Senior Director of Programs, Calder Gardens

Description:

The inaugural Senior Director of Programs will be responsible for bringing to life the novel and progressive vision of Calder Gardens, a new institution opening on Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia in fall 2025 uniting the art of Alexander Calder with nature and architecture to create an oasis that invites introspection and nurtures human connection.

The Senior Director of Programs will curate and implement a robust program of nontraditional performances, events, and contemplative activities that connect Calder’s legacy with the art and culture of the twenty-first century in creative and expansive ways. They will be responsible for developing, implementing, and assessing a wide range of time-based art, education, and wellness programs designed to introduce and amplify the unique Calder Gardens experience to new and diverse audiences.  

Calder Gardens will be operated by the neighboring Barnes Foundation. The Senior Director of Programs will be the senior staff member on site as well as a member of the Barnes’ senior management team. Reporting to the President and Executive Director of the Barnes Foundation and working in close collaboration with the Calder Foundation, the Senior Director of Programs will serve as the primary liaison for external communications and point of contact for exhibitions, education, community engagement, advancement, marketing, editorial, event management, retail operations, and guest and protection services teams.

Qualifications:

• Masters in art history, education, fine arts, or related field, and at least six years’ work experience in a community or museum programming role, including prior staff supervisory experience; OR bachelor’s degree plus seven years related work experience;
• Possess an extensive network in the international programming landscape; 
• Commitment to long-term sustained relationship building with external collaborators;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Experience in managing, working with, and assessing direct reports;
• Superior project management skills to successfully design and organize many programs concurrently;
• Commitment to foster, promote, and drive inclusion in the arts.

Job Duties:

• Oversees all aspects of curating Calder Gardens programs each year, including understanding audience goals and coordinating internal communication about upcoming programming;
• Works closely with the Calder Foundation on all programmatic matters;
• Researches events at other museums with similar audience goals throughout the United States and internationally; monitors trends and best practices;
• Coordinates ongoing evaluation of Calder Gardens programs with the evaluation and impact and guest and protection services teams; disseminates findings to Calder Foundation and Barnes stakeholders;
• Develops the annual contributed and earned revenue plan for Calder Gardens in collaboration with the Barnes Foundation’s Chief Operating Officer, SVP, Deputy Director for Advancement, and Chief Financial Officer;
• Develops, tracks, and monitors the Calder Gardens annual expense budgets;
• Supervises and meets regularly with the Programming Assistant and other onsite staff to provide ongoing guidance; 
• Oversees communication with the event management team regarding needed logistics for programs, including scheduling, pricing, layouts, and event flow according to established guidelines and workflow agreed upon by collaborating parties;
• Works with the Deputy Director for Community Engagement to identify community partners and coordinate communications and opportunities for those groups;
• Oversees departmental collaboration with collection and education staff on developing programs that complement rotating exhibitions;
• Works closely with marketing, communication, and membership teams to promote programs;
• Performs other duties as requested.

About Calder Gardens:

Calder Gardens unites the art of Alexander Calder with nature and architecture to create an oasis that invites introspection and nurtures human connection. Featuring a building designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning firm Herzog & de Meuron and gardens by internationally acclaimed landscape designer Piet Oudolf, Calder Gardens will present a rotating selection of masterworks from the Calder Foundation, New York.

About the Barnes:  

Established as an educational institution, the Barnes Foundation carries out its mission by promoting appreciation of the arts and horticultural science through the preservation, presentation, and interpretation of the collections of Albert C. and Laura L. Barnes.

The Foundation engages diverse audiences through high-quality programs, including numerous special exhibitions and commissions, that reflect the range of the collection and our founders’ innovative educational vision.

Competitive Benefits Include:

Starting Salary: $110-125,000/year plus generous benefits.

Group health, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; short- and long-term disability and group life insurance; 403(b) with matching employer contributions; Employee Assistance Program; voluntary benefits; as well as paid vacation, personal time, sick time, and holidays.

Schedule: 

Full-time position, with a minimum of three days per week onsite at Calder Gardens in Philadelphia, PA. Up to two days per week remote work permitted for residents of one of these states: PA, NJ, DE, NY.

Please include a cover letter and an updated resume with your application, along with salary expectations.

The Barnes Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we’re committed to diversity and equal opportunity in our recruitment and hiring. Qualified candidates of all backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply for this position. Employees have rights under other laws including, but not limited to, the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Employee Polygraph Protection Act. We participate in E-Verify.