Asia Art Archive (AAA) is an independent non-profit arts organisation founded in 2000 in response to the urgent need to document and make accessible the multiple recent histories of art in the region.

AAA will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2025. Leading up to this milestone, AAA will be engaged in a strategic planning process, considering opportunities to invest more deeply in pursuits consistent with AAA’s core values and commitments and looking at possibilities for expansion into new geographies, including in Central Asia and the Middle East. Alongside this strategic planning process, AAA plans to launch a major capital campaign that will support a number of key strategic goals:

• Investing in a permanent physical home for the Archive.
• Building more named support for key leadership positions at AAA with 3-year funding commitments, continuing to move AAA away from year-to-year funding.
• Securing capital investment for needed digital and technological upgrades.

AAA will embark upon its anniversary celebrations from a position of organizational strength and stability. Asia Art Archive has a capital endowment, and the organization has benefitted from the responsible stewardship of its Executive Directors and Board members. AAA’s current home in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island is newly refurbished, with expanded space for both the library and staff offices.    

Approximately 40% of AAA’s operating income currently comes from its annual fundraiser. Over time, AAA aims to diversify and grow its income streams such that the organization is less dependent upon this single event to sustain its activities.

The Role

In the role of Deputy Director/Head of Advancement, AAA is seeking someone with the ability to develop and enhance relationships with patrons and donors, expanding the base of support for AAA, and the ability to help define the strategic approach for AAA’s future growth.

The ideal candidate for the role will have a combination of key qualities, including:

• Compelling individual training / practice / experience in the arts and culture sectors. AAA welcomes candidates from a diversity of backgrounds in the arts, for example, from the fine arts, art history, creative writing, music, and the performing arts. While there is an expectation that the appointee will be trained to an undergraduate degree or above, a formal degree in the arts / art history is not a requirement for this position.
• Demonstrated success in leading fundraising and development efforts at an appropriate scale and breadth of responsibility to mobilize resources in support of AAA’s strategic goals. Minimum of five years professional fundraising/advancement experience, including applied knowledge of fundraising strategies and donor relations with individuals, foundations, corporations, and other sources. The ideal candidate will have meaningful experience in securing support for educational or arts projects. 
• Active networks within the funding communities that support the arts and culture sectors in the Asia-Pacific region. Familiarity with the Arts and Culture sector in Hong Kong would be a distinct advantage, but it is not required.
• Sufficient vision to contribute meaningfully to the development of AAA’s next strategic plan.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work well both internally with the AAA team and externally with a broad range of AAA stakeholders.
• Fluency in English (required) and another Asian language (highly advantageous). This could be Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese), or it could be one of the many other languages of this region.

The Deputy Director/Head of Advancement will report to the Executive Director of AAA, working closely with the Board and overseeing AAA's Development team. The position will also be well-supported by AAA’s Finance and Administration team.

Desired Qualifications

• Transparent and high-integrity leadership and a style that motivates people to work hard while having fun.
• Comfort with ambiguity, the ability to respond adeptly to rapidly changing priorities, and the ability to work well under pressure.
• Ability to lead multiple long- and short-term projects simultaneously, meeting all deadlines with the ability to plan, prioritize, coordinate, and manage own work. 
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Proven ability to make decisions and solve problems independently, effectively, and creatively. 
• Strong written and oral communication skills and appropriate self-confidence  and maturity so as to effectively communicate AAA’s vision at all levels and  across organizational lines in a manner inspiring to staff, board, donors and  volunteers.

Terms of Appointment

The position of Deputy Director/Head of Advancement will be offered on a 3-year contractual basis, renewable upon mutual agreement. The position will be based in Hong Kong with international travel as required. AAA offers salary and benefits terms that are market competitive. The preferred start date is flexible, with the appointee ideally taking up the post in mid-2024.

How to Apply

We welcome applications and nominations for qualified candidates for the position. 

Applications should include the following:

• a cover letter
• a full CV detailing academic and professional qualifications
• any other relevant supporting documents

Completed applications should be uploaded via this page.

The Personal Information Collection Statement will be provided upon request. All enquiries,
applications and nominations will be treated in strict confidence.  

Review of applications and nominations will continue until the post is filled. 

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