Traveling Exhibitions Manager

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Job Title: Traveling Exhibitions Manager

Reports To: Director of Collection Loans and Exhibitions

FLSA Classification: Exempt
Location: Bentonville, Arkansas (On-site)

Art Bridges Foundation is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton. Founded in 2017, Art Bridges creates and supports projects that share works of American art with communities across the United States and its territories. Art Bridges partners with a growing network of nearly 400 museums of many sizes—impacting 25 million people nationwide—to provide financial and strategic support for exhibitions, collection loans, and programs designed to educate, inspire, and deepen engagement with local communities. The Art Bridges Collection represents an expanding vision of American art from the 19th century to present day and encompasses multiple media and voices. For more information, visit artbridgesfoundation.org.

The Traveling Exhibitions Manager leads the planning and execution of Art Bridges’ Traveling Exhibitions program, providing day-to-day oversight of logistics, schedules, and partner communications across a portfolio of exhibitions. Working in close partnership with internal teams and external stakeholders, this role leads complex, cross-functional projects from proposal through closeout, ensures alignment on scope and deliverables, proactively escalates and resolves issues, and supports the department director in advancing program priorities and operational processes that support the circulation and care of traveling exhibitions within the program.

Success in this role requires strong project management, organizational, and relationship-building skills, along with the ability to manage multiple priorities, support cross-functional collaboration, and lead operational execution in a fast-paced environment. The role also requires sound judgment, attention to detail, adaptability, and a collaborative approach to supporting exhibitions, partners, and departmental initiatives.

Program Operations

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the Traveling Exhibitions program, including assessing and prioritizing departmental workflows, delegating responsibilities and ensuring timely completion of projects and deliverables.
• Support the department’s strategic plan by setting measurable goals, tracking progress, and delivering results while advancing operational effectiveness across the program.
• Develop and update department policies, workflows, project plans, timelines, and milestones in collaboration with key stakeholders.
• Lead high-priority traveling exhibition projects and other exhibition-related initiatives from planning through closeout, including cross-functional collaboration, partner coordination, risk management, and issue escalation to support successful project execution.
• Develop and manage department and project budgets; track expenditures, generate financial reports, review and process invoices, and proactively identify risks and recommend budget adjustments as needed.
• Maintain accurate project records in Asana, SharePoint, and Salesforce.
• Advance sustainability initiatives through environmentally responsible packing, shipping strategies, and climate-conscious loan agreements aligned with lender requirements.

Exhibition Operations

• Work collaboratively with organizers, lenders, and borrowers to facilitate the planning and implementation of traveling exhibitions.
• Support the department director with proposal development, review, evaluation, and the preparation of timely data, updates, and supporting materials for board reporting and presentations.
• Plan and facilitate meetings; develop agendas, distribute notes and action items, and support cross-functional communication and coordination across exhibition initiatives.
• Build strong cross-functional partnerships and collaborate with Marketing and program leadership to promote exhibitions, improve coordination, and support venue engagement.
• Develop, adapt, and oversee exhibition contracts; monitor lender and borrower compliance to ensure obligations are met and on schedule.
• Compile and distribute exhibition materials to venues, including budgets, checklists, interpretive content, and installation guidance.
• Support venue funding applications, including review, budget feedback, and approvals coordination.

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, collaboration, and growth.
• Promote continuous improvement, professional development, and collaboration within the team to drive operational effectiveness and support organization priorities.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and training of team members to ensure alignment with organization standards and practices.
• Monitor and manage team performance, addressing attendance, conduct, or productivity issues promptly and professionally.
• Encourage employee engagement and morale through recognition and open communication practices.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support evolving organizational needs.

• Bachelor’s degree in fine art, art history, museum studies, arts administration, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• 5–7+ years of progressively responsible experience across exhibition project management, operational coordination, partner engagement, budgeting, and cross-functional collaboration within museums, cultural institutions, nonprofits, or similarly complex organizations, with 2+ years of experience leading and developing direct reports.
• Experience managing exhibitions, timelines, contracts, budgets, and cross-functional coordination in complex project environments required, along with experience with art handling and installation processes, condition reporting, gallery layouts, and current museum standards and best practices.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities, coordinate multiple initiatives simultaneously, and maintain strong organizational oversight and accuracy in fast-paced environments.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify operational challenges, develop practical solutions, and exercise strong attention to detail and risk awareness.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate cross-functional teams and external partners to achieve project goals, timelines, and operational objectives in a collaborative environment.
• Enthusiasm for expanding access to American art and engaging communities across a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including SharePoint, Word, Excel, Teams, and PowerPoint, along with experience using project management and collaboration platforms such as Asana, Salesforce, or similar systems.
• Experience with or the ability to quickly learn specialized software systems such as TMS, Workday, Orange DAM, Canva, and Trainual.
• High level of professional integrity and the ability to handle sensitive issues and situations with discretion.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, remaining adaptable and resilient.

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those required by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

Physical Demands: In the work environment described, this position requires utilizing a computer and a telephone for prolonged periods of time, good hand-eye coordination, bending and stretching, and the physical stamina to lift and transport a minimum of 10 pounds. Visual acuity to review written materials is required for this job.

Work Environment: Work is performed on-site (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) in a professional, climate-controlled office environment with standard office equipment, including computers, printers, and telephones. This role requires working in an open setting near colleagues. The noise level is typically low to moderate. The role also requires regular interaction with both the public and internal team members in a professional and courteous manner. Some travel will be required, including overnight trips on occasion, with the ability to travel domestically as needed to support exhibitions, artwork installations, and partner institutions. A flexible schedule may be necessary to accommodate business needs, including occasional evening and weekend work hours.

At Art Bridges, diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are central to all work and decisions made within our organization. We support our colleagues and partners in learning and growing together to make this important work part of our daily lives.

Art Bridges is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building and maintaining a workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States.