The Director of Special Events will design and execute a comprehensive special events strategy to support a major portion of the Museums earned income goal, relating to the Museum rentals, special events: Art Ball, and other major donors/prospects/members/volunteers cultivation and stewardship events. The position will lead the growth and promote use of the Museum to outside organizations.

This position has an annual salary range of $100,000-$110,000 and a comprehensive benefits package including medical plan, dental plan, life insurance, pension, 401K retirement, and generous paid time off.

Currently, the Director of Special Events position is a hybrid onsite/remote position, with three days required onsite. In January 2023, all NMOA employees will work fully onsite.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Create business strategy and events calendar aligned with revenue and cultivation goals.
Budget-prepare event budgets and financial reports
Manage and coach a Special Events Assistant Manager
Overall responsibility for successful execution of the Annual Gala, and cultivation and stewardship events
Manage all earned income rental events, from weddings to corporate off-sites held at the Museum
Overall management of invitation strategy and implementation for all major events, provide direction to compile invitation lists, work with marketing and advancement to develop invitations, create event programs, and prepare event program scripts, briefings, and participant remarks (as needed)
Monitor and analyze donor and prospect participation in events, including ROI (for fundraising and stewardship events)
Manage a series of content rich events that educate and engage current and prospective donors in conjunction with the advancement team
Design event program/content, schedule, and coach event speakers, oversee and approve communication and marketing materials, and event-follow up to achieve desired outcomes
Coordinate with advancement regarding event objectives and details
Develop and institute a plan to thank and recognize hosts, speakers, volunteers
Consistently maintain a professional image and demeanor
Move initiatives forward without all the answers upfront

Qualifications

Minimum of 10 years experience in special events or related food service environment demonstrating success in planning, producing, and managing events.
Knowledge of fundraising cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies and techniques
General marketing experience, as it relates to promoting weddings, corporate events and special events is preferred
Outstanding organizational and writing skills and attention to detail
Strong interpersonal skills, with ability to make presentations to senior-level groups as well as to build one-on-one relationships with members of diverse constituencies at all levels of authority
Knowledge of and ability to prepare and manage budgets
Ability to work independently on aspects of several events simultaneously
Relevant experience to oversee external catering partner
Strong problem-solving skills to resolve complex and competing issues quickly

About the Newark Museum of Art

We acknowledge the traditional homelands of the Lenape, also known as the Delaware, upon which The Newark Museum of Art resides.

Founded in 1909, The Newark Museum of Art (NMOA) is the largest museum in New Jersey and ranks twelfth nationally in collection size, with more than 130,000 artworks and significant holdings of science and natural history. The NMOA is committed to the values of Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion by responding to the evolving needs and interests of diverse audiences through participation, visitor experiences, and community engagement.

From the ancient world to contemporary art, the Museum boasts a renowned collection of exceptional quality and depth, spanning concentrations in the Arts of Global Africa; Arts of Global Asia, featuring a Tibetan Buddhist altar; Arts of the Americas; American Art, with a particular strength in Native American art; Decorative Arts; Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean; and Science.

With a focus on welcoming everyone with inclusive experiences that spark curiosity and foster community, the NMOA offers groundbreaking exhibitions, engaging programming, a research library with 60,000 volumes, paid internships, and impactful local and global partnerships. A four-acre campus includes the Ballantine House (1885), a National Historic Landmark; the Ward Carriage House (1860); the Old Stone School House (1784); the Alice Ransom Dreyfuss Memorial Garden; and Horizon Plaza. Under the leadership of Director and CEO Linda C. Harrison, the NMOA has launched an era of transformation to create an engaged citizenry by reimagining the role of the art museum in the 21st century.

The Newark Museum of Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In addition, we aspire to make the Museum and our environment - staff, audiences, artists, programs, and exhibitions - reflective of the diversity of the city of Newark and to capture the spirit of access, inclusion, and equity in all we do. We strongly encourage and welcome applicants from our BIPOC, disabled, and LGBTQIA communities as they must be centered in the work we do. Additionally, The Newark Museum of Art invites candidates with backgrounds or lived experiences in cultures within or adjacent to those of Asia, to further decenter nonwestern narratives in curatorial practices.

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