The Director of Collections—with “Collections” defined broadly to include archives, libraries, and all other collected assets—will serve as a senior leader within the Collections Team and a key strategic partner to the Chief Curator. This role will help shape and implement the overall collections strategy, including establishing priorities, workflows, protocols, resource planning, and budget considerations related to the care, stewardship, and long-term integration of the Institute’s collections across multiple sites.

The Director will oversee collections that exist in varying states of processing and documentation, with a particular focus on developing scalable systems for cataloging, preservation, digitization, and access. A central responsibility of the role is leading the continued unification of the collections within the MuseumPlus platform, ensuring consistency, visibility, and institutional alignment across all holdings. The role will also develop operational projections and planning frameworks that provide leadership with a clear understanding of the logistical, staffing, storage, conservation, and financial requirements associated with acquiring, processing, maintaining, lending, and exhibiting the collections over time.

In addition to stewardship responsibilities, the Director will support the Institute’s evolving exhibition and programming model, including loans, traveling exhibitions, pop-ups, and cross-site activations. The ideal candidate brings both institutional rigor and operational fluency, with the ability to build systems that support a dynamic collections program operating at the intersection of cultural stewardship, public engagement, and organizational growth.

In the spirit of the Eameses’ guest–host philosophy, members of the Collections Team play a key role in welcoming guests and the public to engage with and learn from our collections. This will be especially important as we re-open the Richmond warehouse for tours and visits in 2026.

Salary Range: $150,000 – $190,000/year