functional objectives and KPIs.
• Drive the achievement of the Collections strategy, objectives and KPIs to enhance overall performance and increase operational efficiency.
• Develop regular reports on Collections’ progress and outputs, in line with reporting requirements, to be shared with relevant stakeholders.
• Contribute to the museum strategies and objectives.

Budget Management

• Develop, manage, and monitor the Collections budget in collaboration with the Finance Department.
• Advocate for funding and secure additional resources to support Collection initiatives, preparing grant applications and reports as needed in collaboration with Advancement.

Policies, Processes, and Procedures

• Guide the development of Collections’ policies, processes, and procedures ensuring alignment with best practices and legislative requirements.
• Oversee the implementation of procedures and controls to ensure efficiency, transparency, and accountability across all business areas within the Collections.
• Identify improvement and corrective measures that can be adopted to optimize the benefits of developed policies, processes, and procedures.

Functional Accountabilities

• Set and implement curatorial strategies, standards, and guidelines for the museum's collection, ensuring alignment with the museum's vision and mission.
• Define and implement acquisition policies and strategies for the museum's collection, based on the museum's target themes taking current art market trends into account.
• Ensure compliance with legal and ethical considerations related to collection acquisitions.
• Ensure proper allocation of resources, budget, and personnel across the Department, addressing any escalated issues and making strategic decisions as needed.
• Cultivate strong relationships with collectors, organizations, and other stakeholders to enhance opportunities for acquisition, collaboration, long term loans, sharing of collections, and general support.
• Attend meetings to negotiate partnership, acquisitions, and collection loan agreements with peer institutions, both domestically and internationally, to expand the museum's collection and collaborations in coordination with the legal team.
• Define acquisition methods (purchase, contract, gift, exchange etc.) and develop procedures for each method to standardize operations.
• Conduct research across the global market for art works and cultural and historical artifacts to prepare acquisition under optimal conditions (value for money).
• Coordinate with Director of Exhibitions to capitalize on potential synergies when organizing loans for the permanent display and for temporary exhibitions from the same public institutions and private collections.
• Monitor and guide the operation of the digital register, facilitating the identification and tracking of the museum's owned and loaned collections and artifacts.
• Oversee the generation of original academic research on the collection, ensuring its conformance to elevated quality.
• standards and alignment with the museum's vision and mission.
• Ensure publication of research on the collection and museum interpretation in the galleries, in print and digital.
• Ensure the required proper provision of support and guidance to L1 leads within the museum to secure the achievement of the museum’s aspirations and objectives.
• Monitor and evaluate the implementation and operations of the museum’s collections efforts to identify and implement improvement opportunities.

Stakeholder Management

• Identify, build, and strengthen strategic networks and alliances with local and international entities that enable the achievement of related strategic and functional objectives.
• Attend related forums and seminars to enrich network and learn about the latest developments and opportunities.
• Review and approve progress reports, highlighting key updates and insights, and ensure proper communication with relevant stakeholders.

People Management

• Live by the organization values, ethical standards, and governance.
• Manage and support team members in performing their tasks in line with established policies and procedures.
• Guide, mentor, and develop the Collections team to ensure continuous growth and achievement of functional objectives.
• Set clear performance goals, provide regular feedback, and support professional development through coaching and formal evaluations.
• Delegate authority appropriately to empower team members and encourage accountability.
• Contribute to workforce planning, recruitment, and performance management while promoting employee engagement and motivation.
• Foster a high-performance, inclusive, and collaborative work culture aligned with the museum’s values.
• Promote innovation and contribute to a positive, inspiring, and diverse workplace.
• Maintain high personal standards and ensure excellence across the section.

Job Qualifications and Requirements

Knowledge and Experience

• Required experience: A minimum of 8 years of professional experience with at least 4 years of experience in a leadership position in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Preferred additional experience: Working in a major art institution, working with collections on a strategic level.
• Language requirements: Excellent oral and writing skills in English, and preferably also Arabic.

Education and Certifications

• Required education: Master or PhD in Art History, Cultural History, Archaeology, Museum Studies, or equivalent.
• Preferred additional education: Additional scholarly or managerial qualifications in an international context. Further qualifications in Museum Management.

Personal capabilities and qualifications

• Strategic thinking
• Excellent management skills
• Strong in relationship management and trust-building
• Strong in implementation
• Good collaboration and communication skills across departments
• Generous in sharing expertise, experience, and knowledge
• Contributes to a positive working environment, attentive to colleagues and supportive of their development.
• High working capacity and outstanding resilience
• Solution- and result-oriented
• Efficient, structured, and systematic
• Works independently.
• Impeccable probity, integrity, honesty, and loyalty
• Professional, humble, reliable
• Ambitious, open, innovative, responsible, and realistic
• Good presentation skills
• Personal suitability for the position will be emphasized.