Exececutive Assistant to the Director

US-NJ-Princeton

Job ID: 2024-19137
Type: Full-Time
# of Openings: 1
Category: Arts and Museum Administration

Princeton University

Overview

The Princeton University Art Museum seeks an exceptional individual for the role of Executive Assistant to the Director. The Executive Assistant to the Director is a key member of the Museum’s senior administrative team who plays a critical role in Museum operations, is passionate about the arts/humanities/higher education, is motivated to work in a fast-paced creative environment and is committed to excellence. At a time of unparalleled growth for the Museum, they are responsible for providing high-level assistance to the Director, supporting the Director’s leadership role, managing the daily operations of the Director’s Office, and serving as liaison between the Director’s Office, other Museum departments, University leaders, faculty, staff, and students; collaborators and contractors; and donors, alumni, and friends.

Primary responsibilities include providing exceptional support to the Director’s core duties, including donor engagement and advocacy; playing a critical role in coordinating the Director’s donor stewardship activities; and otherwise assuring the smooth interface between the Director’s activities and those of the Museum writ large. In addition, the Executive Assistant to the Director shapes the Director’s calendar and helps guide the timely fulfillment of his priorities; schedules meetings and makes complex travel arrangements (domestic and international); prepares presentations and meeting materials; maintains the Director’s contacts or coordinates his correspondence and archival recordkeeping; and otherwise coordinates and implements events on behalf of the Director’s Office that advance the Museum's mission. This position supervises other members of the Office of the Director, the Museum Assistant, and the Writing & Communications Assistant, who carries out a wide range of development communications for the Director and staff.

About the Museum:

With a collecting history that extends back to 1755, the Princeton University Art Museum is one of the leading university art museums in the country, home to collections that have grown to include more than 115,000 works of art ranging from ancient to contemporary art and spanning the globe. Committed to advancing the University’s teaching and research missions, the Museum also serves as a hub for the humanities at Princeton for visitors worldwide. The Museum currently presents exhibitions in its two downtown venues (Art on Hulfish and Art@Bainbridge) and is touring collections exhibitions nationally and internationally. When the Museum opens its dramatically reconceived building, scheduled for 2025, it will initiate a new exhibitions program with annual exhibitions on-site and on tour.

To learn more about the Princeton University Art Museum, visit artmuseum.princeton.edu.

Executive Support:

The Executive Assistant to the Director (EAD) manages the Director's daily and long-term calendars and must, therefore, constantly monitor and manage the coordination of priorities under significant schedule demands. The EAD partners with the Director to ensure they are briefed and prepared with materials and information necessary for each meeting or trip and coordinates any required follow-up. The EAD prepares draft presentations and meeting materials for the Director, coordinating content and messaging with key staff such as the Associate Director for Communication and Information and the Associate Director for Museum Development. They are responsible for planning & coordinating approximately a dozen trips per year to domestic and international destinations, as well as numerous day trips, including managing post-travel needs and expense reports.

The EAD is a key element in successful Museum communications who must, therefore, understand and advocate for the Director’s and the Museum’s highest priorities and most pressing deadlines. The EAD develops and maintains a deep understanding of major Museum projects and initiatives, including planning associated with the new Museum facility coming on line in 2025 as well as exhibitions, publications, and programs, and fundraising and engagement initiatives. The EAD is able to prioritize individual tasks and requests to meet project deadlines. As a first point of contact for inquiries and requests made to the Director, the EAD plays a critical role in assessing these requests and determining what requires the Director’s attention, what can be handled independently, and what can be redirected to another party.

Coordination of Director’s Cultivation and Stewardship Activity:

The EAD plays a critical role in coordinating the Director's donor cultivation & stewardship activities, working closely with the Director and the Associate Director for Museum Development to brainstorm, strategize, facilitate, and track touch points and outreach with donors and prospects, and ensure that the Director is prepared for meetings with donors and prospective donors, including tracking and facilitating follow up as needed. They are responsible for recording the Director’s cultivation and stewardship efforts and preparing and entering contact reports in the Museum’s donor database, Altru, and conducting prospect research as required. They serve as a key point of contact for the University’s Office of Advancement while also ensuring coordination with the Museum development team, including participating in Museum development team meetings.

Volunteer Management and Events:

The EAD interfaces with University leadership, high-level donors, and leadership of wide-ranging museums and cultural institutions and must do so with poise, tact, professionalism, and faultless attention to detail. In particular, the position works with the Director and with the Museum’s Associate Director for Museum Development to coordinate and support the work of the Museum’s 25-member Advisory Council, a key advocacy and fundraising group that meets regularly, while assuring ongoing, customized communication with each member of the Council throughout the year. The EAD also works closely to coordinate and facilitate the activity and convenings of other committees chaired by the Director, including the Museum’s Community Leadership Council. With support from the Museum Assistant, they are responsible for the planning and execution of certain events, including organizing annual Advisory Council meetings, the Director’s holiday party, and selecting high-end events related to the Director’s external relations role or for University partners.

Museum Coordination:

Working with the Associate Director for Collections & Exhibitions, the EAD manages incoming exhibition proposals and loan requests, tracking them through an internal review and response process; provides editorial review of loan agreements and related correspondence; and often serves as the initial point of contact for potential gifts of art.

The position also coordinates approximately six large and complex mailings per year that are key to the Museum's constituent relationships and maintains the Director's contact lists, numbering thousands of entries.

The EAD attends select meetings to stay apprised of project progress, coordinate and facilitate important next steps, and assure appropriate follow-up and internal communication. They work closely with department heads and project managers to coordinate their efforts with the Director.

Records Management:

The EAD records the Director’s donor relations activities in the Museum’s donor database; maintains accurate, updated mailing lists including the Director’s contacts, campus partners and leadership, and peer institutions; and records highly confidential and proprietary data, including personal and financial information. In partnership with the Museum Development team, the EAD regularly updates database records for the Museum’s top donors and prospects. The EAD also captures key documents and correspondence required for the University’s Archives.

Supervision and Coordination:

The EAD supervises the Museum Assistant, who oversees the Museum’s administrative needs and provides general support to a wide range of Museum staff, as well as the Museum’s Writing & Communications Assistant, who is responsible for drafting and editing a range of communications and correspondence for the Director.

Essential Requirements

• Passion for the arts, humanities, and/or higher education and for the mission of the Museum
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a high-performing, demanding, creative environment that is committed to excellence
• Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent work experience
• Five or more years of professional executive-level administrative experience with excellent oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated experience to gather, analyze, interpret, and manage confidential and sensitive information with the highest level of professionalism
• Experienced and effective writer and editor, including the ability to write skillfully for varying audiences and proofread for accuracy
• Demonstrated evidence of being an agile learner who is comfortable working within a space of ambiguity
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a strong orientation towards service and teamwork
• Ability to prioritize effectively and work autonomously in a self-directed manner