Working at SAF

Current Opportunities

Sharjah Art Foundation depends on a growing team of talented and committed individuals who are essential to the realisation of our initiatives and programmes.

Areas of work within the organisation include curatorial, exhibition design and production, project and event coordination, education, research, design, editorial and publications, marketing, press, guest and public relations as well as administrative, IT and technical support.

Current Opportunities:

1. Job title: Press and Media Coordinator

Responsibilities:
• Researching and developing content to write and edit press materials, including press releases, backgrounder documents, invitations
• Write and edit materials for Sharjah Art Foundation’s spokespersons
• Edit and fact check articles
• Help creating press timelines with deliverables based on annual Sharjah Art Foundation events calendar and local, regional, and international art event calendars
• Help mapping the media and strategically target press and publications for all Sharjah Art Foundation news and events to maximize coverage
• Conduct in-depth research into key press, target publications, past coverage of artists and curators, press language, best practices, and more
• Research and track press and media coverage and create in depth coverage reports for each exhibition and event
• Help developing local, regional, and international press and media database so that Sharjah Art Foundation messaging reaches large and diverse network of audience
• Help pitching targeted stories to press to strategically promote the broad scope of Sharjah Art Foundation’s activities
• Make calls and email database contacts to invite them to exhibitions and events
• Serve as onsite media contact during press visits, press trips, and interviews
• Support to prepare press conferences
• Support to prepare press kits and other communication materials for Sharjah Art Foundation events

Experience:
Min 4 years in a similar role

Skills:
• Excellent writing skills
• Broad understanding of contemporary art and museum operations
• High level of concentration and attention to detail
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
• Methodical and well-organised approach to work

Qualifications:
Degree in writing or journalism
Fluency in English: academic and professional. Arabic is a plus

The ideal candidate should be based in the UAE.

2.Job title: Marketing Assistant

Responsibilities:
• Support the implementation and development of marketing strategy
• Support the execution of marketing campaigns, including outdoor and digital iniatives
• Monitor sales, footfall and overall performance of various marketing campaigns and generate relevant reports
• Collate data, draft and prepare various reports for the evaluation and assessment of marketing strategy
• Liaise between various teams, such as Design and Marketing, for the development of marketing campaigns and the production of collaterals
• Follow up on timelines and deliverables with various teams for marketing campaigns and other projects
• Manage administrative financial, budgeting and accounting tasks

Required knowledge and skills:

• Broad understanding of contemporary art and museum operations
• High level of concentration and attention to detail
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
• Methodical and well-organised approach to work
• Tact and diplomacy in working with others

Experience:
Minimum of 2 years in a relevant field

Qualifications:
BBA in Marketing/Communications or a higher degree
Fluency in English and Arabic

The ideal candidate should be based in the UAE.

3. Job title: Social Media and Digital Marketing Coordinator

Responsibilities:
• Support in managing all of the foundation’s social media handles in accordance with the overall marketing strategy
• Support the implementation and creation of all social media campaigns in line with the communications strategy and message of the foundation
• Support the community management of the foundation’s various social media platforms
• Support the development and creation of a social media strategy for various initiatives, projects and events implemented by the foundation
• Prepare and draft reports monitoring the performance of social media campaigns and audience engagement on various platforms
• Manage the day-to-day communication and working relationship with the foundation’s digital agency
• Coordinate and liaise with the design team to ensure a seamless implementation of social media and digital campaigns

Required knowledge and skills:

• Broad understanding of contemporary art and museum operations
• High level of concentration and attention to detail
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
• Methodical and well-organised approach to work

Experience:
Minimum of 3–4 years running all aspects of social media and digital campaigns in a digital marketing agency or equivalent

Qualifications:
Relevant degree in social media and digital marketing or equivalent
Fluency in English. Knowledge of academic and professional Arabic is a plus.

The ideal candidate should be based in the UAE.

4.Job title: Senior Exhibition Designer

Job Overview:
The Senior exhibition designer takes a leading role in the design of the institution exhibitions based on the content determined by the curator, according to the theme, space, budget and schedule, following the determined scope of work and design style defined by the institution.

Responsibilities:
• Works with curators and artists on simultaneous projects, supporting the design & production process by insuring the timely preparation of drawings, models, renderings, models, and other representation tools.
• Works with other exhibition designers on the team and updates drawings, detailing, exhibition designs and art installations.
• Supervises and approves all drafted plans and elevations, renderings and visualizations that convey exhibition design ideas, and when needed models that conveys exhibition design ideas.
• Creates proper lighting exhibition strategies and schemes for each exhibition.
• Coordinates the design of a cohesive set of exhibition elements and furniture.
• Coordinate with graphic designers on wayfinding, labels and wall texts.
• Coordinates the production of exhibitions within SAF's robust exhibition program.
• Works with vendors and contractors to source materials and services and ensure proper production.
• Communicates well with institutional art handlers and AV technicians.
• Tracks, organizes and maintains exhibition design archives, and physical models and ensures that drawing and model-making supplies are organized and replenished.
• Assists SAF Design and Production with light administrative duties.
• Update database of gallery drawings and standard details.
• Trains and supports Junior exhibition designers
• Updates personal knowledge of institutional venues, their spatial potential and occupational guidelines on an ongoing basis

Requirements:
• Master's degree, in architecture or a design-related field (degree in exhibition design preferred), and 5 to 7 years of relevant work experience in exhibition design in reputed contemporary or modern art institutions.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to lead a team of exhibition designers and to efficiently manage several projects simultaneously.
• Ability to form and maintain successful working relationships with institution staff, designers, curators and artists.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Photoshop, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint), and other standard office programs and equipment.
• Knowledge of 3-D rendering programs.
• Knowledge of 20th- and 21st-century art (preferred).

5. Job Title: Chief Registrar (Collections)

Job Overview:
Chief Registrar (Collections) is a new senior leadership position in the collections department at Sharjah Art Foundation, and the appointee will report to the Director of Collections and Senior Curator. Depending on the skills and qualifications of the appointed candidate, this role is an opportunity to help shape the manner in which the organisation runs its day-to-day activities within the collections team. The post will be supported initially by a Loans and Acquisitions Coordinator, but the scope of the role can be expanded for the appropriate candidate. The appointee will be a key custodian of the collection locally, nationally and internationally and ensure that correct procedures are implemented for the acquisition, protection, cataloguing, archiving, dissemination and maintenance of the collection. This is a time of growth and increased visibility for the collection with numerous projects in development. The Sharjah Art Foundation collection consists of more than 1000 works. A large proportion of these works are major installations that were produced specifically for the Sharjah Biennial. However, the collection has expanded over the years to become one of the premiere art collections in the region. Taking the Middle East and South Asia as a starting point, Sharjah Art Foundation seeks to collect the works of artists from the broader East and South that reflect the most urgent issues of our time.

Responsibilities:
• Create and monitor departmental budgets, establish timelines for key projects and provide regular reports on the status of projects to the Director of Collections and other members of the foundation staff as needed
• Oversee the museum’s collections management system, including managing the relationship with the collections management software vendor
• Provide initial and ongoing training for all users of the collections management software, both within the collections team and throughout the institution, and create training and user documentation for software users
• In collaboration with the Director of Collections and Senior Curator, develop the institutional data dictionary and documentation strategy, and develop and maintain templates for forms and reports to be generated by the collections management software
• In collaboration with the Director of Collections and Senior Curator, ensure that all acquisition contracts, provenance, insurance and invoicing matters related to acquisitions and incoming and outgoing loans are accurate and legally verifiable, and establish a workflow for the creation, approval and archiving of essential collections-related documents
• Work with the organisation’s Shipping Coordinators (and other Registrars, when appointed) on overseeing the packing, crating and shipping of artworks
• Travel with key artworks on loan and/or provide training to other couriers travelling on behalf of the foundation
• Increase the visibility of the collection and maintain an active loan programme
• Establish standards for storage and art handling, working in collaboration with the Conservator, Warehouse Manager and Director of Operations
• Contribute to the dialogue around the foundation’s new storage facility, set for completion in early 2022
• Contribute actively to the conversation around the permanent collection in Sharjah Art Foundation’s new purpose-built collections building, set to open in late 2022
• Work closely with the conservator to identify and prioritise conservation matters and establish guidelines and timelines for condition reporting
• Be present at and support the installation of the foundation’s collection at exhibitions, whether in-house or on tour
• Play a key role in developing the department as required by the unfolding scope of work through targeted hires

Qualifications:
MA level or equivalent

Experience:
At least four years in a registrarial or collections management position

Other Requirements:
• English language proficiency
• Knowledge of museum database systems
• Knowledge of best practices in fine arts collections
documentation and management
• Familiarity with basic conservation concepts
• Experience in working with contracts
• Experience in a supervisory role
• Knowledge of contemporary art

Knowledge of Arabic and at least one other foreign language (preferred)

6. Job Title: Lead Conservator

Job Overview
This is a new leadership position in the collections department at Sharjah Art Foundation. The Lead Conservator will be a key custodian of the collection locally, nationally and internationally and ensure that correct procedures are implemented for the conservation, archiving and distribution of the collection. This is a time of growth and increased visibility for the collection with numerous projects in development. The Sharjah Art Foundation collection consists of more than 1000 works. A large proportion of these works are major installations that were produced specifically for the Sharjah Biennial. However, the collection has expandedover the years to become one of the premiere art collections in the region. Taking the Middle East and South Asia as a starting point, Sharjah Art Foundation seeks to collect the works of artists from the broader East and South that reflect the most urgent issues of our time.

Responsibilities:
• Lead a thorough conservation audit of the collection and determine short- and long-term conservation needs of the department
• Work with the Chief Registrar on a value audit of the collection in partnership with relevant third parties
• Plan, assess and implement a programme of conservation for all types of media, including sculpture, installation, photography and moving image
• Carry out basic conservation on at least one form of media, e.g. painting, sculpture or paper, as the Lead Conservator position is a hands-on conservation role as much as a managerial one
• Plan, manage and implement preventive integrative conservation work on the collection
• Build and maintain a strong network with freelance specialist conservators, as and when required.
• Keep clear documentation of all tasks performed and maintain instruction manuals for the care of the collection
• Draft an extensive policy for the care and upkeep of the collection in collaboration with the Director of Collections and Senior Curator and the Chief Registrar
• Maintain and relay budgets to the Chief Registrar, as and when required
• Assist in drafting grant applications for conservation, as and when needed
• Draft a disaster plan to ensure the protection of the collection in an emergency situation
• Promote a high standard of conservation practices across the organisation by assisting and training cross-departmental staff
• Implement a new video database system for Sharjah Art Foundation’s extensive video art collection, working with a relevant contractor to implement such a system
• Work closely with the Chief Registrar, Warehouse Manager, Shipping Coordinator and other team members on planning and making arrangements for the move to a new warehouse facility in 2022
• Understand, support and represent the mission of the collection and Sharjah Art Foundation
• Be aware of and follow basic health and safety standards
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as agreed with the line manager

Qualifications:
MA level or equivalent

Experience:
Three to four years in a similar role or related field

Other Requirements:
Ability to carry out basic hands-on conservation work
Advanced computer skills and/or experience working with file management systems
Knowledgeof contemporary art

7. Job title: Senior Architect

Job Overview:
The Senior Architect will take a lead role in designing architectural projects and renovations based on briefs determined by Sharjah Art Foundation’s higher management. He or she will follow the required scope of work and plan schedules for the various assignments.

Key Responsibilities:
• Work on projects that are at different stages of completion with a team of other architects and interior designers
• Conduct field and literary research, and prepare concept and schematic packages, including drawings, renderings and models
• Write project descriptions, and prepare presentations
• Provide support to Junior Architects in their review of project plans, elevations, renderings, visualisations and models
• Conceive interior and exterior lighting strategies, and coordinate the design of a cohesive set of interior elements and furniture
• Liaise with execution architect vendors and contractors to develop project details and source materials and services
• Assist with exhibition design, space preparation and production of art installations
• Review detailed drawings and shop drawings by subcontractors for architectural projects and exhibitions
• Coordinate wayfinding and exterior/interior signage with the graphic designer
• Assist in time management and efficient phasing of projects to meet design and construction deadlines
• Track, organise and maintain project archives and physical models
• Assist Sharjah Art Foundation Design and Production team with light administrative duties, and ensure that drawing and model-making supplies are organised and replenished
• Contribute to the formation of a library on architectural detailing
• Update spatial and occupational guidelines for foundation venues to inform both subsequent designs and users
• Assist the Operation Director with the bid process, and coordinate with contractors, subcontractors, manufacturers and various types of suppliers
• Assist the Operation Director with site supervision of architectural projects and exhibition construction
• Coordinate the visual documentation of architecture and exhibition projects as and when needed

Basic Requirements:
• A master's degree in architecture and 5 to 7 years of relevant work experience in reputed architecture firms
• Exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail
• Experience in all project design phases, from concept to schematic design, design development, detail design, tenders, construction and on-site supervision
• Ability to lead a team of Junior Architects and efficiently manage several projects simultaneously
• Ability to conduct design analysis, create diagrams and draft architectural plans, site plans, elevations, axonometric projections and perspectives
• Knowledge of architectural symbols and conventions, dimensioning and other necessary drawing annotations
• Knowledge of 20th- and 21st-century architecture and familiarity with modern architecture and design principles
• Proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Proficiency in 2D and 3D software and rendering programs, AutoCad, Revit Rhino, 3DMax, etc
• Ability to form and maintain successful working relationships with staff from other Sharjah Art Foundation departments

8. Job Title: Senior Copywriter (English)

Key responsibilities:

• Copy-edit, fact-check and proofread texts from all departments according to Sharjah Art Foundation style. Texts may include any of the following:
o Curatorial texts such as project descriptions, wall labels for exhibitions and essays for exhibition booklets
o Biographies
o Descriptions and schedules for Learning Programme courses, workshops, talks and symposia
o Captions for images of artworks and Foundation events
o Registration forms
o Website texts
o Press releases
o Marketing texts
o Social media posts
o Sponsorship documents
o Business correspondence
• Offer suggestions for substantive editing of texts (e.g. comments about the order and completeness of the content, coherence of ideas, writing style) in relation to the target audience and purpose of the writing
• Prepare and update Sharjah Art Foundation style guidelines as needed to reflect standard Foundation language usage and formats
• Provide regular guidance and instruction in applying Foundation style for language and formats as requested
• Supervise the work of other editors

Essential knowledge and skills:

• Knowledge (on the level of an educated native speaker) of British English syntax, vocabulary, punctuation and spelling
• Skill in editing texts not only for the accuracy and consistency of the language and format but also for the completeness and coherence of ideas
• Skill in writing and editing different types of writing, from academic texts to marketing materials and business correspondence
• Broad understanding of contemporary art and museum operations
• Skill in using Microsoft Word, including Markup, and Outlook
• High level of concentration and attention to detail
• Methodical and well-organised approach to work
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
• Ability to work with colleagues with different levels of English proficiency
• Tact and diplomacy in working with others

Working conditions:

• Working hours are from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Before Sharjah Biennials and other major exhibitions and events, additional work may be required.

Qualifications:

Bachelor or Master Degree or Equivalent Work Experience

Work Experience:

At least 4 years in the same field.