Independent Study Program (ISP) Director

About the ISP:
Founded in 1968, the ISP is an academic year, non-degree granting program.  The participants accepted annually pursue independent research and, as importantly, participate in twice weekly seminars led by the Director and visiting artists, critics, and historians. This interdisciplinary aspect of the program is integral to the ISP’s identity. The incumbent will be responsible for stewarding the ISP’s future direction, building a team, providing strategic oversight, day to day management, and administrative and intellectual leadership of the program while faithfully maintaining the distinct ethos of rigorous discourse and open dialogue on important thought and ideas in contemporary art and culture that has characterized its history.

The ISP moved into the Roy Lichtenstein Studio in the fall of 2023. Just four blocks from the Whitney Museum, this is the first permanent home for the ISP in its 50+ year history.  Signifying the importance of interdisciplinary conversation that is integral to the ISP, the heart of the ISP is its seminar room which was designed also to host lectures and screenings. Designed by architects Johnston Marklee in close dialogue with the Whitney, the ISP at the Lichtenstein studio also has spaces for informal gatherings, including meals. The building fosters a pedagogical scenario which is both formal and informal, perpetuating an ethos that is experimental, critical, and engaged. It also hosts an apartment and garden for visiting artists and scholars participating in ISP and Whitney programs.

Find out more at the ISP program here: https://whitney.org/research/isp

The Role:
The Whitney Museum of American Art is currently accepting applications for the position of Director for the Whitney Independent Study Program (ISP).  The Director represents the ISP, interfacing and working in close collaboration with Whitney leadership teams and various departments at the Museum. They also serve as the Museum’s representative with the ISP participants, faculty, and staff.

The Director will be responsible for stewarding the ISP’s future direction from an administrative and programmatic standpoint.

The Director’s management and administrative responsibilities range from  the daily operations of the ISP (including the Lichtenstein studio, serving as primary advocate for ISP participants, budget planning and oversight, admissions, managing and scheduling visiting faculty, organizing the residency program) to long range planning and development, including creating and revising systems, structures, and policies as needed. The Director hires, steers, and manages the ISP team.  

The Director envisions, leads, and implements a dynamic, informed, and innovative pedagogical framework for the program year, which takes into consideration the most compelling shifts in the field, the interests of the participants, and the rich intellectual history of the program.

The Director explores and pilots new initiatives which aim to bring the most important voices in the field to the ISP and the Whitney through a period of focused engagement that fosters the intellectual curiosity of the participants, the Museum, and the appointee.

The Director oversees, outlines, and structures the twice weekly seminars as well as invites visiting artists, critics, historians, theorists, and writers to give lectures and make studio visits.

Throughout the program year, the Director leads a select number of seminars, which provide intellectual coherence and continuity to the year’s course of study. In addition, the Director meets regularly with participants to discuss their art, research projects, or exhibition ideas.  During the visitor-led seminar, the Director shepherds the discussion in order to ensure maximum benefit for the participants.

Key Responsibilities:

Administration & Management

• Demonstrate excellent management skills and diplomatic and professional communication
• Hire, lead, and foster the development of ISP staff
• Identify priorities and allocate resources accordingly
• Oversee planning and implementation of budget and program
• Supervise Lichtenstein studio building, including residency program
• Develop and implement operational systems, structures, and policies for the ISP that align with the Museum
• Partner with the Museum’s Advancement team on fundraising for ISP

Strategic Leadership & Advocacy

• Embrace the mission, values, philosophy, and culture of the ISP and Museum
• Be present and visible in the ISP and Whitney community, frequently connecting with participants, visiting seminar leaders, and staff
• Serve as an advocate, senior advisor, and liaison on ISP matters, ensuring clear and open communication between Museum leadership and all aspects of the program
• Develop and implement strategies that support participant engagement, retention, and success
• Create and promote engagement with ISP alumni

Program Development and Implementation

• Research, create, and implement an interdisciplinary pedagogical program
• Outline and facilitate the admissions process, including the selection of an admissions committee to adjudicate applications and determine the cohort of participants
• Select and invite visiting seminar leaders
• Teach seminars and lead discussions
• Develop and launch new initiatives as needed 
• Develop and maintain program calendar for seminars, events, and other activities

Participant Support & Development

• Lead efforts to create an inclusive environment and open conversation that align with Museum values and policies
• Build relationships with participants
• Oversee participant experience and foster a climate that enhances their work and growth
• Provide one-to-one and group-based support that ensures a positive and engaging creative and learning environment
• Support and communicate community expectations, including community agreements, codes of conduct, and other procedures and policies
• Partner with the Museum’s Office of People and Culture on participant visa related matters
• Identify and maintain proactive approaches for a thriving ISP community

Collaboration

• Partner with all museum areas, such as the Director’s Office as well as Curatorial, Education, Community Affairs, General Counsel, Advancement, Communications, Facilities, Security, and Finance departments

Key Competencies:

Learning Agility

• Learns quickly from experience and feedback
• Adapts to new situations and challenges with minimal guidance
• Experiments and innovates to find better ways of working

 Strategic Thinking

• Connects the dots between trends, data, and long-term goals
• Sees the bigger picture and anticipates future challenges or opportunities
• Makes decisions aligned with organizational strategy

 Drive for Results

• Consistently delivers high performance and exceeds expectations
• Maintains focus and urgency, even under pressure
• Demonstrates resilience and perseverance

Emotional Intelligence

• Self-aware and understands personal strengths and limits
• Empathizes with others and manages relationships effectively
• Handles conflict constructively and leads with compassion

 Influence and Communication

• Communicates ideas clearly and inspires others to act
• Builds credibility with stakeholders at all levels
• Persuades without authority and fosters alignment

Collaboration and Team Leadership

• Works effectively across teams, functions, and cultures
• Builds strong networks and cultivates inclusive environments
• Develops and empowers others

Innovative Thinking

• Seeks new ideas and is open to unconventional solutions
• Challenges the status quo in a constructive way
• Brings fresh perspectives to old problems

Accountability and Ownership

• Takes initiative and follows through on commitments
• Owns outcomes—successes and failures
• Models integrity and ethical decision-making

Candidate Profile:
Our preferred candidate must be an individual with a deep belief in The Whitney’s and ISP’s missions, along with an abiding commitment to operating according to the Museum’s vision and values. This person needs deep experience in art, art history, critical studies, and theory.

This individual will be an administrator and teacher who is comfortable leading initiatives from inception through successful execution, owning both the “big picture” and “the details.” They will have active listening skills, be highly collaborative, and practice shared-governance. The ideal candidate will need credibility, gravitas, and be able to serve as an ambassador for the ISP both within and outside of the Whitney.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Salary range is $170,000 - $175,000 and will be commensurate with experience 
• Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(b) elections 
• Generous Paid Time Off benefits 
• Commuter benefits - parking and mass transit 
• Admission to world-renowned museums across the city and nationally 
• Pet insurance and discounted membership for Citibike 

The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors. 

If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates. Whether you’re new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or take the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role.

Mission Statement:
The Whitney Museum of American Art (“The Whitney”) seeks to be the defining museum of twentieth- and twenty-first-century American art. The Museum collects, exhibits, preserves, researches, and interprets the art of the United States in the broadest global, historical, and interdisciplinary contexts. As the preeminent advocate for American art, the institution fosters the work of living artists at critical moments in their careers. The Whitney educates a diverse public through direct interaction with artists, often before their work has achieved general acceptance.

Values Statement:
Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney founded The Whitney Museum of American Art in 1930. An artist and philanthropist, she believed that artists were essential to defining, challenging, and expanding culture. The Museum became a site where artists and audiences engaged openly with untested ideas. Today, this history informs who the Whitney is and how it serves its public. The Whitney believes:         

• in the power of artists and art to shape lives and communities;
• that we must be as experimental, responsive, and risk-taking as the artists with whom we collaborate;
• in creating experiences that engage and raise questions for our audiences, and, in turn, learning from our audiences;                  
• that our work embraces complexity and encourages an inclusive idea of America;
• in the importance of history: that the past informs our present and that contemporary art can help us better understand our past and realize our future;
• that we must lead with expertise, debate, self-reflection, and integrity;
• that the Whitney thrives because of relationships—among artists, audiences, staff, and board alike—forged from dialogue, premised on respect and committed to a shared purpose.

The Whitney Building:
Designed by architect Renzo Piano and situated between the High Line and Hudson River, the Whitney’s new building vastly increases the Museum’s exhibition and programming space, providing the most expansive view ever of its unsurpassed collection of modern and contemporary American art. Its collection – arguably the finest holdings of 20^th-century American art in the world – is the Museum’s key resource. Its flagship exhibition, the Biennial, is the country’s leading survey of the most recent developments in American art.
 Related to the Whitney as an employer, its strategic planning goals include: to retain its unique, artist-centric, “family” culture while continuing to make the Museum a more professional, welcoming and inclusive work environment for staff and volunteers alike; to comprehensively invest in staff as informed by strategic priorities; to implement initiatives that aim to diversify the staff and the Board; to pursue improved staff communications, productivity, and satisfaction throughout the organization.

EEO Statement: 

The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, pregnancy, partnership status, caregiver status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, genetic information, predisposition, or carrier status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking victim status, or any other factor prohibited by law.  The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels.