The National Gallery of Canada, in the glare of the spotlight in recent months following the dismissal of four senior staff members, has posted the gallery’s top job and is looking for candidates both in Canada and abroad.
The director and CEO of the National Gallery is responsible for providing corporate leadership for the management of the gallery’s resources and assets, which include 65,000 works of art, as well as meeting the gallery’s mandate under the Museums Act, according to the posting.
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The job pays between $204,200 and $240,200 a year.
The National Gallery’s previous director, Sasha Suda, was appointed in February 2019 and oversaw the creation of the gallery’s first strategic plan. She left last June to become director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which has been troubled by allegations of the mistreatment of women on staff.
Angela Cassie, formerly the National Gallery’s chief strategy and inclusion office, was named the interim director on Suda’s departure.
Cassie’s background included senior roles at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg and in developing the strategic plan. She came under fire last fall in the wake of the dismissals of chief curator Kitty Scott, senior curator of Indigenous art Greg A. Hill, director of conservation and technical research Stephen Grit and senior manager of communications Denise Siele.
A letter sent to Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez in November, signed by seven former top staff members of the National Gallery, said dismissals and vacancies in key areas of expertise had created a high degree of internal uncertainty and instability
The five-year strategic plan, now in its second year, calls for greater equity and inclusion at the National Gallery. The National Gallery wants to welcome existing visitors, but also create opportunities for other people to recognize the gallery belongs to all of Canada, choosing voices that have been historically underrepresented, and sharing those voices directly with visitors, said Cassie in an interview with this newspaper last month.
Among other requirements, the ideal candidate for the director’s job will have a degree in art history or a relevant study or research, as well as having corporate leadership experience at the CEO or senior executive level.
The job posting also asks for experience in national and international outreach, generating revenue and experience in implementing strategic vision and change management. Bilingualism is preferred and the appointee is expected to promote an inclusive and harassment-free workplace.
Preference may be given to applicants who are members of the following groups: women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of a visible minority group, according to the posting.
A headhunter has been hired to help in the search, said the National Gallery’s director of communications, Douglas Chow, on Monday. The scope of the search is both national and international. It’s hard to predict when an announcement will be made, he said.
The board of trustees is to put forward a list of nominations for a permanent director, but the final decision will be made by the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
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