Exhibition Design and Workshop Manager

ABOUT THE GALLERY

The National Gallery is one of Australia’s leading visual arts institutions. The National Gallery is based in Canberra and is a vital part of the Australian cultural landscape. Our Purpose is to collect, preserve, promote and share the national collection of art. The Vision of the National Gallery is to be the international reference point for art in Australia, inspiring all people to explore, experience and learn. Our Values include Boldness, Integrity, Respect and Excellence.

 

WORKING AT THE GALLERY

When you work at the National Gallery you will be exposed to 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.

 

OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE

This position reports to the Head of Creative Studio and is responsible for the management of the Exhibition Design and the Workshop Teams. The role is responsible for developing and maintaining the workflows and project management of design and production for all permanent collection changeovers, temporary exhibitions, displays, touring exhibitions and other exhibition and design related projects as required. The position is also responsible for maintaining the database of exhibition design assets and ensuring that the Gallery’s procurement rules are followed by the section.

The role of Exhibition Design and Workshop Manager is a fixed-term, full-time role for 1-year and sits within the Creative Studio team, with a possibility of becoming an Ongoing position.

 

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE

Our ideal candidate is a highly experienced and motivated design professional who is looking to become part of the Creative Studio team responsible for delivering the Artistic Program for the National Gallery. You are highly organised and accustomed to meeting deadlines, and have highly developed written and verbal communication skills. You demonstrate high proficiency in computer literacy, particularly in Vector Works, the Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office. Importantly, you are consistent, reliable and independent problem solver.

With a proven background producing high quality design outcomes for exhibitions, you will have worked in a similar role, ideally in an arts and cultural setting. You are capable and experienced working with design professionals, project managers and contractors to deliver high quality outcomes and innovative solutions. You will have considerable experience in procurement, contract management and production.

Our ideal candidate has demonstrated knowledge and experience in fabrication techniques applicable to exhibition design and workshop deliverables. You will bring strong organisational skills in developing, monitoring and maintaining production schedules. The ability to manage and prioritise multiple tasks simultaneously is essential as well as the ability to problem solve and navigate production challenges. You are solutions-orientated, resilient and agile working in a dynamic and busy environment.

You will be a team player and a clear communicator, enjoy and excel at fostering strong, positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders. You will bring a positive attitude and operate efficiently and with integrity. Experience working in a cultural institution and understanding of the Commonwealth Procurement Rules is highly desirable.

 

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

In accordance with the EL1 work level standards, and under leadership of the Head of Creative Studio, the Exhibition Design and Workshop Manager will:

• Manage the staff and associated activities of the Exhibition Design and Workshop business units
• Lead and participate in departmental meetings, contribute to broader Creative Studio team, Marketing, Communications and Visitor Experience Portfolio and Executive Level leadership across the Gallery.
• Apply a strategic and forward planning focus to design and production activities, providing advice to the Head of Creative Studio, exhibition managers and senior stakeholders around opportunities and improvements.
• Manage workflows, communicate concepts through to detailed specification to successfully deliver all aspects of Exhibition Design and Workshop services.
• Develop and oversee specifications schedules and budgets.
• Oversee procurement and contracting of design and production services, adhering to the Commonwealth Procurement Rules.
• Manage production and fabrication in collaboration with contracted designers, consultants and contracted fabricators, researching production techniques and materials, workflows and scheduling within the National Gallery project management framework.
• Coordinate reviews and approvals to ensure compliance and timeliness and accuracy of deliverables.

 

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

To be successful in this role you will need to demonstrate, or have the ability to develop the following:

Inspire a sense of purpose and direction by providing direction to others regarding the purpose and importance of their work. You will illustrate the relationship between operational tasks and the Gallery’s goals.

Be strategically focused by understanding the Gallery’s objectives and aligning your operational requirements accordingly. You can consider the ramifications of issues and longer-term impact of own work and work area.

Ensure closure and deliver on intended results by seeing projects through to completion. Monitor project progress and adjust plans as required. You are committed to achieving quality outcomes.

Nurture internal and external relationships by building and sustaining relationships and networks with key stakeholders. You will be proactive in your work and be responsive to internal and external client needs.

Demonstrate public service professionalism by adopting a principled approach and adhere to the National Gallery’s values and code of conduct in all that you do. You are professional and impartial and operate within the boundaries of National Gallery’s processes and legal obligations.

 

 

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for this role please forward your CV, statement and personal particulars form to [email protected].

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.

As part of your application process, we ask that you also complete the personal particulars form as well.

An order of merit may be established from this selection process and may be used to fill future identical vacancies over the next 12 months. Selection may be based on application and referee reports only. If you do not wish to be added to an order of merit, please notify us in your application.

 

ELIGIBILITY:

Citizenship – To be eligible for employment with the Gallery, you must be an Australian citizen.

Police Check – To be eligible for this role you must complete a police check.

 

WORK, HEALTH & SAFETY OBLIGATIONS

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.

This role is required to ensure that they meet duty of care obligations as required under WHS legislation. This is achieved by:

• being accountable and taking ownership of health and safety matters within their control or ability to promote a culture of health and safety within the National Gallery
• working with colleagues to enhance health and safety and ensure that it becomes a part of everyday National Gallery business.
• completing health and safety reporting in an accurate and timely manner.

CONTACT

Further information about the position may be obtained by contacting Daryl West-Moore, Head of Creative Studio at [email protected].