Discovery Days Volunteers at The Minneapolis Institute of Art

Overview:

As a Discovery Days Volunteer at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, you will play a vital role in providing engaging and educational experiences for K-5 students visiting our museum. You will facilitate discussions and activities with young people and inspire them to explore and appreciate art. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the cultural enrichment of children through volunteer service.

Adults also participate in Discovery Days, but the program is designed primarily for children as an alternative to a guided tour experience.

We are seeking greater diversity in our volunteer guide program to better reflect the demographics of the schools we serve. We want students to see themselves at the museum.

Education staff prepare talking points, discussion questions, and activities for volunteers. Training will be provided on art engagement techniques and strategies, grade-age characteristics, DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion), cultural fluency, and content specific to Discovery Days.

Commitment:

1. Volunteer as a Discovery Days Volunteer for a minimum of one year, renewable each year. 
2. Volunteer for a four-hour shift (typically 9:30 am -1:30 pm), on Wednesdays, at least two times per month throughout the year, especially January through May and July.  OR Volunteer for a four-hour shift (typically 9:30 am -1:30 pm), on Saturdays, up to two times per month throughout the year, especially January through May.
3. Participate in an initial five-session onsite training and ongoing training and professional development.
4. Maintain regular attendance and fulfill scheduled volunteer shifts to ensure the success of Discovery Days.
5. Serve the museum's mission of “enriching the community by collecting, preserving, and making accessible outstanding works of art from the world’s diverse cultures.”

Duties:

1. Facilitate object-centered discussions and hands-on activities for groups of PK-6 learners, the adults that visit with them, and other museum visitors at Discovery stations and in the galleries on Discovery Days. 
2. Tailor interactions to the age group and interests of visiting school children.
3. Utilize multimedia resources, props, and hands-on activities to enhance the educational experience.
4. Adapt facilitation strategies to accommodate diverse learning styles and abilities.
5. Foster a welcoming and inclusive environment that encourages students to be curious and creative, and to connect global art to their own lives. 
6. Maintain a safe environment during Discovery Days, ensuring the well-being of students and artwork.
7. Provide excellent customer service to school groups, educators, and museum visitors.

Skills and Abilities:

1. A desire to share a passion for art and learning with children in kindergarten to fifth grade.
2. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage with diverse audiences.
3. Experience, confidence, and comfort with speaking with children. 
4. Patience and empathy when working with children.
5. Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and independently with minimal supervision.
6. Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and managing multiple tasks simultaneously.
7. Ability to use technology including chat/text messaging for communication and iPads for gallery activities.

Additional Preferences:

1. Proficiency in Spanish, Somali, Hmong, or ASL 
2. Previous experience working with children in an educational or museum setting.
3. Enjoyment of interacting with young learners and creating memorable educational experiences.
4. Demonstrated ability to connect with children and inspire their curiosity and creativity.

Requirements:

1. At least 18 years old.
2. High school diploma or equivalent; college coursework preferred.
3. Availability to volunteer between the hours of 9:30 am and 1:30 pm on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays.
4. Completion of a criminal background check as required by state regulations.
5. Commitment to upholding the museum's mission, values, and code of conduct.

Physical Requirements:

1. Ability to remain in a stationary position
2. Ability to move about to accomplish tasks and move throughout the galleries
3. Capable of lifting and carrying lightweight educational materials or props as needed.
4. Stamina to maintain energy and enthusiasm throughout the duration of Discovery Days, which may last up to four hours.

Volunteers enjoy free admission to special exhibitions, discounts at the cafe and store, ongoing continuing education, and more. Join our team as a volunteer and make a lasting impact on the next generation of art enthusiasts.

Volunteer Positions at Mia

We deeply appreciate the time and effort that our volunteers dedicate to helping us fulfill our mission of promoting and preserving art in our community.

Please note that volunteering at Mia is a valuable way to contribute to our work and gain experience in the museum environment. However, being a volunteer does not serve as a pathway to paid employment within the museum and is separate from our hiring process. We encourage those seeking employment to regularly check our website and other job postings for available opportunities.

This is a pivotal moment for the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia). As one of the nation's finest and largest encyclopedic museums, with a world-renowned collection of over 100,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of human creativity, Mia is poised for its next chapter of growth and impact. The museum seeks a collaborative and forward-thinking Chief of Curatorial Affairs and Exhibitions to provide the intellectual and strategic leadership that will elevate its collections and exhibition programs to new heights of international distinction and local relevance.

 The new Chief will be a key steward of Mia's strategic pillars of excellence, inclusion, and sustainability. The successful candidate will join a dynamic leadership team committed to inspiring wonder through the power of art and ensuring Mia is a vital, accessible, and welcoming resource for all. This position transcends the traditional role of divisional oversight; it is an opportunity to fundamentally shape how a major American museum activates its collection, engages its diverse communities, and defines its role in the 21st century.

This leader will balance deep art-historical knowledge and creative vision with the practical demands of execution, fostering a culture of scholarly rigor, innovation, and cross-departmental collaboration. They will have the unique opportunity to lead a distinguished team of curators and develop a slate of internationally important exhibitions that will help to define the museum's public-facing identity.

Reporting directly to the Director and President, the Chief of Curatorial Affairs and Exhibitions is a senior leadership team member responsible for the overall direction, strategy, and management of the Curatorial Division. This executive provides the intellectual vision for the museum's permanent collection and its ambitious special exhibition program. They will manage and develop exhibition budgets, a generous acquisitions endowment, and be directly involved with planning for the reinstallation of Mia’s permanent collection.

Key Responsibilities 

The Chief of Curatorial Affairs and Exhibitions will be responsible for providing strategic direction and operational leadership across five key areas:

Strategic and Visionary Leadership

 · In partnership with the Director and President, establish and drive the overarching intellectual vision for the Curatorial Division, ensuring its goals and activities are fully integrated with Mia's strategic pillars of excellence, inclusion, and sustainability.

· Champion a culture of innovation, intellectual curiosity, and rigorous scholarship, encouraging new approaches to research, interpretation, and the presentation of Mia's encyclopedic collection that challenge conventions and engage contemporary audiences.

· Foster a deeply collaborative environment, leading cross-functional teams and building collegial working relationships with all museum divisions and other partners and stakeholders to achieve unified institutional goals.

· Serve as a compelling and articulate Spokesperson for Mia’s curatorial vision, effectively communicating its importance and strategic direction to Board of Trustees, staff, donors, and the public.

· Oversee the division’s budget development, ensuring the strategic planning and prioritization of all curatorial projects, acquisitions, and exhibitions are aligned with institutional resources and priorities, reflecting a commitment to long-term financial sustainability.

 Collections Strategy and Stewardship

 · Refine and implement a dynamic, multi-year collections plan that strategically guides the growth of Mia's collection of more than 100,000 objects. This includes a heightened focus on strategic priorities for outstanding acquisitions and thoughtfully managed deaccessions, informed by an active understanding of the global art market and a deep commitment to strengthening the collection's narratives to better reflect global histories and the communities Mia serves.

· Lead the acquisitions process with Curatorial Chairs, presenting proposed acquisitions to the Director and relevant committees with compelling, research-backed justifications that articulate their art-historical significance and alignment with the museum's strategic goals.

· Champion the highest standards of collections stewardship, including rigorous provenance research, ethical collections management, and the development of digital strategies to enhance scholarly and public access to the collection online, thereby extending Mia's reach and impact.

· Provide curatorial leadership for gallery re-installations and capital projects, working with senior leadership and architectural partners to re-imagine the presentation of the permanent collection in ways that are engaging, accessible, and reflect contemporary scholarship and community perspectives.

 Exhibition and Programmatic Innovation

 · Conceive, develop, and execute a balanced and dynamic exhibition program that achieves both scholarly excellence and broad public resonance, enhancing Mia's national and international reputation. This program will be a direct expression of the museum's strategic pillars, presenting art-historically significant exhibitions that are inclusive in their content and accessible to a wide range of audiences.

· Drive the long-range planning for major, internationally-important special exhibitions, with a particular focus on ambitious projects for the next ten years that will capture the public imagination and make significant contributions to the field.

· Actively leverage professional networks to secure high-profile exhibition partnerships with peer museums worldwide, bringing world-class traveling exhibitions to Minneapolis and developing compelling exhibitions from Mia's collection to travel to other venues.

· Ensure that the exhibition program aligns with institutional goals for significant audience growth, community engagement, and financial sustainability, working collaboratively across the museum to maximize impact and revenue opportunities.

Team Leadership and Mentorship

 · Lead, develop, and inspire a highly talented team of 5 department Chairs and 16 curators, fostering their professional growth, scholarly pursuits, and contributions to the museum field.

· Establish clear goals and performance metrics for the Curatorial Division, embedding strategic planning within the team's work and monitoring progress toward divisional and institutional objectives.

· Champion Mia's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the division, actively working to build an inclusive team culture and ensuring that curatorial practices, from acquisitions to interpretation, reflect these core values.

· Conduct regular performance reviews, provide constructive feedback, and support the professional development of all curatorial staff through mentorship and opportunities for research, travel, and publication.

 External Relations and Advancement

 · Serve as a key representative of the museum in the community and on the national and international stage, building and strengthening relationships with peer institutions, cultural organizations, and scholars.

· In close collaboration with the Director, Deputy Director, and Chief Advancement Officer, actively cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major donors, collectors, and patrons on Mia's behalf, connecting their philanthropic interests with the museum's strategic needs.

· In collaboration with Advancement division staff, play a leading role in securing financial support for exhibitions, acquisitions, research, and other key curatorial initiatives from individuals, foundations, and government sources.

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

The ideal candidate will be a proven and respected leader in the museum field, possessing a sophisticated blend of scholarly expertise, strategic acumen, and interpersonal skills. The Chief will be a visionary thinker with a deep commitment to the role of art in society and the capacity to inspire both their team and the museum's many stakeholders. Successful candidates may come from a variety of backgrounds and will bring several of the following:

Professional Experience

· A minimum of 10-15 years of progressively responsible leadership experience within an art museum, preferably with an encyclopedic collection.

· A distinguished record of scholarship and research in a relevant field of art history, with a Ph.D. strongly preferred; a Master of Arts is required.

· Demonstrated success in conceiving and executing art-historically significant exhibitions of high quality that have achieved both critical acclaim and public engagement.

· A proven track record of strategic collection development, including significant acquisitions through gift and purchase, and a sophisticated understanding of the international art market.

· Substantial experience in senior-level management, including strategic planning, complex budget oversight, and the successful leadership of cross-functional teams.

· Demonstrable success in cultivating and stewarding major donors and collectors, and a proven ability to partner effectively with advancement professionals to secure significant funding.

 Leadership Competencies and Personal Attributes

 · Visionary and Strategic Thinker: The ability to think creatively and strategically about the future of museums, collections, and exhibitions, and to translate that vision into actionable plans that align with institutional goals.

· Collaborative and Inclusive Leader: A collegial and diplomatic leader with a track record of building positive, trusting, and effective relationships across all levels of an organization. A genuine commitment to and demonstrated experience in applying principles of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion to curatorial practice and team management.

· Exceptional Communicator: Superb written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences, from scholars and trustees to the general public.

· Inspirational Mentor: Advanced managerial skills with a passion for mentoring and developing staff, fostering a supportive environment that encourages intellectual growth and professional excellence.

· Intellectual Curiosity and Global Perspective: A deep and broad knowledge of global art history and a commitment to an encyclopedic, cross-cultural approach to collections and exhibitions.

· Integrity and Sound Judgment: The highest ethical standards, discretion in handling confidential information, and the ability to navigate complex institutional dynamics with political acumen and grace.

About the Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) believes that art—and a thriving art museum, vibrant with compelling stories that offer a window into the social, cultural, individual, and collective values of our shared history—informs our understanding of peoples and cultures, strengthens communities and enriches the lives of all. Mia offers its diverse audiences and communities a beautiful and accessible place to discover and explore humanity’s

artistic triumphs. To ensure the museum remains a welcoming and sustainable environment for visitors and the art it holds, Mia is currently undertaking significant improvements to its building systems. Mia’s work in the years ahead will inspire wonder and enhance access to its collection, fostering lifelong learning through participation in our programs.

Founded in 1883, Mia is among the finest and largest encyclopedic museums in the nation. Mia’s collection includes a world-famous permanent collection of more than 100,000 objects defined by iconic works spanning approximately 5,000 years that embody the highest levels of artistic achievement. The museum consists of five curatorial areas: African Art; Arts of the Americas; Global Contemporary Art; Asian Art; European Art. Through the museum’s diverse and far-reaching collections, Mia links the past to the present, enables global conversations, facilitates cross-cultural dialogue, and fosters empathy, understanding, and exploration.

Everyone is welcome at Mia, whether entering through the museum doors or viewing the online collection. Mia connects to its community by creating partnerships with community organizations and members to inform its curatorial approach and the development of public programs. The museum’s free general admission policy, public programs, classes for children and adults, and award-winning interactive media programs have broadened and deepened Mia’s relationships with the communities the museum serves in Minneapolis and beyond.

Mission

The Minneapolis Institute of Art enriches the community by collecting, preserving, and making accessible outstanding works of art from the world’s diverse cultures.

Vision

Inspiring wonder through the power of art.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this role is $200,000 to $220,000 annually. Total compensation, which includes a comprehensive benefits package, will be commensurate with experience.

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Finance Administrative Coordinator

Full time, non-exempt 

Hourly Rate: $31.00– $32.00, depending on qualifications (37.5 hour workweek)

On-site; position is not eligible for relocation assistance

The Job

Provide high-level executive, administrative, and project support to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and the Finance Division.

In this role, you will….

1. Executive Support:

• Provide administrative support to the CFO utilizing high-functioning multi-tasking capabilities, excellent organizational skills, work initiative, problem solving, attention to detail, accuracy, and follow-through.
• Manage the CFO’s calendar and communicate effectively regarding calendar requests and changes.
• Schedule and prioritize often complex meetings as requested by the CFO.
• Prepares and distributes meeting notifications, agendas, and meeting materials.
• Attends meetings as assigned by the CFO and takes accurate meeting minutes (some may contain confidential information); prepares and distributes minutes as appropriate
• Follow up with meeting attendees as necessary.
• Maintain confidentiality at all times with regard to all aspects of the CFO’s and Finance Division’s Office.
• Assist with meeting preparation and logistics for the Finance, Investment, and Audit committees of the Board of Trustees.
• Respond to external and internal correspondence as directed by the CFO.
• Track and maintain budgets as directed by the CFO.

2. Project Coordination:

• Assist the CFO in researching, developing, and implementing Finance Division projects, including coordination with project teams as assigned by the CFO.
• Monitor project due dates/deadlines and communicate with CFO on reporting requirements to ensure accurate and timely reporting.
• Serve as an internal liaison with other divisions regarding deadlines and communications.

3. Other Administrative Support:

• Manage the internal website and process documentation for the Finance Division.
• Assist with financial processes: contract tracking, invoicing, cash orders, and new vendor set-up.
• Manage calendars and meeting logistics for Finance Division Managers. 
• Maintain a calendar of significant deadlines and prompt managers as necessary.
• Organize and maintain files for Finance Division Managers in a manner that ensures accuracy and accessibility, and where necessary, confidentiality.
• Order and maintain office supplies for the Finance Division office area.

To be successful in this role, you have…

• Ability to provide administrative support utilizing high-functioning multi-tasking capabilities as well as work initiative, problem solving, accuracy, follow-up and follow-through
• Excellent organizational and time management skills; you are self-motivated and results-driven
• Ability to handle multiple projects at once and prioritize tasks efficiently; you are flexible, adaptable, and responsive to change
• Excellent written and oral communication; you are service oriented, a team player, and have a positive attitude
• Agility and ability to work well under pressure with a variety of stakeholders and personalities including senior leaders

Specific Requirements:

Required:

• College degree or equivalent combination of education and work experience
• Experience working in an office environment with administrative responsibilities
• Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times
• Proficient in Google and Microsoft suite applications

Preferred:

• Experience supporting accounting and finance operations

Mia Culture

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) is an audience-centered, equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome. Mia is Mission Driven, Generous, Agile, Emotionally Aware, and Positive, and endeavors to create a workplace culture where staff are responsible to one another, to our visitors, and to themselves to do the best work possible.

To Apply

To be considered for this position, please apply online at https://jobs-artsmia.submittable.com/submit/358509/finance-administrative-coordinator. 

Posting Deadline

No set expiration date. Job postings typically stay posted until candidates are selected for phone interviews. 

Mia is committed to championing policies and practices that value diversity, foster equity, and empower an accessible and inclusive environment. Our strength lies in the diversity among the broad range of people who contribute their time and talents to Mia. We consider inclusion and accessibility a driver of institutional excellence and seek out diversity of participation, thought, and action. It is our aim, therefore, that our employees, trustees, interns, and volunteers reflect and embrace these core values.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION / EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER