Public Engagement Administrative Coordinator

Seattle Art Museum
Seattle, WA
HybridCareer-pivot friendly

Who this role is best for

Geared toward candidates with arts or cultural administrative experience comfortable with cross-departmental collaboration and logistics management across multiple museum locations.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with arts or cultural administrative experience and a passion for community engagement
    — “one year of programming or administrative experience in an arts or cultural organization”
  • Individuals who thrive in collaborative environments and can manage multiple projects simultaneously
    — “Strong orientation to teamwork, collaboration, and flexibility”
  • Professionals with strong communication skills and an interest in Seattle’s contemporary artist communities
    — “Interest in Seattle’s contemporary artist communities, including performance, music, literary, and visual art”

Things to consider

  • Must be willing to work across three distinct museum locations in Seattle
    — “planning, organizing, and logistics related to Public Engagement programming across all three museum locations”
  • Requires ability to pass and maintain a security background check clearance
    — “Ability to pass and maintain security background check clearance”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with volunteer management and program development in your resume and interview responses
    — “Knowledge of volunteer management, program development, and administration”
  • Emphasize your ability to coordinate with internal and external stakeholders for program needs
    — “Liaise with cross-departmental contacts in Security, Audio-Visual Technology, Facilities, Visitor Experience, Finance, Legal, and Food Services for program and event needs”
  • Demonstrate your experience in collecting and preparing data reports on program engagement and metrics
    — “Collect data and prepare reports on program attendance, program engagement, attendee feedback, partnership evaluation, revenue, expenses, and other metrics”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • successful event planning and execution
  • positive community engagement
Typical background
administrative experience in arts or cultural organizations

Skills & requirements

Required

ProgrammingCustomer ServiceProject ManagementData AnalysisEvent Planning

Preferred

Community BuildingGrant Writing

About the role

Original posting from Seattle Art Museum via Lever

ABOUT THE ROLE 

The Public Engagement Administrative Coordinator role focuses on planning, organizing, and logistics related to Public Engagement programming across all three museum locations (Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle Asian Art Museum, and Seattle Art Museum Downtown).   

ABOUT SAM 

As SAM heads into its second century, we are boldly reimagining what we can and should be. Our goal is to be a model for the future of museums - a bold, dynamic hub of creativity, belonging, and cultural leadership, shaping the future of art and community. Embracing new ways of engaging communities and seeking innovative partnerships - all while keeping art and community at the center of what we do. This ambitious effort represents a transformative shift and radically redefining how art museums operate. This is a pivotal moment for SAM, and we are seeking great talent to join us on our journey. Working at SAM is not just a job—it's a chance to be part of a vibrant, creative community.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Programming

Provide logistical support to programmers for talks, tours, performances, and other activities to engage visitors through collaboration with curators, community advisors, museum educators, artists, and performers

Liaise with cross-departmental contacts in Security, Audio-Visual Technology, Facilities, Visitor Experience, Finance, Legal, and Food Services for program and event needs

Recruit, schedule, and support teaching artists, temporary staff, performers, and volunteers

Provide comprehensive administrative support for public programs, including event setup and breakdown, coordinating with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring all program materials and resources are prepared and available, and troubleshooting issues as they arise

Collect data and prepare reports on program attendance, program engagement, attendee feedback, partnership evaluation, revenue, expenses, and other metrics

Division Support 

Support the execution of programs across the division across all sites

Conduct credit card reconciliation

Work with development and legal teams respectively, to prepare grants and generate contracts for partner organizations and event vendors

Collaborate with Marketing on promotional activities for public programs by submitting request forms and assisting with writing, editing, and proofreading promotional materials

Compile and analyze statistics on attendance, revenue, and expenses for divisional records and reports

Community Building

Actively build and foster strong connections with leaders and groups in the arts and culture community and at other organizations to share out about Public Engagement work

Cultivate and maintain relationships with local organizations, cultural workers, non-profit partners, artists, and educational entities to build strong community partnerships

Serve as a contact for community partnership inquiries and communications related to public programs

Other Duties

Attend Community Engagement Committee meetings as requested

Contribute to an institutional focus of delivering exceptional, welcoming, and inclusive customer service—creating positive, meaningful experiences for all visitors, every time

Participate in institutional learning opportunities to grow our collective understanding and integration of antiracism, cultural competency, and equity values into SAM’s work

WE ARE LOOKING FOR 

Required Qualifications

One year of programming or administrative experience in an arts or cultural organization

Interest in Seattle’s contemporary artist communities, including performance, music, literary, and visual art, and the local organizations that serve and support them

Interest in building and sustaining relationships with diverse communities, neighborhood organizations, and artists

Successfully complete self-directed work and work as part of a team

Knowledge of volunteer management, program development, and administration

Ability to build positive working relationships within as well as outside of organization

Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with executives, management, staff, and the public

Strong orientation to teamwork, collaboration, and flexibility

Commitment to diversity in programs and to developing and nurturing diverse audiences

Professional verbal and written communication, with an ability to tailor communications according to audience

Ability to simultaneously manage several projects

Successfully assess priorities, work well with deadlines, time management, and problem-solving skills

Exercise discretion in maintaining confidentiality of sensitive information

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom, Asana, Slack and internet-based research

Ability to pass and maintain security background check clearance

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in art administration, art education, art history, fine art, education, nonprofit leadership, related field, or equivalent experience

Experience in the arts and culture, non-profit, or government sectors

Knowledge of local performing artists and arts organizations

Two years of programming or administrative experience in an arts or cultural organization

FLSA Status: Full Time, Non-exempt

Reports To: Director of Public Engagement

Work Location: Seattle Art Museum Downtown, Seattle Asian Art Museum Volunteer Park, and Olympic Sculpture Park 

BENEFITS 

Benefits include a fully employer paid HMP medical plan or an employee contribution PPO plan, dental, vision, and basic life insurance/LTD/AD&D, Flexible Spending Account, Short Term Disability, Supplemental Dental Insurance and participation in SAM’s 403b retirement plan.

Following 1 year of service and 1,000 hours worked, SAM makes a discretionary 3% employer contribution regardless of participation and provides an employer match program. Historically, this contribution has been made annually.

Additional benefits include paid time off for vacation, PSST, bereavement leave, and jury duty, 14 scheduled holidays, 1 paid floating holiday, a subsidized unlimited Orca card, onsite fitness facility, and an EAP. FT Staff also receive a Patron level membership to SAM, a Tier III membership to the American Alliance of Museums and discounts to museum shop and programming.

ACCOMODATION 

The Seattle Art Museum will consider reasonable accommodations for all employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions/duties of this position. If you need an accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact hr@seattleartmuseum.org. For candidates, we ask that, if possible, you wait until you're invited to a screen, online technical assessment or interview before requesting an accommodation.

SAM is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming workplace for all employees and volunteers. Guided by our mission to connect art to life and engage diverse communities, we strive to create a sense of belonging for all of the communities we serve. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, military status, or any other protected characteristic

Not sure you check every box? Research shows that candidates from underrepresented backgrounds often only apply if they meet 100% of the criteria. If you believe you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply!

Source: Seattle Art Museum careers (Lever)

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