Director of External Relations: Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA)

The Williams College Museum of Art makes dynamic art experiences to incite new thinking about art, museums, and the world—and it does so from within the nation’s top-ranked liberal arts college. A vibrant center for the arts at Williams, the Museum embodies the liberal arts’ ability to catalyze both creative and critical thinking. It is a vital hub for deep student learning and participation; for taking risks and testing creative, future forms of scholarship and teaching; and for boldly affirming the relevance of the history of art and the arts broadly.

An exciting new position at the Williams College Museum of Art, the Director of External Relations develops the Museum’s strategies around marketing and communications, including media and public relations; the Museum shop; and donor relations. The work depends on a high degree of collaboration, accompanied by creative thinking and vivid storytelling.

Williams is committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through the diversity of its faculty and staff. Our expectation is that the successful candidate will excel at working in a community that is broadly diverse with regard to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, nationality, sexual orientation and religion. Applicants should highlight relevant experience with building, working with, and supporting a broadly diverse employee community.

The Director of External Relations will:

  • Craft the Museum’s overall public presence and tone across print materials, digital platforms, donor events, the Store, and more, in close coordination with the college’s Office of Communications, which oversees the Williams brand as a whole.
  • Design a strategic plan for donor relations and museum stewardship, in similar partnership with the college’s Office of College Relations.
  • Develop strategic plans for the growth of Museum’s advisory and collections committees in close collaboration with the Museum’s director. The position reports to the Museum’s director.

Responsibilities

  • Effectively positions the museum’s stories in various media and press outlets
  • Oversees design and strategy for stories and messaging across all media
  • Partners closely with the Office of College Relations on the College’s broader fundraising goals for the Museum, ensuring museum priorities are understood and well communicated.
  • Develops and manages budget for Communications, Marketing, Shop, and Development functions
  • Develops goals and strategies for all levels of membership, and for foundation and government grant support.
  • Oversees and cultivates upper-level donor groups and advisory boards, namely Visiting Committee and Collections Council, including assisting the museum director with tri-annual Visiting Committee meetings and bi-annual Collections Council meetings, as well as developing a strategic plan for strengthening both committees.
  • Manages a staff of four: a Manager of Communications, to whom a Communications Assistant also reports; a Development Manager; a Museum Shop Manager; and a Grant Writer.

Qualifications

  • The successful candidate should be an energetic liberal arts generalist who has experience working in art organizations.
  • Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent and 7-10 years of communications leadership experience.
  • Experience leading creative teams and managing staff.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively across functions, with highly developed skills working with a diversity of people and groups.
  • Ability to simply and powerfully communicate ideas through writing and visuals. Keen sense of design.
  • Detail-oriented, organized, ability to meet multiple deadlines.
  • Experience managing multiple competing needs, interests, and personality types of donors and high-level members.

This is a full time, year-round, regular appointment.

For optimal consideration please submit application by August 13, 2018. Review of resumes will continue until position is filled.

Employment at Williams is contingent on the verification of background information submitted by the applicant, including the completion of a criminal record check, and education when applicable.

To apply for this position, please visit http://staff-careers.williams.edu. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via phone at (413) 597-4247 or email at hr@williams.edu.

Williams College is a coeducational liberal arts institution located in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts with easy access to the culturally rich cities of Albany, Boston, and New York City. The College is committed to building and supporting a diverse population of approximately 2000 students, and to fostering an inclusive faculty, staff and curriculum. Williams has built its reputation on outstanding teaching and scholarship and on the academic excellence of its students. Please visit the Williams College website (http://www.williams.edu).

Beyond meeting fully its legal obligations for non-discrimination, Williams College is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community where members from all backgrounds can live, learn and thrive.

Apply Here: http://www.Click2Apply.net/3f76s74ysb9r4k57

PI103377449

Categories: Job Postings