Lakefront Festival of Art & Events Specialist

Milwaukee Art Museum•Milwaukee, WI

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Lakefront Festival of Art and Events Specialist supports the mission and goals of the Milwaukee Art Museum through the planning and execution of the Lakefront Festival of Art (LFOA) and other Museum events and initiatives. A primary responsibility of this position is supporting the successful planning and execution of LFOA, the Museum’s annual signature event presented in collaboration with Friends of Art (FOA). The position serves as the Museum’s primary staff liaison to the FOA volunteer committees and plays a key role in coordinating the many stakeholders, timelines, and activities necessary for a successful annual festival. This position also works as part of the Events Team to support the planning and execution of internal and external events. This position requires a highly organized, and collaborative individual who is exceptional at managing multiple priorities, working with museum staff, clients, and partners. Regular evening and weekend work is required based on the Museum’s event calendar and LFOA planning and execution needs.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent
Excellent organizational and project-management skills with strong attention to detail
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to develop positive working relationships with volunteers, colleagues, clients, vendors, and other stakeholders
Ability to coordinate multiple individuals and groups while maintaining clear communication and accountability
Strong customer service and hospitality mindset
Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Demonstrated ability to remain calm, professional, flexible, and solution-oriented under pressure
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively as part of a team.
Ability to establish priorities, meet deadlines, and manage multiple assignments simultaneously
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite; experience with event-management or project-management systems preferred
Ability and willingness to work evenings, weekends, early mornings, evenings and occasional holidays based on event and Festival needs

Nice To Haves

College coursework or a degree in event management, hospitality, nonprofit management, arts administration, communications, business, or a related field
3-5 years of professional experience in event coordination, project coordination, volunteer engagement, hospitality, nonprofit organizations, or a related field
Experience working with volunteers, committees, boards, or community organizations strongly preferred
Event planning or event-management experience
Experience working in a cultural institution, nonprofit organization, hospitality environment, or event venue

Responsibilities

Partner with the Director of Business Development & Events, the Museum’s Events Team, and the Friends of Art (FOA) in the planning and execution of the Lakefront Festival of Art
Maintain the overall LFOA project plan and timeline, proactively monitoring progress
Proactively identify LFOA needs, coordinate follow-up, and help ensure key milestones and deliverables are completed on schedule
Serve as the Museum’s primary staff liaison to the LFOA volunteer committees, including coordinating monthly LFOA committee meetings (Feb – Jun) and annual kick-off and thank-you parties
Coordinate ongoing communication among LFOA committees, museum staff, exhibiting artists, and other festival stakeholders to ensure priorities, responsibilities, timelines, and expectations are clearly understood by all parties
Work with Friends of Art to integrate volunteer-led activities into the museum’s overall festival planning process
Maintain planning documents, schedules, contact information, and other materials necessary for a successful LFOA
Support coordination with internal museum departments, vendors, artists, sponsors, volunteers, and partners involved in LFOA
Lead logistics and communications related to exhibiting artists, including artists applications and jurying
Assist with all festival logistics, including event orders, floor plans, vendor coordination, schedules, set-up and breakdown, and all other planning needs
Provide on-site support and coordination before, during and after LFOA, helping ensure a high quality experiences for artists, guests, volunteers, vendors and staff members
Participate in post-event evaluation and reconciliation, documenting opportunities, and recommendations for future festivals
Work collaboratively with the Event Planning Specialists and Director of Business Development & Events to support the planning and execution of Museum-hosted and external events
Assist with event logistics and planning details for assigned events, including timelines, event orders, floor plans, vendor coordination, internal communication, and other operational needs
Coordinate with internal departments, including Food & Beverage, Facilities, Visitor Services, Security, Retail, and others, to support successful event execution
Assist with communication and coordination with clients, vendors, and other event partners as assigned
Participate in weekly event order and operations meetings and maintain accurate event information within Museum calendars and event-management systems
Provide on-site event support as assigned, including evening and weekend events.
Assist with event setup and breakdown and provide direction to setup staff as appropriate
Help identify and resolve operational issues during events in a professional, guest-focused manner
Support post-event follow-up, documentation, billing, and financial reconciliation as assigned
Provide additional support to the Events team during periods of high event volume and for Museum signature events and initiatives
Maintain accurate records, calendars, planning documents, and other materials related to assigned responsibilities
Build positive working relationships across Museum departments and with FOA members, volunteers, vendors, and clients
Ensure work is performed in accordance with Museum policies, procedures, safety requirements, and guest-service standards
Represent the Milwaukee Art Museum professionally in all interactions with internal and external stakeholders
Balance multiple projects and deadlines while maintaining strong attention to detail and communication