Department Assistant, Architecture and Design

MoMA•New York, NY

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Museum of Modern Art is seeking a Department Assistant for the Department of Architecture and Design. This role involves performing various administrative duties specific to a curatorial department, including coordinating with internal Museum departments such as Exhibition Planning and Administration, Accounting, and Information Technology. The incumbent will work closely with and support two curators in the department, reporting to the curators and Department Manager. Key responsibilities include coordinating communications, scheduling, travel, and accounting procedures for assigned curators, with a significant focus on travel arrangements and monthly accounting reconciliation for corporate credit cards. The assistant will also complete special administrative assignments, act as a general assistant for the department (mail, reception, inquiries, invoicing, office supplies, orders, meeting room schedules), answer queries via phone, mail, and email, maintain the orderliness of department spaces, and gather data from various sources for supervisory use. The role also includes performing any other duties reasonably related to the functions described.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in art history, fine art, design, architecture, museum studies, non-profit management, or related field with two to three years administrative experience relevant to the position or equivalent.
Superior judgment, professional initiative, and strong verbal communication capabilities.
Ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and coordinate multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Strong computer skills, including proficiency with the Google platform (Gmail, Google Calendar, Google docs and sheets, and Google Meet), Zoom for scheduling virtual meetings, and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Ability to take direction and work as part of a team.
Ability to be proactive and to take initiative in creative problem-solving.
Excellent administrative and organizational skills.
Pleasant phone manner.
Ability to effectively interact with and manage relationships with external parties who support the department.
On-site presence is required five days a week during the 90-day initial employment period. Thereafter the schedule is four days per week onsite, subject to change at management’s discretion, with the understanding that some weeks on-site presence five days a week will be required.

Nice To Haves

Interest and/or background in architecture or design preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinates all communications, scheduling, travel, and accounting procedures for assigned curators.
Heavy focus on coordinating travel and logistical arrangements for curators and monthly accounting reconciliation for corporate credit cards.
Completes special administrative assignments as directed by curators and Department Manager.
Acts as general assistant to the department (mail, reception, responses to inquiries via Museum website or telephone, invoicing, office supplies, placing orders, meeting room schedule).
Answers queries that come through the department’s general telephone line, and via mail and email.
Maintains general orderliness of department common spaces, study center, and supply closets.
Gathers data from various sources for use by supervisor or relevant staff, including collection database, library catalog, Internet research, etc.
Performs any other duties reasonably related to the functions described above.