Executive Coordinator to the Director

The Whitney Museum of American Art seeks a full-time professional to support the Director. The Executive Coordinator to the Director is involved in a range of administrative responsibilities pertaining exclusively to the Director and the office. Their primary function is to assure the smooth organization and functioning of the Directors day to day responsibilities, working closely with other Administrative staff. They must be aware of all business pertaining to the Director in cooperation with the Chief of Staff, Trustee Coordinator, and Administrative Coordinator.

The Executive Coordinator executes their role flexibly with an orientation to supporting people and delivering their work on time. They are an effective collaborator, working across departments, in support of staff, Trustees, donors, and key partners and deputies to the Director. Our ideal candidate has a passion for the arts, culture, artists, and prior experience in a cultural institute.

Strong candidates possess a robust administrative background needed to effectuate the various duties in a conscientious, generous, and customer-centric manner. The Executive Coordinator is a representative of the leadership, brand ambassador and must execute their duties with care for our community of artists, leaders in the field of arts and culture, colleagues, trustees, current and potential donors, and the public.

Primary responsibilities include:

Heavy scheduling of the Directors calendar and careful prioritizing of his time. Helping to manage his time (i.e. to be punctual for appointments and keeping to his schedule).

Advising him on potential conflicts based on sudden changes arising from last-minute requests. Domestic and International high touch travel planning (including personal travel). Screening and follow-up on calls, correspondence, e-mails (in cooperation with the Administrative Coordinator).

Arranging exclusive access to museums, galleries, private collections, and other cultural institutions (nationally and internationally) for trustees, high level donors, and friends of the Director.  Point of contact and coordinator for VIPS and external groups visiting the museum for tours, special events and museum rentals.

On occasion, this position also serves as the confidential representative for the Director in internal and external situations, including but not limited to communications, meetings, projects and events.

Qualifications:

• College/University B.A. Degree - preferably with a concentration in art history or the visual art
• A minimum of 3 -5 years of experience in an administrative capacity in arts and culture sector.
• Technical Requirements: Microsoft Outlook (for e-mail, calendar, contacts), Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Explorer, Zoom and familiarity with Raiser's Edge, Concur and TMS is helpful.

Ideal Characteristics:

Strong interpersonal and communication skills. The ability to troubleshoot, think creatively, and represent the Museum effectively, are key attributes. This individual will be an integral part of the team and must possess the following:

• Experience in the art world and knowledge of its players.
• Meticulous organizational skills, resourcefulness and a can-do approach.
• A “team player” disposition, demonstrating a high level of understanding of the dynamics of working within a small, productive staff that is constantly dependent on and accountable to one another
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills, excellent phone manner, including the means to address issues in a non-confrontational way, but nevertheless with determination; an effective communicator; the presence to serve as an effective representative of Whitney Museum of American Art
• A willingness to work hands-on in developing and coordinating a variety of activities ranging from the internal day-to-day to the complex external partnerships; an energetic, alert, hardworking person, able to take immediate action when necessary.
• Exercises discretion and sound judgment; maintains confidentiality.
• Demonstrated maturity, curiosity, and a sense of humor; an ease collaborating both internally with staff and externally with public entities
• Must be able to work under pressure in a high stress, fast paced environment and stay calm. Occasionally needs to be available for Director to reach outside of normal business hours in evenings and on weekends.

Compensation & Benefits: 

• $85,000 per annum
• Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(B) elections
• Generous PTO 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 rate 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. 

About the Whitney:

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.

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.

COVID guidelines

The health and safety of our Museum community is the highest priority.  As such, the Whitney Museum is requiring all newly hired staff members to be fully vaccinated and boosted with an FDA authorized and/or approved COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment. Requests for reasonable accommodations for medical, religious, or other reasons will be considered in accordance with applicable law.