Director of Research

About Us At The Huntington, we believe that having a team of diverse backgrounds and voices working together will enable us to support and promote the appreciation of the humanities, the arts, and botanical science. The Huntington is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, disability, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal law. The Huntington Founded in 1919, The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens is a collections-based research and educational institution open to the public, housing world-class library, art, and botanical collections. Its mission is to support research and promote education in the arts, humanities, and botanical science and to display and interpret its extraordinary resources for diverse audiences. The Culture Here we are committed to the highest of standards in all that we do – from preserving and protecting the collections, to exhibitions, educational and scholarly programming, visitor and reader services, and beyond. Achieving excellence across these pursuits requires a diversity of perspectives, expertise, experience, and methodologies. We are better together. We believe an explicit commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion directly impacts and improves staff and audience engagement and experience. Job Description About the Role The Huntington invites applications and nominations for the position of W. M. Keck Director of Research, effective August 1, 2022. The Director of Research is responsible for developing, planning, and implementing a comprehensive humanities research program, consisting of research fellowships, academic conferences, and public lectures. We seek an individual committed to increasing the diversity of our scholars and scholarly projects and magnifying the impact of our collections. . S/he/they will play a significant role in envisioning the future of our humanities research programs, translating their importance beyond academic audiences. The Research Director reports to the President and is a member of the President’s Senior Staff, which plays an important role in the governance of The Huntington, including engaging with its Board of Trustees and Board of Governors. The Director of Research will demonstrate a background of working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds, using a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible approach. The Huntington is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Essential Duties Oversees a comprehensive humanities research program, working collaboratively with the Directors of the Library, Art, and Botanical collections and with educational programming. Enhances the impact and visibility of The Huntington’s scholarly programs, promoting them to regional, national, and international constituencies. Manages the selection process for visiting research fellows and research conferences. Oversees the activities of the 200 annual short- and long-term research fellows in residence, including a program of humanities lectures based on scholarly research conducted at The Huntington. Supervises and implements scholarly programs developed for stewardship purposes, in conjunction with the Advancement Division. Maintains and enhances existing collaborative research programs with neighboring and other academic institutions, and develops new partnerships. Collaborates with the Directors of Research at The Huntington’s peer institutions, including the FAHN group (Folger Shakespeare Library, American Antiquarian Society, the Newberry Library). Represents the interests of The Huntington’s research program to foundations and other funding agencies, especially the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Mellon Foundation and, where appropriate, represents those interests to other prospective supporters. Oversees the division’s budget and research endowment funds for effective purpose and long-term stability. This position requires travel to academic conferences, peer institutions, colleges and universities, and funding agencies to engage the academic community and promote the activities and reputation of The Huntington. Required Skills/Abilities: Strategic vision and imagination to support the growth of the Research Division in conjunction with the Huntington’s mission and strategic plan. Demonstrated success in motivating, developing, and coaching staff and providing effective management and delegation in a complex and dynamic environment Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with specialist audiences and stakeholders, as well as the Board of Governors, staff, and general public. Ability to foster and contribute to a highly collaborative working environment Technical proficiency and confidence with standard suite of applications (Outlook, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, web browsers, etc.) and the capacity to quickly master new tools and platforms as technologies evolve. Proven financial management skills related to planning and managing the departmental budget and endowment funds. Exceptional organizational and task management skills. Ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure, respond to changing demands, and prioritize while managing multiple concurrent projects. Enthusiasm for extending the reach of research programs through the use of social media and related platforms. e Qualifications Doctoral degree in a humanities discipline 3 to 5 years of administrative/academic leadership in a university, library, or other non-profit research organization. Significant publication record and academic prominence in a humanities discipline Demonstrated ability to work across traditional academic fields and translate humanities research beyond academic audiences, communicating the relevance of humanities scholarship in a changing world Successful background of working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic and socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds, using a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible approach Integrity and cultural fluency in all work and interactions, with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion Highly developed interpersonal skills and ability to easily engage socially Knowledge of research strategies, methods, and techniques in a humanities discipline Ability to work well with a diverse cross-section of people, including scholars, board members, members, volunteers, and visitors Position Type/Expected Hours of Work This position requires regular hours supplemented by frequent weekend events. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees in this job. EEO IS THE LAW EEO IS THE LAW - SPANISH