Exhibitions Project Manager - INTERNAL ONLY (Preservation and Museum Specialist 5)

About the Department

About the Opportunity:
As an Exhibitions Project Manager, you will leverage your expert-level museum and project management expertise to drive the development, production, and execution of the Agency’s ambitious and increasingly complex exhibition program. Working in alignment with the Museum’s strategic plan, you will oversee the complete project lifecycle - from managing exhibition budgets, contracts, and gallery installations to ensuring exhibitions and publications are delivered on time, within scope, and in full compliance with American Association of Museums (AAM) standards and object care best practices. In this role, you will foster cross-departmental collaboration to create meaningful gallery experiences, advise senior leadership on scheduling and risk mitigation to maintain mission relevance and financial stability, and provide critical administrative support to the Director of Exhibitions and Collections.

Position Duties

Some of What You’ll Enjoy Doing Includes:

• Leads cross-functional teams, manages workflows, and assigns tasks to in-house staff and contract designers, registrars, and preparators to oversee exhibition development and production.
• Establishes long-range exhibition calendars, production schedules, and operational procedures in alignment with American Alliance of Museums best practices to support a growing, complex exhibition program.
• Assesses project risks and proactively manages scope, schedule, and budget adjustments in consultation with senior leadership to ensure timely and cost-effective execution.
• Formulates, monitors, and manages annual and two-year departmental and project budgets, tracking expenditures and assisting with financial information for grant proposals and reports.
• Directs exhibition installations and deinstallations, collaborating with internal and external partners to ensure projects are completed on schedule while prioritizing object and personnel safety.
• Supervises, trains, and evaluates key staff—including the exhibition registrar and technician—to optimize workflow and maximize effectiveness during installation periods.
• Operates Museum vehicles to safely transport and handle loan objects for exhibitions.
• Manages the complete lifecycle of exhibition contracts, including drafting, reviewing, approving, tracking invoices, and enforcing museum-wide compliance for external curators, designers, and contributors.
• Provides administrative support to the Director of Exhibitions and Collections by coordinating meetings, reconciling finances, assisting with exhibition tour management, and preparing reports for senior leadership and the Board of Trustees.
• Other duties as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Valid driver’s license (necessary to perform ground transportation responsibilities for bringing in and returning exhibition loans).
• Nine (9) years of combined experience and/or education that demonstrates competency related to this role.
  • Qualifying education will be in history, fine art, anthropology, or museum studies.
  • Qualifying experience will be as a museum curator or equivalent, to include experience with a combination of activities such as organizing and managing exhibitions, curating exhibitions, managing exhibition budgets, overseeing exhibition and/or permanent collection installations and deinstallations, caring for collections and/or collections data, or designing exhibitions and/or permanent collection installations.
• Computer skills, including Microsoft Office applications.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Expert level knowledge of museum and exhibition best practices, structures, and functions, including best practices as required by the American Association of Museums.
• Knowledge of or ability to learn and apply state rules regarding finance and contracting.
• Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Proven ability to reprioritize tasks with competing deadlines.
• Ability to manage and monitor budgets, invoices, and billing.
• Ability to learn and understand the language and concepts of DEI culture and commit to being a part of creating and maintaining a diverse, equitable, respectful and inclusive workplace. 
• Demonstrate a commitment to growth, learning and self-awareness when provided training and opportunities to participate in improving our work environment.
• Participate and behave in a manner that creates trust and builds working relationships, promoting teamwork and collaboration in the work environment.
• Demonstrate the understanding that all people are valued; contribute to an equitable, inclusive and respectful environment when working with members of the group, team, organization or community.
• Commit to being an active participant in continually evaluating and improving strategies that promote equity and inclusion in our organization.
• Models and champions our culture and values; cultivates a shared, strategic vision; develops people; drives results; fosters learning; builds relationships; fosters teamwork and collaboration; communicates effectively; makes things happen as a public servant; leads and navigates change; embraces and embeds inclusion in decision making.

Preferred Qualification:

• Experience using databases and/or inventory systems 
• Experience using SketchUp to build and revise exhibition layouts
• Knowledge of state rules regarding personnel, finance, and contracting
• Master’s degree or higher in history, museum studies, fine arts, art history, anthropology, Native American studies, or arts administration, AND five years experience as a museum curator or equivalent, to include any combination of activities such as organizing and managing exhibitions, curating exhibitions, managing exhibition budgets, overseeing exhibition and/or permanent collection installations and deinstallations, caring for collections and/or collections data, or designing exhibitions and/or permanent collection installations.

Other Qualifications

How to Apply: Interested? We would love to hear from you! Click “Apply” at the top of this page to start your application. You can save the application and come back to it, if needed. Be sure to complete the application fully to include a full work history and responses to the supplemental questions.

Please provide the following documents in order to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A letter of interest that shows your personality and voice to describe why you are the successful candidate and how you meet the specific qualifications for this position
• A current resume, detailing experience, and education
• A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information

Do not attach additional documents that are not listed above, or any documents that include photos or private information (social security number, year of birth, etc.). 

Please Note: By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed. A resume will not be substitute for completing the “duties summary” section of the online application. Please do not refer to the resume for detail or your application may be disqualified. 

Additionally, the hiring authority reserves the right to offer the position at any time after the required posting period, and during the recruitment process. It is to the applicant's advantage to apply as early as possible. This recruitment is only open for internal applicants.

Background Check Notice:  Prior to any new appointment into the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture (MAC), a background check including criminal record history will be conducted as a condition of employment. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.

Washington Fair Chance Act:
We are committed to providing equitable access to employment opportunities. If a criminal background check is required for employment at an agency, it will occur only after a conditional offer of employment has been made and accepted. Applicants are not required to disclose criminal history during the hiring process prior to a conditional offer. Criminal history will not automatically exclude an applicant from consideration and will be reviewed on an individual basis consistent with applicable law and the requirements of the position.  

Learn more about the Washington Fair Chance Act: Washington Fair Chance act guide.

Opportunity for All: 
The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture (MAC) celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.
 
You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.

Benefits

More than Just a Paycheck!
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.

Read about our benefits:
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

Note:  If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits. 

Insurance Benefits
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.

Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.

To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.

Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.

Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.

The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.

Retirement and Deferred Compensation
State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS).  New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs.  For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.

Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP).  This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.

Social Security
All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness
If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Holidays 
Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.

Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday. 

Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.

Sick Leave 
Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave. 

Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

Vacation (Annual Leave)
Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.

Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.

Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

As provided in WAC 357-58-175, an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.  

Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.

Military Leave
Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.

Bereavement Leave 
Most employees whose family member or household member dies, or for loss of pregnancy, are entitled to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.

Additional Leave
Leave Sharing
Parental Leave
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Leave Without Pay

Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.

Updated 01-07-2026

Supplemental Questions

Required Question

Agency Information

EmployerState of WashingtonAddress View Job Posting for Agency Information

View Job Posting for Location, Washington, 98504 Website http://www.careers.wa.gov