What are the responsibilities and job description for the Editorial Director position at MoMA?
The Museum of Modern Art is currently accepting applications for an editorial director. Reporting to the publisher, the editorial director serves as the executive responsible for all editorial management aspects of the Museum’s award-winning publishing program, which includes both books as well as exhibition- and collection-related ephemera (wall texts and object labels).
The Museum publishes fifteen to twenty new titles each year and maintains an active backlist of 500 titles, including exhibition and collection catalogues, research publications, trade art books, children’s books, international co-editions, and limited-edition facsimiles.
Responsibilities include:
- Directs, manages, and hires editorial staff, coordinating work with Publications managerial staff, design and production colleagues, and freelancers, in the planning and editing of books, catalogues, and other Museum-sponsored or Museum-commissioned writing.
- Supervises the work of four in-house editors (two book editors and two ephemera editors) as well as freelance staff.
- Plans future publications with curators, authors, designers, and Publications managerial staff.
- Participates in formulation of publishing procedures and strategies.
- Manages all editorial aspects of publication, including scheduling and monitoring and working closely with authors and freelance contributors to ensure timely manuscript deliveries.
- Works with publisher and other Publications managerial staff in establishing editorial and writing budgets and schedules, and is directly responsible for monitoring and adhering to them.
- Maintains and manages cadre of freelance editors, translators, proofreaders, peer reviewers, and translation reviewers.
- Supervises all editorial aspects of foreign editions and co-publishing ventures.
- Works with publisher and Publications managerial staff to acquire and develop new titles.
- Stays informed about established and emerging writers and scholars in the Museum’s areas of publishing.
- Provides editorial guidance to Museum staff in general and style sheet guidelines specifically.
- As schedule allows, may edit individual major publications.
- Participates in MoMA’s Editorial Advisory Board and in collection gallery working groups with curatorial members and other museum staff.
- Performs any other duties reasonably related to the functions described above.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree and 15 years progressive experience with proven track record in all aspects of editorial management, with special emphasis on art books and scholarly museum-quality publications or equivalent.
- Familiarity with all aspects of workflow for print and digital publications.
- Demonstrated commitment to the highest standards of English-language editing.
- Demonstrated comfort in working with foreign-language publishing partners.
- Demonstrated effectiveness in managing complex editorial projects within a highly collaborative publications program.
- A collaborative spirit and a positive and diplomatic approach to communication.
- A commitment to MoMA’s mission and enthusiasm for sharing MoMA’s program with audiences.
Salary range: Minimum of $145,000 to maximum of $190,000 per annum
Application instructions: To apply, please visit MoMA Jobs. Applicants should submit a resume and a statement of interest. Applications without cover letters will not be considered.
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement: Equal Employment Opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at the Museum, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital and civil partnership/union status, alienage or citizenship status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, unemployment status, familial status, domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking victim status, caregiver status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, or any other protected category as established by applicable law, including the New York City Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”).
