Job description

The Whitworth gallery is one of the most remarkable galleries outside of London. Founded in 1889 and proudly part of The University of Manchester, the Whitworth is a place for the people of Manchester and its communities, as well as a gallery with significant artistic status nationally and internationally. Since our redevelopment in 2015, the Whitworth’s visitor numbers have climbed spectacularly, and the contemporary exhibitions programmes, known for their leadership, commitment to innovation and risk taking in relation to curation and engagement has gained global attention. This is an exciting time to join our organisation as we recover from the global Covid-19 pandemic and look to deliver our vision to use art for positive social change.

We are now seeking to appoint an ambitious, creative, and inclusive leader as the new Director. Working closely with The University of Manchester as well as with a talented and committed team at the Whitworth, the next Director will provide strategic, artistic, and executive leadership ensuring its local, national and international reputation is sustained and developed further, engaging a large and diverse range of stakeholders. They will also realise the full potential of the gallery, its location in the park and its social impact, developing and safeguarding the collections for the future, and thereby supporting the vision of the gallery and the strategic goals of the University.

The Director of the Whitworth will be a strong senior leader, be able to encourage and motivate staff and develop strong internal relationships with University of Manchester staff and students at all levels. They must also be able to be an external advocate and ambassador for the Whitworth and The University of Manchester, comfortable with engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders, including government, donors, artists and researchers. They must understand the importance of diversifying income streams and bring both financial and commercial acumen. The Director must be passionate about making art open and accessible to all and be audience and community-focused in their approach. Candidates will be inspired by our vision, share our values, and exhibit a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, social responsibility, civic engagement and global impact.

The Whitworth will be assisted in this appointment by global executive search firm Perrett Laver.

The closing date for applications is Monday 16th January 2023. For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Fiona Dattan (Senior Research Associate) on fiona.dattan@perrettlaver.com.

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