Manager of Public Engagement, Olympic Sculpture Park, Full Time
ROLE OVERVIEW: Activating the potential of the Olympic Sculpture Park, the Manager of Public Engagement will develop and implement innovative programs related to art, the urban environment, and its connection to broader global environmental and cultural issues. This position will deepen and grow existing relationships with audiences, communities, volunteers, organizations, and artists.
FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt
REPORTS TO: Associate Director, Public Engagement
WORK SCHEDULE: This role typically works business hours Monday – Friday, with seasonal weekend and evening work, pending program schedule.
COMPENSATION: $30 - $33 / hour
BENEFITS: Full Time SAM Staff are eligible to enroll in medical (through Kaiser), dental (through Delta Dental of WA), vision (through Vision Service Pan), and basic life insurance/LTD/AD&D (through LifeMap), as well as a Flexible Spending Account (through Navia Benefit Solutions). FT Staff also have the option to elect Short Term Disability or Supplemental Dental Insurance (through Aflac). FT Staff can participate in SAM’s 403b retirement plan, and begin receiving a guaranteed 3% employer contribution following 1 year & 1,000 hours worked. FT Staff have access to paid time off for vacation, sick leave, bereavement leave, and jury duty per accrual and pro-rated schedules. SAM observes 11 holidays each year, and offers FT Staff 1 paid floating holiday of their choice. FT Staff can opt into a 50% subsidized unlimited Orca card. FT Staff also receive a Patron level membership to SAM, and a Tier III membership to the American Alliance of Museums, as well as access to an onsite fitness facility, SAM’s museum library, a no-cost Employee Assistance Program resource, a 20% discount at the SAM Museum Shop and a 10% discount at SAM’s MARKET cafe, and 8 Home Free Guarantee cab rides home per year.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Conceptualize, develop, and implement creative, community-engaged arts and environmental programming with an eye toward participation, social action, play, wonder, and creativity, primarily at Olympic Sculpture Park.
- Lead key public engagement programming series at the Sculpture Park, including Summer at SAM, Winter Programming at OSP, and annual programs such as SAM REMIX and Waterfront Block Party.
- Coordinate program execution using institutional project management tools (Asana, Momentous Elite, Social Tables, etc.) and in coordination with the relevant departmental representatives including Development, Curatorial, and Operations.
- Conduct audience research on relevant programs; analyze findings, report on results; initiate occasional evaluation projects based at the Park.
- Build and sustain mutually beneficial partnerships with arts, social service, and other community-based organizations, with a focus on representation of BIPOC, queer, and differently-abled communities.
- Cultivate relationships with artists and performers that are equitable and mutually beneficial.
- Along with members of the Education and Public Engagement team, coordinate volunteers, docents, interns, and staff to support public engagement programs as needed.
- Support the execution of public programs and education programs developed by team members across the division that take place at all three SAM sites.
- Collaborate with the Marketing department on promotional activities for program(s). In consultation with Communications, coordinate social media, email, and other relevant content. Write program guide copy, maintain events database systems, and assist in editing and proofreading.
- Participate in determining the annual slate of public engagement initiatives with the public engagement team and set priorities and goals centered around equity, accessibility, and inclusion for all programs.
- Collaborate on annual budgeting for public programs; manage budget processes for individual projects including contracts, grants management and reporting, invoices, and other internal documents. Compile and track statistics on attendance, revenue, and expenses.
- Supervise an emerging arts leader intern at least once per year at the Sculpture Park.
- Represent Education & Public Engagement at relevant external and internal meetings including with the Olympic Sculpture Park Board / Community Committee.
- Assume other responsibilities as requested or as needed by the museum.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR:
- BA or the appropriate and relevant combination of education & experience in a field related to the arts, the environment, museum studies, or performance.
- 3+ years in a related work environment, experience working in/ with public venues and/or experience with event planning, arts festivals, museum programming, performing arts (especially in outdoor venues), or other types of visitor-focused experiences.
- Knowledge of local PNW performing artists and arts organizations.
- Experience creating partnerships and developing programs in collaboration with intelligent, opinionated, organized, and fast-moving teammates.
- Ability to successfully manage time and responsibilities across the departments and audiences associated with this position.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to communicate effectively and to project a professional image when giving and taking information in writing, in person, and over the phone.
- Strong track record in exercising sound, timely judgment in a dynamic environment.
- Strong organizational skills; ability to work effectively with personnel from many disciplines; experience in handling daily operations and in timely, effective decision-making.
- Demonstrated proficiency and accuracy using MS Office products, including Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, and other software programs.
- Ability to carry out and adhere to museum policies and procedures for security and safety of visitors, artwork, and museum facilities in a complete, consistent, and timely manner and the ability to support management decisions in a positive, professional manner.
Exposure: Work will be both indoors in an office setting and outdoors year-round in a variety of weather conditions, including outdoor areas on surfaces such as asphalt, cement, soil, and rough or uneven terrain.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Sitting/Standing/Walking: Approximately 75% of time is spent seated while working at a desk. Balance of time (approximately 25%) is spent standing or moving around the work area. Work may require occasional long periods of sustained standing. Public programming or volunteer training will periodically involve bending, stooping, climbing up a variety of inclines, and accessing outdoor areas on surfaces such as asphalt, cement, soil, and rough or uneven terrain.
Speaking/Hearing: Clear diction and acute hearing are necessary for effective communication with donors, members, the public, and co-workers.
Lifting/Carrying/Pushing/Pulling: The ability to lift and carry up to twenty pounds is necessary for moving material and equipment for events.
Vision: Corrected vision close to 20/20 is necessary to effectively use the computer screens.
Stooping/Kneeling: The ability to stoop and kneel is necessary for accessing files.
Reaching/Handling: Good manual dexterity is necessary for computer keyboard use and for retrieving and working with appropriate paperwork, equipment, and supplies.
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Celebrating difference. At Seattle Art Museum, our members, visitors, and local community come from all walks of life, and so do our employees, volunteers, and interns. The plurality of our identities and experiences strengthens our mission: connecting art to life. Our mission and vision call us to be responsive to a multitude of cultural contexts and lived experiences, and as such, our Strategic Plan directly addresses the role art plays in empowering and elevating social justice movements, and promoting structural change to further equity in our society. SAM is particularly dedicated to racial equity in the workplace, because we know that people of color are the most impacted when it comes to both historical and present inequities. We know that equity is not a single fixed destination, it’s ongoing reckoning. As SAM continually strives to be a more inclusive and equitable workplace, we are particularly interested in engaging with those who have been historically underrepresented in the museum field. We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace, and a sense of belonging for each and every employee, because we know our organization is at its best when we celebrate difference.
SAM is an equal opportunity employer. We are an equal opportunity employer, and consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, sensory, physical, or mental disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship or immigration status, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. SAM is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures, and will consider candidates for employment who may need a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential duties of the job. Please contact the Human Resources Department at HR@seattleartmuseum.org for additional information, or to request reasonable accommodations for the application or interview process.
We encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace, and a sense of belonging for each and every employee, because we know our organization is at its best when we include, celebrate and embrace difference. We encourage you to submit an application, even if your experience doesn’t feel like a 100% match with the position. We know applying for a job can be intimidating, and research tells us that womxn and folks of color are less likely to apply if they don't see themselves meeting or exceeding every single qualification listed. We encourage you to apply, even if you feel unsure about whether you meet every requirement in this job post. You could very well be a great fit for this role or others.
Criminal background check. Employment at SAM is contingent upon successful clearing of both a federal and state criminal background check.
Want to learn more? If you haven't already, check out our Careers page for more on working at SAM.
Though we'd love to be able to reply to every question that crosses our desk, due to the high volume of applications we receive, our HR team is unfortunately unable to offer a response to inquiries requesting search status updates, inquiries about hiring timeline, or requests to be put in touch with directly with the Hiring Team. If your experiences and capabilities are well suited to an open role, our Recruiter or the Hiring Manager will reach out directly to schedule an interview. Thanks for your understanding!