Title:                           Administration and Planning Associate
Department:               Museum Administration
Reports to:                 Chief Operating Officer
Type of Position:        Full time, exempt

Scope of Position

The primary responsibilities of the Administration and Planning Associate are to leverage the Chief Operating Officer’s time and involvement in planning efforts, to build and extend the in-house planning capacity of the Museum and to promote cross-departmental integration.

Reports directly to Chief Operating Officer with substantial support also provided to New Building Project Director.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate museum operations through weekly cross-departmental Operations meetings and through informal work with multiple museum departments
• Manage operational planning efforts related to the New Building Project in conjunction with building project staff; support other capital project planning efforts as required
• Coordinate internal communication related to the New Building Project, ranging from identifying and resolving operational impact to offering opportunity for staff engagement in project details
• Provide coordination and project management support for all institutional planning efforts managed by the Chief Operating Officer including long range planning and special ad hoc projects, specifically Website re-design selection and project management
• Provide planning and day-to-day management for museum-wide or cross-departmental programs that extend beyond the purview of existing functional areas
• Coordinate committees chaired by the Chief Operating Officer; develop work plans and schedule meetings, draft agendas, distribute minutes, develop and monitor budgets as appropriate, and track progress on key initiatives. Work closely with Director’s and Development offices to coordinate communications regarding board members
• Research potential and approved cross-functional program initiatives and provide planning support to the Chief Operating Officer on key initiatives; assist Chief Operating officer with implementation and follow-up on agreed upon goals of direct reports
• Manage Chief Operating Officer’s office: manage all scheduling and all phone communication, including answering, screening, placing and directing calls, taking messages, assuming responsibility for follow-up and resolution
• Assist in the preparation and editing of documents including presentations, internal memos, talking points, agendas, etc.; provide follow-up to incoming correspondence
• Identify, and serve as a liaison with, external contractors/vendors working on projects managed by the Chief Operating Officer’s office
• Oversee department expenses; approve invoices, track budget
• Develop and maintain filing system for department, greet and receive guests, make necessary arrangements

Requirements

• Outstanding communications and interpersonal skills demonstrated in a fast-paced and sophisticated environment with a broad range of constituencies
• Prior demonstrated project planning and management experience in a similar institution, including experience taking a complex project from conception to completion
• Superior organizational abilities, detail orientation, and systems management; self-starter who can develop timelines and coordinate follow-up as needed
• Excellent writing skills; ability to take complex minutes
• Must be able to effectively prioritize between daily administrative tasks and long-term planning efforts
• Strong Windows platform skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• BS/BA degree or equivalent
• Prior non-profit arts experience preferred

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is an equal opportunity employer and encourages minority candidates to apply.

6/09