Director’s Office Coordinator, Special Projects | Whitney Museum of American Art

The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.

Job Summary

The Whitney Museum of American Art is seeking a Director’s Office Coordinator, Special Projects (DOC) to join a fast-paced executive support team at an exciting time for the museum. The DOC maintains a portfolio of special projects to advance Director’s Office priorities - a mix of durational initiatives and one-time projects. This role requires a blend of administrative executive support skills and innovative project management abilities, making it ideal for someone who thrives in a dynamic, creative environment. In addition, the DOC is the team-lead responsible for creating effective presentations with a strong visual identity that reflect the Director’s editorial sensibilities. As a critical member of the DO team, this role is onsite and will often require flexibility in working hours, including early mornings, evenings and weekends. The DOC works in close coordination with the Director’s Senior Executive Coordinator (SEC) and the Senior Coordinator, Trustee Affairs; the DOC supports and reports into the Chief of Staff.

Responsibilities and Duties

Support for the Director

Plan and create Director’s reports and presentations that serve a range of needs including: staff meetings, donor committees and councils, special events and Director appearances, as well as Board and related committee meetings in coordination with the Sr. Coordinator, Trustee Affairs
Serve as the DO team liaison and manage Director requests with key teams across the museum, chiefly the Curatorial team, as well as Advancement and Education & Public Programs
Manage process for Director/Staff engagement opportunities e.g. office hours, coffees and happy hours, and related coordination with COS and SEC
Provide planning and administrative support for the COS on cross-organization initiatives that implement DO priorities
Support the COS in shaping how we plan, share, and implement institutional priorities and strategic opportunities on behalf of the Director, connect critical pieces of information to help teams do their best work
Other projects as assigned

Director's Office Team Operations

Manage DO team internship program and supervise intern engagements
In coordination with Chief of Staff, identify opportunities and make recommendations to systematize and implement processes to improve cross-organization communication and collaboration
Manage department budget including submitting expense reports for the Director and COS
Maintain office supplies inventory and stocking of the DO/Trustee room kitchen
Manage DO team IT needs and equipment are maintained and working properly
Ensure the Director’s office floor is orderly and organized and ready to welcome guests at all times
Manage card requests for the International Council of Museums for staff use
Manage and maintain digital file system for the Director and DO team

Special Projects

Serve as events lead and producer for DO events and hosted stakeholder groups (museum tours, talks, panels, hosted events, receptions et al)
Manage process for Director/staff engagement opportunities e.g. office hours, coffees and happy hours, and related in coordination with COS and SEC
Provide planning and administrative support for the COS on cross-organization initiatives that implement DO priorities
Manage process for Director/Staff engagement opportunities e.g. office hours, coffees and happy hours, and related coordination with COS and SEC
Provide planning and administrative support for the COS on cross-organization initiatives that implement DO priorities
Support the COS in shaping how we plan, share, and implement institutional priorities and strategic opportunities on behalf of the Director, connect critical pieces of information to help teams do their best work
Other projects as assigned

Ideal Characteristics

Your PowerPoint skills tell compelling stories through visually appealing presentations and dec
You’re adept at using tech/productivity tools to find efficiencies, streamline tasks, and automate administrative operations
You seek to understand; you ask questions for clarity as needed; you’re intellectually curious and are always asking “why?”
You’re never satisfied with the status quo and always thinking “how can we do this better?”
You have experience in the art world and knowledge of its players (preferred)
You have strong emotional intelligence, self-awareness and professional maturity; you remain calm under pressure
You excel at organization and project management; skilled at creating processes and systems to effectively manage and organize multiple projects
You’re a skilled events producer; you’re able to track minute details while moving forward big-picture goals
You exercise discretion and sound judgment and maintain confidentiality
You have excellent communication skills; you can distill complicated information quickly into high level summaries; you have an excellent phone manner, including the means to address issues in a non-confrontational way, but nevertheless with warm directness; you’re able to find a way to get to ‘yes’
You embrace the unexpected; you’re comfortable with change + shifting priorities

Qualifications and Skills

4+ years of administrative/executive support/project management experience in a fast-paced, high-volume environment; experience working in a large, complex organization preferred; experience in NYC, non-profit arts organizations welcome
College/University B.A. Degree; a concentration in art history or the visual arts preferred but not essential
Technical experience: highly skilled in Microsoft 365 Office suite; strong working knowledge of Zoom/remote coworking software, Raiser's Edge or similar CRM platform, Concur or similar expense /invoice tracking software; familiarity with The Museum System (TMS) welcome

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation rate of $75,000+ commensurate with experience
Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(B) elections
Generous Paid Time off benefits
Commuter benefits - parking and mass transit
Admission to world-renowned museums across the city and nationally
Pet insurance and discounted membership for Citibike

The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that men apply for jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria. Yet, women and other people who are systematically marginalized tend to only apply if they meet every requirement. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. Whether you’re new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or take the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role.

EEO Statement:

The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, partnership status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels. This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment.

Find more opportunities on our Whitney Museum of American Art page.

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