ICA Executive Director Position Description

Position Description

November 2022

ICA Art Conservation seeks an experienced leader to fill its Executive Director position.

About ICA

ICA Art Conservation (ICA), a regional nonprofit art conservation center, provides expert professional art conservation treatment services, preservation education, fine art transportation and other services for public and private collections, including museums, libraries, historical societies, governmental agencies, and corporations.

History

ICA, the oldest nonprofit regional conservation center in the U.S. was founded in 1952 to provide high quality, professional art conservation services. It was the model for the National Endowment for the Arts efforts in the 1970s to establish a network of regional laboratories across the country. For over 70 years, ICA has provided exemplary conservation and preservation services to organizations and individuals throughout the region and the country.

Vision

ICA’s vision is to be the leading professional conservation service provider, educator, and advocate to museums, libraries, public institutions, and private individuals in our community, ensuring the preservation of the artistic and cultural heritage throughout the region.

Staff and Services

ICA’s professional conservation and preservation staff hold degrees in conservation from U.S. and international graduate training and many years of expertise. They provide care and treatment for paintings, murals, paper items, objects of all media, outdoor sculpture, monuments, and textiles. They consult widely regarding institutional and private collection preservation, assessments of organizations, and surveys of collection condition. Each year ICA undertakes over 200 conservation projects ranging in size and scope.

ICA offers an array of preservation services including custom matting and framing, crate building, installation, professional photographic documentation, disaster assistance, grant collaboration, and many types of consultation.

Facilities

Our conservators work out of the ICA’s 8,055 square feet of specialized conservation laboratory with security and zoned HVAC systems. Originally housed on the campus of Oberlin College, ICA moved to the historic Vitrolite Showroom building in Cleveland in 2002, leading a revitalization of the neighborhood known today as Hingetown. In 2022, ICA moved to the new Pivot Center for Art, Dance, and Expression on W. 25th Street, joining the burgeoning Clark-Fulton neighborhood.

Education

An important part of ICA’s mission is education – through thoughtfully designed outreach and educational opportunities regarding material science, technology, creation, and preservation of fine cultural artifacts and art for all levels of learners. Annually, ICA reaches over 5,000 people, offering workshops, lectures, online resources, and consulting, as well as, free educational programs for all.

Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion

ICA’s mission is to preserve the corpus of human visual material culture – artistic, historic, scientific, and cultural – for all people today and in the future. Our work touches on objects born of all cultures, all times, all geographies, and all belief systems. It is imperative that ICA conduct its work within an environment that transcends any race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, citizenship, immigration status, disability or protected class. All perspectives are relevant, vital, and welcome in the development and implementation of the best solutions to conserve and preserve our visual and material culture. Preservation and conservation of objects and collections from communities whose voices have been unheard and whose perspectives have not been represented in cultural narratives is important to ICA.

Position Description

This salaried, full-time position is responsible for the vision, strategy, and financial health of ICA’s operations, programs, facilities, and the oversight of its world-class staff. The position reports to the ICA Board of Directors. Salary is commensurate with experience and includes an excellent benefits package.

Core responsibilities and duties

• Serve as the face of ICA.
• Lead, manage, inspire, and motivate staff and interns
• Oversight of all conservation and preservation work of the center
• Oversight and management of ICA finances in partnership with the Board Treasurer
• Oversight of all HR, including staff performance management and salaries
• Oversight of the ICA facility, including collaboration with Pivot Center management and neighbor tenants
• Oversight of all fundraising activities
• Manage Board and staff relations
• Establish and foster engagement with member institutions and public and private clients
• Raise the overall visibility of the organization through marketing initiatives, programming, and professional and public outreach

Required Qualifications

• Proven leadership and management skills
• Ability to direct the finances of the organization
• Vision and the ability to execute that vision sustainably
• Ability to understand, create, and manage budgets
• Proven fundraising experience, the ability to raise funds to support mission-driven work
• Excellent communicator, team builder, and motivator
• Able to relate well to and enjoy interacting with people from all backgrounds
• Advanced degree in art conservation, art history, or related field and at least seven years of experience or an equivalent combination of experience and education
• Strong desire to serve the organization and partner with staff and external stakeholders.
• Diplomatic, tactful, and transparent
• Familiarity and appreciation of art in all media, and from a range of cultures and eras.
• Conservation and arts advocacy experience
• Candidate must be legally able to work in the United States

Compensation

ICA offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package. The annual salary for this position starts at $100,000.

To Apply

Please send nominations, inquiries, and expressions of interest to directorsearch@ica-artconservation.org

To apply, please submit a cover letter addressing your qualifications and vision for the position and a résumé or curriculum vitae to directorsearch@ica-artconservation.org

Application review will begin on December 16, 2022.

For more information about the organization, please visit: ica-artconservation.org