T/m is entering an exciting new chapter. With a strong institutional foundation and a leadership team committed to excellence, we are ready to elevate our curatorial function in a meaningful way. We are looking for a dynamic, forward-thinking leader to serve as our Director of Curatorial Affairs—a senior role that will shape the future of our collections, exhibitions, and curatorial identity.
This is not just a collections management role. This is a leadership opportunity. The right candidate will bring strategic vision, genuine enthusiasm for the mission, and the ability to lead and develop a talented curatorial team. They will help T/m tell richer stories, build stronger community connections, and position our collection as a living, growing resource for education and inspiration.
If you are a creative, collaborative, and mission-driven curatorial leader who thrives in a team environment and wants to make a real difference at one of Kansas City’s most beloved institutions, we want to meet you.
Role Overview
The Director of Curatorial Affairs serves as the senior leader for all curatorial and collections functions at T/m. As a core member of the senior leadership team, this individual is responsible for setting and executing departmental strategy, leading and developing a team of curatorial professionals, and serving as the institutional steward of T/m’s remarkable collection.
This role operates at the intersection of strategic leadership and curatorial expertise, moving fluidly between big-picture vision and ground-level execution. The Director of Curatorial Affairs will champion a culture that empowers team members to grow, take ownership, and deliver excellent work. They will also serve as a collaborative institutional partner, working closely with the Executive Director, Board, and cross-departmental colleagues to advance T/m’s mission and strategic priorities.
Core Responsibilities
1. Strategic Leadership & Departmental Vision
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Develop and lead the long-range strategy for T/m’s Curatorial Affairs department, aligned with the institution’s strategic plan.
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Serve as a senior member of the leadership team; actively participate in institutional planning, cross-departmental collaboration, and shared responsibility for organizational outcomes.
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Operationalize strategic priorities at the department level, setting clear goals, timelines, and performance benchmarks.
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Advise the Executive Director and Board on collection valuation, insurance, security, acquisitions, deaccessions, and long-range curatorial direction.
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Represent T/m externally as a curatorial voice—at conferences, with donors, with peer institutions, and in the broader Kansas City community.
2. Team Leadership & Developmental Delegation
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Lead, supervise, and develop a growing team of collections and curatorial staff, including a Registrar, Collections Manager, and Assistant Curators.
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Practice intentional developmental delegation—assigning ownership of meaningful work to team members, building their capacity, and coaching them toward increasing responsibility.
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Conduct regular one-on-ones, performance check-ins, and annual evaluations; create individualized development plans for each direct report.
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Foster a positive, high-performing team culture grounded in accountability, creativity, and mutual respect.
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Model T/m’s values in every aspect of leadership—in how you communicate, how you handle challenges, and how you show up for your team.
3. Collections Stewardship & Management
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Oversee the overall management of T/m’s collection of 100,000+ objects to AAM standards of accreditation.
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Collaborate with the Chair of the Collections Committee; provide oversight of formal acquisition, deaccession, and loan processes.
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Maintain the highest ethical standards regarding the care, keeping, documentation, and preservation of the collection.
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With the Collection Manager, create, maintain, and regularly review collections policies and procedures to ensure best practices and institutional consistency.
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Ensure all collection management systems are current, accurate, and staff are trained to use them effectively.
4. Exhibitions & Interpretive Programming
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Lead the development, planning, and execution of T/m’s exhibition program.
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Collaborate with Learning & Engagement, Visitor Services, Marketing & Communications, and external partners to create exhibitions that are engaging, accessible, and mission-aligned.
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Bring creative, interpretive thinking to how T/m’s collection tells stories of history, culture, art, and imagination.
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Research, write, and speak about the collection for internal audiences, donors, media, and the public.
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Identify and pursue new opportunities for exhibitions that expand T/m’s reach and deepen visitor engagement.
5. Artist, Community, & Donor Relations
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Cultivate and steward relationships with collection donors, ensuring they feel connected to the impact of their gifts.
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Partner with the development team to support fundraising initiatives connected to collections and exhibitions.
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Engage with the broader Kansas City arts and cultural community as a representative of T/m’s curatorial mission.
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Actively cultivate and steward relationships with working artists, designers, and toy collectors, positioning T/m as the institution with which artists want connection.
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Build and maintain a network of artists, makers, and material culture scholars that feeds T/m’s acquisition pipeline, exhibition program, and public programming.
6. Operational & Budgetary Oversight
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Create and manage the Curatorial Affairs department operating budget with fiscal responsibility and strategic intent.
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Ensure departmental operations run efficiently, with clear workflows, staff accountability, and on-time delivery of projects.
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Maintain records, reporting, and documentation consistent with institutional requirements.
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Other duties as assigned.
