Manager of Public Programs at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Job Title: Manager of Public Programs 

Job Status: Full-time

Location: New York, NY

Salary: $80,782

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ABOUT THE POSITION:

With the Director of Learning and Audience Engagement and the adult public programs team, this position leads adult programmatic initiatives at Cooper Hewitt. The Public Programs Manager is in the Learning and Audience Engagement Department and reports to the Director of Learning and Audience Engagement. He/she/they are responsible for the visioning, planning, management, and financial oversight of the museum’s adult public programs (panel discussions, lectures, workshops, performances, and other formats) as well as the National Design Awards, including the selection process, awards ceremony, National Design Week, and related programs and events. In addition, the Public Programs Manager is responsible for drafting various reports, data collection, interpretation, historical record keeping, working collaboratively with other departments, and securing partners. 

Public programs at Cooper Hewitt share the stories of the museum’s collection and exhibitions and convene contemporary conversations on design topics. Public programs activate the optimism of design in a dynamic way on and off campus and virtually.  

The National Design Awards honor innovation and impact and recognize the power of design to change the world across various disciplines. The annual awards were established in 2000 to promote design as a vital humanistic tool in shaping the world. The award recipients are honored at a celebration at Cooper Hewitt (or equivalent setting). Each year, museum leadership selects a new jury which the Public Programs Manager oversees. Launched in 2006, National Design Week is held with awards each year to celebrate the important role design plays in all aspects of everyday life through a series of programs welcoming all to engage with design. Plans manages, and coordinates the execution of the National Design Awards program and jury selection. Supervises full-time team members and occasional contractors, interns, and fellows. MAJOR DUTIES

MAJOR DUTIES:

Adult Public Programs and Projects (40%)

-Serves as a program lead, including visioning, developing, planning, and implementing adult public programs and projects of various scales and scopes. 

-Builds audience engagement through creative programming and efficient communication. 

-As the programmatic leader, coordinates with department colleagues, curatorial staff, and senior leadership in program ideation.  

-Lead the visioning, planning, and execution of the National Design Week suite of events, resources, and initiatives, working collaboratively with team members in the Learning and Audience Engagement Department and across departments. 

-Works to analyze, research, and recommend improvements to educational programs and events.  

-Contributes to the planning and participation in the Learning and Audience Engagement Department activities and museum-wide events.  

-Assists in writing local, state, and national grant proposals.  

-Contributes to the writing of materials related to public programs. 

National Design Awards (40%)

-Responsible for managing the annual nomination process, submission process, and jury review—including developing related materials and receiving and organizing comprehensive information and nominee packages. 

-Responsible for ensuring that each nominee meets the standards of each category to be considered and the jury is briefed on the core selection criteria. 

-Recommends a nationwide jury of design leaders and educators capable of reviewing nominee packages.  

-Works with and assists the Director of nonjury award(s). 

-Works closely with the Communications team on the public/press announcement of the winners. 

-Manages high-level and high-profile programs and special events associated with the National Design Awards, including the awards ceremony and National Design Week. Fundraising-related events are co-managed with the Advancement team. 

-Manages the administrative process for reserving rooms, equipment, and materials and follow-up of all details to make programs and events successful. 

-Independently liaises with senior staff at the museum and across the Smithsonian.  

-Builds and sustains relationships with designers, stakeholders, and high-level individuals.  

Administration and budget management (20%)

-Independently manages, formulates, and presents budgets for Public Programs, the National Design Awards, National Design Week, and all related programs and events. 

-Provides various budgetary reports to ensure the budget is on track and efficiently managed. 

-Forecasts and administers the budget for cost savings and initiatives. 

-Prepares purchase orders, makes purchase card payments, arranges travel as needed, and ensures all financial protocols. 

-Presents budget to senior staff as requested.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

•   Deep knowledge and established network of contemporary US design and architecture. Creative approaches to adult public programs and the ability to showcase how the National Design Awards celebrate and serve as an advocacy program for contemporary design. 

•   Knowledge of adult public education programs in a museum setting. 

•   Ability to independently schedule, manage, and promote public programs and events without errors or miscommunication. 

•   Ability to plan and track extensive budgets for educational programs to ensure that monies are on track and efficiently managed. 

• Ability to independently draft high-profile letters and promotional materials for educational events for delivery in print and multi-media platforms. 

• Ability to serve as a program manager for large-scale events related to adult public programs, the National Design Awards, and National Design Week. 

• Ability to create and implement innovative strategies to continually improve public programs and the National Design Awards, including outreach, promotion, and workflow. 

• Ability to communicate orally, represent the department at routine meetings, and share information with senior staff, a wide range of designers, and Cooper Hewitt staff. 

• Ability to collaborate with all levels of museum staff at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian, and with high-profile designers to set up meetings, events, and other significant collaborative gatherings and events. 

• Ability to utilize MS Office suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and Zoom. Knowledge of Tessitura, WordFly, Openwater (or other awards management software), and Photoshop is a plus. 

SALARY: $80,769 

The Smithsonian uses the General Schedule (GS) pay scale for Trust and Federally funded positions. This is a Trust funded position at Grade 11 / Step 1.

TEMPORARY TRUST APPOINTMENT:

One-year full-time appointment that may be extended beyond the one year (based on performance and budget).

DUTY STATION:

• The permanent duty station is 2 East 91st Street, New York, NY 10128.

TELEWORK:

• Hybrid Telework Available (with a 3-day requirement to be on site starting September 2023). Note – Full Time Remote is not approved for this position. 

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION:

The Smithsonian Institution ensures its employees (federal and trust), applicants, and affiliated persons (interns, research associates, fellows, and volunteers) are protected from discrimination and unfair treatment in the workplace regardless of their race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, gender stereotyping, pregnancy, and sexual orientation), age, disability, genetic information, marital status, parental status, or political affiliation and are free from reprisal against protected activities. In addition, other Smithsonian policy prohibits discrimination based on membership in an employee organization or other non-merit factors, and political affiliation.

To Apply