Henry J. Heinz II Director

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Overview Yale University Art Gallery seeks a visionary, collaborative, and dynamic leader to serve as its next Henry J. Heinz II Director. As one of America’s oldest and most significant university art museums, the Gallery stewards a global collection of more than 300,000 works and serves as a vital center for teaching, scholarship, public engagement, and object-based learning. The Director will provide strategic vision, fiscal and operational leadership, and staff development while advancing the Gallery’s role as an essential partner across Yale and an engaged cultural resource for the New Haven community and broader regional, national, and international audiences.

The successful candidate will be an inspirational advocate and seasoned manager with recognized distinction in art history or a related humanities field, demonstrated professional stature, and the ability to represent the Gallery effectively among diverse academic, cultural, and community stakeholders.

The Henry J. Heinz II Director is appointed by Yale’s president, reports to the provost, and works most directly with the vice provost for collections and scholarly communication. The Henry J. Heinz II Director is responsible for overseeing an annual operating budget of $50 million and an endowment of $1 billion as of June 2026. They lead a staff of 147 full-time and 19 part-time employees, both union and non-union, and 129 student employees and interns.

The six direct reports reporting to the Henry J. Heinz II Director are the chief curator, director of finance and administration, chief conservator, director of advancement and external relations, deputy director for exhibitions, collections and facilities, and the executive assistant to the Henry J. Heinz II Director. The Gallery welcomes more than 240,000 visitors annually and 446 K-12 visits totaling over 11,000 students.

Yale University has retained Isaacson, Miller, an executive search firm, to assist with this recruitment. A full job profile, as well as application instructions can be found here:
Henry J. Heinz II Director | Isaacson, Miller Required

Skills and Abilities

1. Proven ability to work with faculty, staff, and students and sophistication in promoting teaching, research, and scholarship; familiarity with a unionized workforce; A desire and ability to embrace the New Haven and global community, build partnerships, identify opportunities, and expand the Gallery’s reach within the region and beyond.
2. Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to actively listen to, connect with, and inspire the public, staff, faculty, students, community partners, artists, patrons, and arts leaders;
Demonstrated ability to develop innovative ideas and effectively implement them.
3. Extensive experience with financial management and administration and understanding of financial operations; an ability to facilitate both short- and long-term strategic decisions with financial ramifications.
4. Demonstrated success in leading and motivating a team, fostering cross-departmental collaboration, communication, and collective and individual accountability.
5. An advanced degree in an art-related field is required.

Preferred

Skills and Abilities

1. A PhD in an art-related field is preferred

Principal Responsibilities
1. Directs one or more functional areas within an administrative department of the University and ensure compliance with University…