About the position
The Art Institute of Chicago is seeking a Manager of Art Shipping to oversee the logistics and operations of shipping artworks, ensuring the highest standards of care and efficiency throughout the entire chain of custody. This role is crucial as the Art Institute ships over 1,000 objects annually, including incoming loans for exhibitions, acquisitions, and outgoing loans to various national and international museums. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing sustainable shipping and distribution strategies that minimize environmental impact while maintaining compliance with industry standards and regulations. In this position, the Manager will assess the overall shipping schedule, identifying opportunities for combined and more efficient shipments, and will research and propose a digital platform to track shipping activities, including insurance loads and carbon footprint data. Collaboration with the Manager of Collections Systems and the Enterprise Software and Analytics team will be essential to implement and monitor the selected tools effectively. The Manager will also manage logistics operations, ensuring timely and efficient delivery of artworks while handling last-minute changes in truck capacity and scheduling. Building and maintaining relationships with shipping providers and internal teams will be key to ensuring smooth operations. The role includes monitoring shipping budgets, schedules, and quality control to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget. Additionally, the Manager will communicate with internal and external stakeholders throughout all phases of the shipping process, ensuring that all parties are informed and that operations run smoothly. This position requires a passion for sustainability and environmental responsibility, as well as exceptional organizational skills and the ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines.
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement sustainable shipping and distribution strategies that minimize environmental impact.
- Assess the overall shipping schedule and identify opportunities for combined and more efficient shipments including incoming and outgoing local, domestic and international transits.
- Research and propose a digital platform to collect and track the information generated by the shipping activity including insurance loads, live sensors data, providers performance and carbon footprint.
- Work closely with the Manager, Collections Systems and Enterprise Software and Analytics team to implement, monitor and update the selected tool.
- Manage logistics operations, including local, domestic and international transportation of artworks, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations.
- Assess list of objects for exhibitions, individual loans and outgoing loans and formulate strategy within the overall shipping schedule.
- Assist and support collection and exhibition registrars teams to ensure timely and efficient delivery of artworks.
- Manage last minute changes including truck capacity, insurance loads and scheduling.
- Develop and maintain relationships with providers and internal team members to ensure smooth operations.
- Revise and maintain terms and conditions frame agreements with shipping providers updating language as needed.
- Research new domestic and international providers to diversify options and achieve more environmentally sustainable practices while maintaining industry standards and regulations.
- Monitor shipping budgets, schedules, and quality control to ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest standards.
- Monitor expenditure, process invoices and follow up with shipping providers if discrepancies arise.
- Revise arrangements regarding proforma invoices, manifests, delivery notes, TSA regulations, CITES and any other special permits and regulations.
- Ensure smooth operations including communicating with internal and external stakeholders in all phases of the shipping process.
Requirements
- Proven experience as a shipping manager, preferably in the art industry.
- Solid knowledge of logistics procedures and regulations including INCOTERMS.
- Comfort with digital platforms and data-driven decision making to implement changes and growth.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
- Passion for sustainability and environmental responsibility.
- Exceptional organizational skills, good judgment and professional initiative.
- Excellent interpersonal, written and communication skills to implement workflows in a complex environment.
Benefits
- Generous paid time off
- Paid holidays (up to 14 days)
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Generous parental, caregiver, and medical leave benefits
- Competitive retirement plan (up to 9% matching contribution)
- Tuition remission and Tuition Exchange Program
- Great employee discounts
- Complimentary general admission to participating cultural institutions
