Head of Experience Production and Preparation - Asian Art Museum (0922) - (147866) - City and County of San Francisco

This is a Position-Based Test conducted in accordance with CSC Rule 111A.

• Application Opening: 9/26/24

• Application Deadline: 10/14/2024 

• Compensation Range: $129,974 and $165,958  Salary Database

.  Recruitment ID: PBT-0922-147866

Who We Are - Located in the heart of San Francisco, the Asian Art Museumis home to one of the world’s finest collections of Asian art, boasting more than 18,000 inspiring artworks ranging from ancient jades and ceramics to contemporary video installations. Dynamic special exhibitions, cultural celebrations, and public programs for all ages provide rich art experiences that unlock the past and spark questions about the future.

The Asian Art Museum is seeking a highly skilled Head of Experience Production and Preparation to lead a talented team in managing the logistics, technical aspects, and installation of museum exhibitions and experiences, including special exhibitions, collection gallery displays, programs, and events.

In this role, you will work closely with a cross-departmental creative team, providing leadership and guidance for the construction, installation, de-installation, and art handling processes. You’ll also serve as a key advisor for Experience Design, collaborating on innovative production methods to enhance the museum's exhibitions and experience offerings to the public.

This position supervises a team of experience production and preparation staff as well as temporary as-needed contractors.

Responsibilities include:

· Oversee the installation, de-installation, carpentry, matting and framing, mount-making, welding, and storage of exhibition assets. Manage artwork rotations, collections projects, and all other department tasks while ensuring compliance with OSHA standards.

· Serve as a key advisor to the division head on project feasibility, scheduling, design, and budget considerations. Identify potential challenges and recommend effective solutions.

. Deliver cost projections and alternate production options; anticipate project needs for staff and materials.

· Review design proposals and advise on production methods to align projects with museum experience goals, staying within scope and budget.

· Collaborate with conservators, curators, designers, and other teams to plan and execute exhibition construction, mount-making, and framing, ensuring the use of secure hardware and archival materials. Lead design project implementation.

· Manage department budgets, providing time and labor estimates to senior management based on cost analyses. Ensure projects are completed on time and within budget.

· Coordinate the transportation and movement of artworks and exhibition materials between museum locations and off-site facilities. Oversee storage and maintenance of crates, carpentry tools, digital screens, and other multimedia displays.

· Purchase and maintain necessary equipment and materials for exhibition needs. Collaborate with teams to manage inventories and optimize storage space.

· Provide project oversight for all construction related to museum experiences, ensuring alignment with budget and purchasing processes. Prepare bid specifications, evaluate vendors, oversee contracts, and ensure contractor compliance with museum and OSHA standards.

· Analyze operational policies and procedures, prepare reports with findings, and develop recommendations to improve efficiency. Draft and implement new policies as needed.

· Ensure team training and communication on best practices for exhibition preparation, OSHA, ADA compliance, and other safety regulations. Lead staff training and performance management.

· Oversee maintenance and repair of tools and equipment; plan for future needs. 

· Work closely with division and department heads to prioritize short-term projects and contribute to long-term museum planning.

· Lead research and testing of materials and construction technologies, maintaining detailed records of successful methods and materials used in projects.

• May include additional duties as needed.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

· Education: Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.

· Experience: Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in the preparation, construction, and installation of exhibit displays.

· License: Valid California Driver’s License Class C.

The above minimum qualifications reflect special conditions associated with the position to be filled. They may differ from the standard minimum associated with this classification.

Desirable Qualifications:

The desirable qualifications may be used to select among finalists at the end of the selection process. We don't expect any one candidate to have all the listed below - please know that you can be a great candidate without all of the below qualifications. If you meet the minimum qualifications and have a mix of the desirable qualifications and a passion for this work – please don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

· Eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in the preparation, construction, and installation of exhibit displays with at least four (4) years working in a supervisory role, preferably in a museum, gallery, or studio setting.

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements” Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco. 4 All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application. Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.

Selection Procedures - After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (Weight: Qualifying) – After submitting your application and receiving the confirmation email, you will receive an email with a link to the Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ). Candidates will be required to complete a MQSQ as part of the employment application. The MQSQ is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the Minimum Qualifications (MQ) for this position. The MQSQ will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.

Exam Components:

Supervisory Test Battery (Weight: 50%) – Supervisory Test Battery (STB) weighted at 50%. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to participate in a computer-based examination designed to measure competencies in job-related areas which may include but not be limited to: Problem Solving; Leadership; Decision Making; Interpersonal skill; Human Resources Management; Team Building; Communication; Conflict Management and Process Improvement. For more information about this Supervisory Test (and a suggested reading list) please click here.

This is a standardized examination and, therefore, test questions and answers are not available for public inspection or review.

Scores attained on the Supervisory Test Battery will be valid and 'banked' for three years, starting from the date of the examination. This means that, during this three-year time period, you will not be required to take the Supervisory Test Battery. The Supervisory Test Battery may be used for many other classes, therefore your test score may be applied to one or more of these classes if you choose to apply to future recruitments. If the selection process for the future announcement is held within one year of the date of this examination and it includes the Supervisory Test Battery, your score will be automatically applied to that announcement. However, after one year, you have the option to either (a) apply your test score to the other announcement or (b) re-take the Supervisory Test Battery. Re-testing is permitted no sooner than one year from the date of the examination and only in association with your eligibility for another announcement for which the Supervisory Test Battery is used. Please note that, should you re-test, your re-test score would become your official score since it is the most recent.

A passing score must be achieved on the STB to continue in the selection process.

Candidates will be placed on the eligible list in rank order according to their final score. Candidate scores on this examination may also be applied to other announcements involving other job titles, when directed by the Human Resources Director.

The department may administer additional position-specific selection procedures to make final hiring decisions.

Supplemental Questionnaire Evaluation (Weight: 50%) – Qualified candidates will be emailed a Supplemental Questionnaire Evaluation. In order to advance, candidates must complete the Supplemental Questionnaire and it must be submitted before the provided deadline. The information provided on the Supplemental Questionnaire must be consistent with the information on the application and is subject to verification. Once submitted, applicant responses on the Supplemental Questionnaire cannot be changed.

The Supplemental Questionnaire is designed to assess your knowledge, skills, and abilities in key job-related areas, including:

· Best practices for the preparation, construction, and installation of exhibit displays.

· Managerial competencies, including personnel management, budgeting, expense tracking, and project management.

· Expertise in tools and techniques used in art handling, such as carpentry, painting, mount-making, welding, matting, framing, crate packing, art storage, and installation methods.

· Knowledge of art handling protocols and best practices for working with fragile and valuable artworks.

· Familiarity with safety codes, regulations, and procedures related to exhibit construction, installation, and workplace safety.

· Proficiency in Microsoft Office and project management software for tracking and organizing tasks.

Key Skills and Abilities:

· Build and maintain strong relationships with staff, consultants, and vendors.

· Lead hiring, promotions, and employee development, providing clear direction and fair conflict resolution to support both individual and organizational growth.

· Read, create, and interpret blueprints for the construction and installation of museum exhibits and art displays.

· Accurately estimate project costs for exhibit construction, manage budgets, and track expenses.

· Perform tasks that require physical mobility, including supervising work in the preparation shop and museum galleries.

· Construct a variety of exhibit fixtures using advanced fabrication techniques and multimedia installation methods.

· Plan, prioritize, and execute complex projects, managing multiple tasks while ensuring project goals are met.

· Safely handle and move delicate artworks, including lifting and moving heavy objects up to 50 lbs.

· Perform medium to heavy physical labor, including lifting, carrying, and moving materials, tools, and exhibit fixtures.

· Operate trucks, lifts, forklifts, pallet jacks, and other equipment, and maintain a valid California Driver’s License.

Eligible List/Score Report: A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of 12 months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

To find Departments which use this classification, please see: 

Annual Salary Ordinance Level Chart - Budgeted Position Counts by Job Code and Department

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights: For PBT Job Ads: Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by the posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website: https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/.

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is ‘abuse of discretion’ or ‘no rational basis for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule. Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director. Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About The Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

HOW TO APPLY: Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/ and begin the application process. • Select the “I’m Interested” button and follow the instructions on the screen

Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

HR Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Senior HR Analyst Andrea Bolt at abolt@asianart.org.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.