Chief Curator

About the Museum: Small Institution, Big Impact

The Mattatuck Museum is an art and regional history museum located on the historic Green in downtown Waterbury, CT. Founded as the Mattatuck Historical Society in 1877, the Museum opened its first display hall in 1912 and has been exhibiting art ever since.

The Mattatuck Museum is known for engaging its community in an understanding of the past and providing vision and leadership for the future through its exhibitions, programs, and collections of national significance. The Mattatuck is a small yet dynamic institution—a team of professionals doing big things. Candidates should thrive in an environment where all senior staff are expected to be hands-on and contribute to the institution's overall advancement.

The Mattatuck Museum’s collections span the history of American art and material culture. The museum holds special strengths in Connecticut art and artists, and Naugatuck Valley history, but is actively expanding collection holdings to better represent women, artists of color, Native artists, and LGBTQIA+ artists. The collection encompasses more than 8,000 objects including paintings, unique works on paper, photography, and sculpture, as well as objects, textiles, furnishings, ephemera, and archival holdings.

Exhibition planning is focused on mirroring the rich diversity of Waterbury and the larger region served, ensuring that programming is not limited to the geographical boundaries of Connecticut. The Mattatuck Museum seeks a Chief Curator who is passionate about presenting a broad, inclusive, and nationally relevant narrative through both exhibitions and collections.

About the Area

Waterbury, CT is 30 minutes southwest of Hartford, 40 minutes northwest of New Haven, 1 hour south of the Berkshires, 2 hours northeast of New York City, and 2.5 hours southwest of Boston, MA. Waterbury’s population is 114,403 (2020 census) and it is the second-largest city in New Haven County, Connecticut.

Position Summary

The Chief Curator is a highly engaged member of the Museum’s Senior Management Team and is required to work on-site. This position actively participates in shaping the organization’s vision and mission, directing its exhibition program, and is a key driver of institutional collaboration. This is not a siloed role; the Chief Curator must work across all departments to help advance the institution.

The Chief Curator leads the effort to build, present, care for, and conserve the Museum’s collections, and is responsible for the support and content of exhibitions and related efforts. The Chief Curator manages the Curatorial Department which includes the Collections Manager/Registrar and Archivist/Librarian. The Chief Curator also serves as the direct mentor to the Art Bridges Fellow, an emerging professional working with the Curatorial team to support museum collections, develop exhibitions, and implement visitor-focused strategies. The Art Bridges Fellow has just begun the second of a three-year placement at the museum.

As the lead spokesperson for the Museum’s collections and exhibitions, the incumbent must be at ease in a highly visible and public position. They must cultivate relationships with donors and collectors to build support for the Museum’s curatorial program through gifts, acquisitions, and exhibit fundraising.

Members of the management team are expected to devote a significant amount of time and energy to the successful fulfillment of their responsibilities. The Chief Curator must be prepared to work evenings and weekend hours, in addition to fulfilling the obligations of a routine workday. Occasional travel for work both within and beyond the region may also be required. Position contingent upon a satisfactory background check.

The Museum offers a full benefits package including vacation, personal, and holidays totaling 29 days; health and dental insurance; Health Savings Account with employer match, short- and long-term disability; 403(b) plan with employer match; free parking; and a complimentary annual membership to the Greater Waterbury YMCA; as well as support for professional development to qualified employees.

Primary Areas of Responsibility

Department Leadership & Mentorship

• In partnership with the Executive Director, manage the strategic direction of the department, ensuring alignment with the institutional strategic plan.
• Lead the curatorial team in presenting a dynamic program of exhibitions and collection installations annually.
• Mentor and supervise the Art Bridges Fellow, ensuring a valuable and professionally rigorous experience.
• Embrace a hands-on approach by actively assisting staff with the practical aspects of exhibition and collection work as a routine expectation of a senior staff member.
• With department staff assistance, oversee all aspects of exhibition production (i.e., schedules and other logistical matters) for originally conceived shows and those traveling from other institutions.
• Plan, develop, and manage departmental, exhibition, collection, and project budgets.
• Manage, mentor, and develop staff to implement best standards of care and protection for collections and loans.
• Work with the Executive Director to identify potential donors and pursue leads related to collections, exhibitions, and acquisitions.

Curatorial Vision, Content Authority, and Collaboration

• Work with the Executive Director to set the direction and master calendar for exhibitions.
• Serve as content authority for exhibitions, ensuring balance of schedule, scholarship, and value for audiences.
• Implement an institution-wide curatorial voice for the overall exhibition program.
• Identify the target audience for each exhibition and collaborate with the Marketing Department to ensure strong exhibition visitation.
• Champion a visitor-focused, audience-first approach to exhibition development, ensuring content is accessible, engaging, and relevant to the diverse Waterbury community.
• Collaborate with education staff early in the planning process to define learning objectives and develop an exhibition summary, integrating family interactives when appropriate to maximize grant funding opportunities.
• Conduct research, draft, and contribute to the final production of exhibit labels, didactics, and catalog essays.
• Work proactively and collaboratively with all departments (e.g., Education, Development, Marketing) to ensure the accuracy, quality, and impact of all public-facing content, programs, and funding requests.
• Maintain an active presence in the regional and national art community.

Scholarship and Collection Management

• Coordinate the gathering of information, records, and archival material associated with the collection and archives of the Museum.
• Supervise the department’s efforts to digitize the records and archives of the collection.
• Develop and implement a deaccession program to build funds for acquisition and to provide space for an upgraded collection.
• Work with the Collections Committee chair to set agendas, develop acquisition strategies, educate members, and enlist support for the Collection Plan.
• Plan and coordinate with the Collections Committee to develop a strong Collection Plan.
• Develop and oversee the scholarly content of publications for the Museum.
• Lead and work cross-departmentally to develop and implement a master plan for the presentation of the collection that speaks to a new generation of visitors while serving the needs of traditional audiences.
• Work cross-departmentally to develop and produce the Museum’s publications associated with the collection and exhibitions.

Education and Experience Requirements

• 5+ years of professional curatorial and/or art museum management experience in a leadership capacity.
• Bachelor’s degree in art, art history, museum studies, or a related field, supported by significant scholarship in the field including exhibitions, publications, and acquisitions (MA or Ph.D. preferred).
• A strong professional track record in museum administration, strategic planning, and building collaborative, cross-departmental relationships.
• Demonstrated experience in staff and/or post-graduate mentorship.
• Experience in donor cultivation and grant development.
• Ability to create and successfully manage an annual budget.
• Demonstrated project management skills, including the creation and implementation of project outcomes and schedules.
• Proficient in the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience with collections management software.