Director, Getty Research Institute (GRI)

Getty is committed to creating a welcoming workplace that reflects the various backgrounds of the communities we serve. We value differences in the pursuit of inquiry and knowledge, mutual understanding, respect, trust, transparency, and cooperation. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status.

Job Summary

The J. Paul Getty Trust is the world's largest cultural and philanthropic organization dedicated to sharing and preserving the visual arts and cultural heritage for the benefit of all. To accomplish this, Getty’s four programs—the Getty Research Institute, the Getty Foundation, the Getty Conservation Institute, and the J. Paul Getty Museum—work both independently and collaboratively through their research, scholarship, philanthropy, conservation, collections, and exhibitions. Getty is leading and facilitating transformative scholarship in art history and conservation science, bringing collections and exhibitions to life, with additional programs in publishing and active grant-making. Getty accomplishes its work through strategic partnerships with organizations in Los Angeles and across the globe.

 

Under the leadership of Katherine E. Fleming, President and CEO, Getty is seeking to evolve and broaden the impact and reach of the institution and to develop an overarching identity across its four programs.

 

Getty’s resources enable it to fund efforts that elevate the professions of art history and conservation around the world. Millions visit its preeminent, free museums and access 300,000 online collection materials, as well as the Research Institute’s Getty Library, the world’s largest art library with over 1.5 million volumes and archives. Getty aspires to further expand its reach through enhanced digital programming. Getty continues to advance new ideas, contribute new knowledge, and inspire mutual human understanding among all audiences, wherever they may be.

 

As a part of Getty, the Getty Research Institute (GRI) is an international center. Its extensive library, special collections, array of programs, and knowledgeable and diverse staff drive the research activities of the organization across a number of key vectors. The GRI is committed to preserving, creating, and sharing resources related to the history of art, conceived in the broadest terms. As an international center for the study of visual culture, the mission of the GRI is to cultivate advanced knowledge of art and its varied histories. It is home to one of the world’s most comprehensive art historical research libraries with its Research Library and Special Collections focusing on the history of art, architecture, and archaeology. It seeks to bring these collections to life for scholars and the public and aims to make its materials as widely and freely accessible as possible to broad audiences.

 

The GRI’s current objectives are to:

• Welcome local, national, and international visitors to its library, collections, exhibitions, and facilities.
• Contribute to an inclusive, nuanced, and global understanding of art and its histories.
• Collect, preserve, create, share, and provide access to resources about art.
• Exchange knowledge with diverse communities about the histories of art and cultural heritage.
• Sustain the relevance of the humanities, art history, and related areas of study.
• Develop and foster professional and technological capacities in the world of libraries, archives, and museums.
• Promote an ethos of collaboration through sustainable activities and practices.
• Serve as a local and global resource for scholars and researchers.

 

The Director of the GRI serves as its executive leader and drives the formulation of the GRI’s vision, goals, and direction. The Director is responsible for the conceptualization, organization, and oversight of the Institute’s scholarly and historical research programs. With the ability to articulate a compelling vision for the future of a collections-based research library and placing value on serious scholarship and intellectual thought, the next Director will work to transform the GRI’s impact and profile.

 

As part of Getty’s executive team, the GRI Director will engage and work in partnership with the CEO and others to help drive Getty-wide strategic priorities. Each of Getty’s four programs contribute meaningfully to Getty’s mission. The vision for “One Getty” focuses on ensuring Getty’s recognition in all of the programs and projects in which Getty partners or provides support.

 

The national and international stature of the GRI and its Director position require significantly demonstrated leadership ability, integrity, strong judgment, and a meaningful understanding of relevant scholarship and research production. The GRI’s next Director will be a successful leader and collaborative administrator, accustomed to setting a tone of cooperation and managing a strong professional team.

 

***Getty has partnered with Spencer Stuart on this search. To submit confidential expressions of interest, please send an e-mail with any supporting materials to the following email: GRIDirector@SpencerStuart.com.

Major Job Responsibilities

• Articulate a compelling vision and strategy for the future impact of the GRI, leading change and transformation while securing buy-in and support across the breadth of the organization.
• Serve as the chief steward of the GRI’s world-renowned collections, evolve the institution’s collection strategy, and promote the accessibility of its archival resources and collections to a broader audience.
• Oversee the GRI’s budgetary and operational excellence, maintaining a comprehensive grasp of Getty’s fiscal responsibility, budgeting process, financial goals, and other key metrics.
• Champion Getty and the GRI nationally and internationally as a highly visible and articulate spokesperson, serving as a powerful voice for the humanities.
• Manage, motivate, empower, develop, and evaluate staff, maintaining a productive, supportive, and collaborative working environment; provide guidance, training, and resources to support GRI management and staff through transitions, equipping them with skills to navigate change confidently.
• Build upon existing relationships and develop new partnerships and collaborations with leading libraries, academic institutions, and cultural communities, with a particular focus on access.
• Select and work with the GRI Council and Getty’s Institutional Advancement to advance the mission of the Institute and the greater Getty.
• Advance the GRI’s vision, strategy, and direction to meet the changing needs of its key constituents.
• Develop a clear set of priorities, identify areas for new or continued investment, outline topics for research focus, secure the necessary financial support, and measure progress.
• Transform the organizational strategy for the GRI based on a broad understanding of the international art history ecosystem and the Institute’s existing archival portfolio.
• Build capacity to support the evolving work and needs of the GRI’s staff, fellows, and scholars, expand the impact of art history research, and scale to support new opportunities.
• Develop and retain talented researchers, fellows, and staff throughout the organization, and ensure they are energized, aligned, and working collaboratively.
• Refine administrative functions, systems, and protocols that support GRI’s ambitions and reflect the opportunities and challenges of its positioning and culture.
• Clearly and consistently communicate Getty’s and the GRI’s long-term direction, objectives, and priorities, and collaborate with staff on decisions related to execution and implementation.
• Foster an environment in which people can perform at their best.
• Promote cross-organizational discussions to build or reinforce alignment around the Institute’s purpose, vision, and direction.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to provide dynamic leadership in charting the future of an organization such as the GRI.
• Demonstrated success leading change as an executive leader, having managed and empowered staff to support an organization’s progress, raise its profile, and elevate its impact.
• Expressly understands working as part of a complex and multi-faceted organization.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, motivate and engage a strong and cohesive staff.
• Has built strong and healthy organizational cultures, exhibited strong financial and operational acumen, and has developed and motivated diverse, high-performing teams.
• Understands the power of technology to further the GRI’s mission.
• Credibility and intellectual standing in a cognate scholarly field, coupled with intellectual curiosity about the full range of arts and humanities.

Benefits and Perks

Here are just some examples that Getty offers/provides for full-time employees:

 

• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance coverage, starting on date of hire. Getty pays 75%-95% of the premium, depending on the plan selected.
• 403(b) Employee Investment retirement plan – with up to 5% Getty Match
• Getty contribution of 6%, on behalf of employee, to 401(a) retirement account
• Educational Assistance and professional development
• Paid Vacation, Sick and Personal Days
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Many positions have bi-weekly Off-Fridays
• On-Site Fitness Center at Getty Center
• Community service opportunities

 

To learn more about our comprehensive benefits and long list of perks, go to Getty HR.