Gallery Manager

David Kordansky Gallery

Monday–Friday (Full-time, exempt)

David Kordansky Gallery seeks a highly motivated, extremely organized, and collaborative individual to join our team as Gallery Manager. Reporting to the Managing Director, the Gallery Manager is a critical, cross-departmental role, responsible for a range of significant functions of the business, including management of front desk staff, the daily functions of the office, and general operations, facilities, and security. The Gallery Manager oversees gallery visit hospitality, ensuring that clients, staff, and visitors have a pleasant, streamlined, clean, and safe experience when visiting the Gallery. This position is a full-time role, Monday through Friday, and will require flexibility for additional hours based on the needs of the gallery. A generous benefits package is offered.

ABOUT THE GALLERY:

David Kordansky Gallery is one of the most dynamic venues for contemporary art in Los Angeles and in New York and is internationally regarded as a leading gallery of its generation. Established in 2003, the exhibition program is dedicated to presenting artists’ work with passion and intellectual rigor, and to bringing the utmost care and precision to showcasing artistic visions. The Gallery is committed to presentations that blend scholarship and connoisseurship with equity and inclusion. We are an institution rooted in our hometown of Los Angeles, and in California, even as we embrace cultural activity as a fully global phenomenon.

Maintaining a culture of belonging is important to us—we strive for a workplace where every single team member feels valued, supported, and heard. We believe in the power of creativity and seek opportunities for connection, collaboration, and learning between cultures and communities. We are committed to championing policies and practices that promote diversity, foster cultural equity, and sustain an environment of inclusivity. The Gallery is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit, qualifications, and abilities. The Gallery does not discriminate, and does not permit discrimination against its employees, interns, volunteers, or applicants. We recognize our strengths lie in the broad range of individuals who contribute their time and talents to our mission, and we pledge to create a safe, accessible, and inclusive place to work.

Responsibilities

The Gallery’s consistent growth, developed in tandem with its artists’ ambitions, occurs through the unique participation and contribution of each employee. We look for colleagues who are the most driven, the most talented, and the most creative. Every member of the Gallery’s team should aim for excellence and ingenuity, surpassing challenges and discovering new possibilities together. We value long-term commitment and loyalty, and in turn provide avenues for career advancement across all departments.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

GENERAL OFFICE RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Management of all aspects of gallery hospitality and the client / visitor experience, including direct leadership of a team of Gallery Administrators at the front desk

  • Maintain an efficient, organized, and streamlined office environment

  • Adhere to and update all gallery administration manuals and protocols

MANAGEMENT & HR:

  • Support the Managing Director in administration and projects, including leadership training, staff development, all-staff group enrichment opportunities, and legal compliance; all with a consideration for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA)

  • In collaboration with the Managing Director, suggest new systems for office / business efficiency and cost savings

  • Stay informed on state and federal laws regarding employee management

  • Review, update, and approve time sheets for Gallery Administrators

HOSPITALITY & FACILITIES:

  • Oversee the maintenance of the aesthetic of the Gallery’s interior and exterior

  • Oversee the gallery’s facility maintenance vendors, including anticipating issues, scheduling repairs, and processing invoices

  • Lead research and development of office improvement projects

  • Collaborate with Associate Director, HR to develop policies and procedures that ensure all employees have a comfortable, safe, and productive work environment

  • Lead on minor construction projects and gallery property expansion projects

SECURITY:

  • Monitor all facility security measures; remain on-call for emergencies

TECHNOLOGY:

  • Liaise between staff and the gallery’s IT consultant for all office technological needs

  • Maintain a familiarity with general best practices in IT security; review and implement improvements

FINANCE & ACCOUNTING:

  • Perform material and supply audits for cost-saving measures

  • Maintain and monitor contracts for vendors

PRIVATE EVENTS & PUBLIC PROGRAMMING:

  • Assist with all private events and public programs (virtual and in-person), in collaboration with the Associate Director, Events and Associate Director, Editorial, Publications and Public Programming

  • Assist with all dinners, celebrations, and other special events held at the gallery

  • Manage the Gallery Administrators in preparation for all opening events (staffing, rentals, supplies, security, etc.)

COMMUNITY OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT:

  • Collaborate on the development and execution of community engagement programs

  • Manage exhibition tours and gallery visits

DESIGN & PRINTING

  • Work with the Marketing & Communications team on the printing of the gallery’s identity materials and monitor inventory levels
Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

Our ideal candidate is highly detail-oriented and creative with exceptional organizational skills; an excellent verbal and written communicator; and possesses the ability to work successfully in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. We seek candidates who are extremely self-motivated, responsible, and efficient, and who hold a sincere appreciation for and experience with navigating diverse cultural spaces. In addition:

  • Knowledge of contemporary art preferred

  • Experience working at a commercial contemporary art gallery strongly preferred

  • BA required; preferred in Modern or Contemporary Art History, Studio Art, Art Administration, but consideration is given to candidates with related experience

  • At least four (4) years of professional experience as a Gallery Manager, Gallery Coordinator, or related facilities and operations management position required

  • At least two (2) years of people management experience strongly preferred

  • Advanced skills in a Mac-based environment required, including: Google Suite (Gmail, Calendar, Sheets) and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

  • Skills in the Adobe Creative Suite (Acrobat, InDesign, Photoshop) welcomed

  • Fluency in multiple languages welcomed

  • Preference is given to candidates with expert knowledge of global contemporary art, including art of the African Diaspora, Latin America, and Asia

  • BIPOC and LGTBQIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

  • This is a full-time, salaried position

  • The pay scale for this position is $70,00-90,000

Benefits for full-time employees, following a waiting period, include:

  • Premium PPO or HMO medical insurance (fully subsidized, at no cost to employee)

  • Vision insurance (fully subsidized, at no cost to employee)

  • Dental, long-term disability, and voluntary life insurance

  • Paid personal and vacation days (starting at 13 days annually, increased over time)

  • Paid sick time (6 days annually)

  • Paid holidays and floating holidays (10 days annually)

  • Paid gallery closures (typically 8-10 days annually)

  • Paid family leave

  • Participation in a 401k retirement plan (with employer contribution)

This position is based in Los Angeles, CA.

How to Apply

HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit the following via email with the subject line “DKG LA: Gallery Manager” to jobs@davidkordanskygallery.com:

One PDF containing:

  • a cover letter detailing your previous experience and how you would approach the position

  • a resume

In your application, please note all relevant skills requested in the qualifications above.

BIPOC and LGTBQIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants with most, if not all, of the requested qualifications are invited to apply. Submissions including the above items will be prioritized. No phone or walk-in inquiries, please.

Contact
Posted on April 6