Senior Project Specialist

We are seeking an experienced professional with expertise in the conservation and management of the built and urban heritage, including heritage of marginalized/underrepresented communities, to fill a four-year, limited-term position of Senior Project Specialist in the Getty Conservation Institute's Buildings and Sites Department. As Senior Project Specialist, you will oversee projects-from visioning and designing to implementing and monitoring-aimed at addressing current conservation challenges of local, regional, and international relevance.

The position will be based in our offices at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. Initially in person full-time, the opportunity to telework may be available after an initial period of training and orientation will be discussed and approved by your supervisor. Typically, staff with approved telework schedules at the Getty Conservation Institute are in the office more than half of the time.

Mission

The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) works internationally to advance conservation practice in the visual arts-objects, collections, architecture, and sites. The Institute serves the conservation community through scientific research, education and training, field projects, and disseminating information. In all our endeavors, we create and deliver knowledge that contributes to the conservation of the world's cultural heritage.

As Senior Project Specialist, you will direct the African American Historic Places, Los Angeles Project (AAHPLA), which is a collaboration between Getty and the Los Angeles City Planning, Office of Historic Resources to advance the understanding, identification, protection, conservation, and celebration of the city's Black heritage. This includes:

Managing Getty's AAHPLA team and developing project plans, staffing, and budgets, as well as partner and consultant agreements.
• Contributing to the completion of AAHPLA cultural heritage preservation strategies for three historically African American neighborhoods in Los Angeles, which will be under development by a project consultant in 2025 and 2026.
• Identifying mechanisms, potential partners and resources for the implementation of the AAHPLA neighborhood cultural preservation strategies.
• Developing strong relationships with Los Angeles City Planning, Office of Historic Resources and other project partners and working collaboratively to build local expertise, through seminars, symposia, and workshops, to ensure the long-term sustainability of project outcomes.
• Undertaking research, drawing on international and national efforts, to identify strategies for historic preservation policies and processes that better support social justice and equity goals (may result in publications, tools, guidelines and training).
• Developing a dissemination plan and writing/co-writing conference papers and project publications to share the results of the work.
• Work with colleagues to further advance community empowered processes and practices for our work including building process and systems, upskilling staff and integration of processes across projects.
• Disseminate and make accessible Getty resources and training materials related to urban heritage, including materials from past training programs.
• Advance economic research needs that demonstrate the benefits of conservation across a range of projects areas including AAHPLA.
• Manage and provide direction to multi-disciplinary project teams, which include staff, interns, consultants, and project partners; supervise and mentor multiple direct reports.
• Provide advice and work collaboratively to resolve technical or operational project issues.
• Maintain a large professional network within the conservation/urban planning community.
• Develop resource plans and manage project budgets.
• Undertake research, write, publish, and present at professional venues in order to broadly disseminate results.
• Professional development is encouraged and supported through attendance at specialized training courses and participation in professional meetings and workshops.

• Graduate degree in urban planning, architecture, conservation, sustainable development or related discipline
• Post-graduate qualifications (Masters+) in cultural heritage conservation or urban conservation or equivalent practical conservation experience
• Minimum of 7-15 years of specialized and targeted local and/or international project management experience working in cultural heritage conservation at the urban scale with local government partners.

• Knowledge and proven competency in the practical conservation of built and urban heritage.
• Ability to demonstrate strategic vision for addressing conservation issues and practical implementation.
• Knowledge of preservation, planning, and related policy and practice in the USA.
• Demonstrated experience working in multi-stakeholder contexts including communities, government and non-government partners in heritage or urban management projects, and the associated processes for doing so.
• Demonstrated knowledge, understanding, and experience working with the heritage of underrepresented communities and interest and knowledge of emerging practices and processes that better involve communities and secure more equitable and sustainable conservation practices.
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams of staff, interns, consultants, and project partners.
• Experience in undertaking typical conservation processes such as heritage surveys, cultural mapping, the development of conservation policy or strategies.
• Skill and demonstrated experience in designing, initiating, budgeting, and managing local or international conservation/urban planning projects.
• Must be adaptable, analytical, a positive problem-solver, and a creative thinker.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and research skills.
• Requires a high degree of organization and efficiency.
• Understanding of financial mechanisms and economics of urban heritage is valuable.
• Available for occasional national/international travel.
• Fluency in a language in addition to English is valuable in this position.

All candidates must apply online. Please be prepared to upload your cover letter and CV/resume when prompted to do so by the online application system. Candidates who successfully complete the online application process will receive an automated message via email. If you have questions about this position or the recruiting process, please write to gcistaffing@getty.edu.

Deadline for applications is Monday, December 1, 2025

Here are just some examples that Getty offers/provides for full-time employees:

• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance coverage, starting on date of hire. Getty pays 75%-95% of the premium, depending on the plan selected.
• 403(b) Employee Investment retirement plan - with up to 5% Getty Match
• Getty contribution of 6%, on behalf of employee, to 401(a) retirement account
• Educational Assistance and professional development
• Paid Vacation, Sick and Personal Days
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Many positions have bi-weekly Off-Fridays
• On-Site Fitness Center at Getty Center
• Community service opportunities

To learn more about our comprehensive benefits and long list of perks, go to Getty HR.