For nearly thirty years, the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami (MOCA) has fulfilled its mission of presenting contemporary art and its historical influences through exhibitions, educational programs, and collections. Inspired by its surrounding communities, MOCA connects diverse audiences and cultures by providing a welcoming place to encounter new ideas and voices, and by nurturing a lifelong love of the arts.
Founded in 1981 in single gallery space, MOCA became one of the first collecting contemporary art institutions in Miami-Dade fourteen years later, following a $2.5 million grant from the federal agency for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to create a center for contemporary art on municipal land in the heart of North Miami’s business district. In 1996, MOCA unveiled the new 23,000-square-foot building, designed by Charles Gwathmey of GSNY in conjunction with Miami firm Gelabert-Navia. Today, it's a beacon for discovering new artists and learning about our living cultural heritage, nurturing internationally renowned South Florida artists through its groundbreaking exhibitions and innovative educational programs.
MOCA’s permanent art collection reflects its curatorial vision and the support of generous donors, featuring an array of sculptures, paintings, and works on paper and more. With a focus on amplifying the work of historically under-explored artists, its exhibition program showcases acclaimed local, national, and international artists, cultivating an inclusive appreciation for contemporary art. MOCA’s influence and relevance on the international stage was notably demonstrated by the selection of AFRICOBRA: Nation Time as an official Collateral Event of the Venice Art Biennale 2019, the first major exhibition of AFRICOBRA’s work in Europe. MOCA premiered the original version of this exhibition during Art Basel Miami 2018 and supported its revised exhibition in Venice the following year.
MOCA is a vital cultural anchor in the heart of North Miami, serving this diverse community as a center for cross-cultural understanding and inclusion. The museum touches the lives of thousands of residents every year though a robust series of education programs and local partnerships. MOCA further engages members of its community through a variety of public events, including jazz concerts, film screenings, poetry readings, and art-making activities. Uniquely positioned as the only major arts organization within wide expanses of the region, MOCA’s reach and relevance extends across much of northern Miami-Dade County and southern Broward County.
A 501(c)(3) and department of the City of North Miami, MOCA is governed by a dedicated, 20-member Board of Trustees. Its annual budget of approximately $4.5 million is achieved through a combination of government support, contributed and earned revenue. Under the leadership of Executive Director Chana Budgazad Sheldon since 2018, MOCA has experienced rapid growth unprecedented in organization history. Museum leadership seek to sustain this growth with increased capacity and improved operational efficiencies while envisioning dynamic, transformational initiatives in the near and mid future, including a significant capital enhancement.
Scope and Responsibilities
The Deputy Director of MOCA is a critically important leadership position, serving as both a strategic partner to the Executive Director and overseeing the largest purview among the senior staff. As the chief operations officer of MOCA, the Deputy Director bears responsibility for the organization’s finances, strategy, earned revenue activities, human resources, information technology, facilities and other capital projects. The Deputy Director is also the critical liaison to the City of North Miami and manages MOCA departmental needs. This position reports to the Executive Director and collaborates closely with the other senior staff in curatorial, communications, fundraising, and education.
The incoming Deputy Director will have the extraordinary opportunity to steer MOCA through a pivotal phase in history and help the organization achieve new heights. This person will be charged with designing and implementing new policies and procedures to ensure the organization has the operational capacity to maintain its increased level of output and mission delivery. In conjunction with optimizing operational efficiencies, the Deputy Director will play a central role in nurturing an inclusive, positive, and equitable culture across the institution. The Deputy Director is the key driver of strategic planning and will partner with the Executive Director in envisioning and achieving near and long-range strategic objectives.
The next Deputy Director will join an organization beloved by its community, within an international profile, a dedicated team of talented staff, and substantial assets at a time of unprecedented growth. This person will build upon an enduring legacy and take MOCA to even greater heights.
Specific Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
· Closely collaborate with the Executive Director in supporting the work of the Board of Trustees, including serving as staff liaison to several key committees.
· Oversee and coordinate efforts to monitor, implement, and refresh the museum’s strategic plan in collaboration with the senior leadership and Board of Trustees, and serve as staff liaison to the Strategic Planning Committee.
· With Director of Finance, participate in the work of the Finance and Investment Committees of the Board of Trustees.
· Provide leadership of the museum’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts.
· Ensure that the museum follows best practices set forth by American Alliance of Museums (AAM) standards and leads the organization’s decennial process for reaccreditation by the AAM.
· Lead the promulgation, implementation, and review of all museum policies and procedures.
Business Operations
· In collaboration with the Executive Director and Director of Finance, oversee the annual budgeting process, including modeling earned revenue opportunities and use data to develop forecast models and project annual attendance and revenue targets.
· Oversee and coordinate interdepartmental efforts to strengthen the financial, administrative, and physical infrastructure that supports the museum’s current operations.
· Lead the planning and implementation of capital projects to revitalize the museum’s building, in coordination with City of North Miami, which owns the building.
· Recruit and oversee outsourced vendors for day-to-day management of human resources activities. Ensure that the organization maintains human resources policies and procedures that support a positive, equitable, and inclusive employee experience; oversee compensation structure and annual compensation reviews in close collaboration with the Executive Director.
· Recruit and oversee outsourced vendors for an overhaul and eventual day-to-day management of the museums IT infrastructure and help desk services.
· Provide leadership of functional areas of guest experience, security, facilities.
Key Selection Criteria
The ideal candidate will understand and have experience in a museum that holds collections, whether in the arts, science, history, or an exhibitor of living collections, such as a zoo, aquarium, or botanical garden. Most importantly, all candidates must possess superior leadership skills combined with the functional expertise required to manage the business operations of a mid-sized, visitor-driven nonprofit organization. Other ideal experiences and qualifications include:
· Ten or more years in nonprofit administration with progressively increased levels of responsibility; at least five years managing the operation of a museum or related experience;
· A track record of maximizing earned income potential of a nonprofit arts and cultural organization or related commercial arts business;
· Capital projects management; specific experience relocating permanent collections and renovating buildings is a plus;
· Senior level planning capacity, particularly as relates to the development of integrated programmatic, financial and information systems required to support a multi-layered organization;
· Significant experience with financial management and budget development/oversight; significant experience in, or knowledge of, cash management and nonprofit accounting, including fund and grant accounting, compliance and reporting;
· Working knowledge of data analysis, performance and operation metrics;
· Able to work independently and collaborate effectively in a team setting within the department and across the organization. Effective project and time management, organizational, and research skills are necessary;
· Demonstrated commitment to the values of Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion (DEAI);
· Ability to communicate effectively, in writing and verbally, with diverse audiences, internally and externally;
· Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists;
· An MBA or comparable advanced degree is desirable, or knowledge, skills and experience equivalent to an advanced degree in finance and/or management.
· Bilingual in English and Spanish or Haitian Creole.
Personal / Professional Attributes
· Genuinely committed to the MOCA’s mission, vision, and values;
· Business savvy and entrepreneurial with a demonstrated ability to build and optimize revenue streams;
· An inspiring and dedicated leader/manager who can build consensus and effect change; the ability to project credibility, trust, enthusiasm, integrity, and motivate others in the same vein;
· A “doer” with a high energy level and a willingness to develop and execute a variety of activities ranging from the day-to-day to the broadly strategic; unafraid to roll up sleeves and get hands dirty;
· A creative problem solver who can present practical solutions to potential problems; design and explore systems and procedures to fit current and long-term needs; able to anticipate and act on events which may create opportunities;
· A person who is strategic, politically aware and financially astute; a consensus builder who can be both firm and decisive, and flexible;
· Collegial and collaborative, with an ability to share information easily; able to be tough-minded if required to ensure that goals are met;
· High emotional intelligence, the ability to build and maintain trust and exceptional leadership presence;
· Exceptional cultural competence and demonstrated commitment to DEIA;
· A resilient spirit with unrelenting enthusiasm;
· Unwavering personal integrity with ethics beyond reproach.
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