Director of Fellows and Internship Programs at the Art Bridges Foundation
Job Title: Director of Fellows and Internship Programs
Job Status: Full-time
Location: Bentonville, AR
Salary: $115,000/yr – $144,000/yr
About Art Bridges
Art Bridges is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton. The mission of Art Bridges is to expand access to American art in all regions across the nation. Since 2017, Art Bridges has been creating and supporting programs that bring outstanding works of American art out of storage and into communities. Art Bridges partners with a growing network of nearly 220 museums of all sizes and locations to provide financial and strategic support for exhibition development, loans from the Art Bridges Collection, and programs designed to educate, inspire, and deepen engagement with local audiences. The Art Bridges Collection represents an expanding vision of American art from the 19th century to present day and encompasses multiple media and voices.
Required Documents to Apply:
Please provide a copy of your cover letter and resume.
Job Description:
Position: Director of Fellows and Internship Programs
Reporting to: COO
Location: Bentonville, AR
Salary Range: $115,000-$144,000
About Art Bridges Foundation
Art Bridges Foundation is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron, Alice Walton. The mission of Art Bridges is to expand access to American art in all regions across the nation. Founded in 2017, Art Bridges creates and supports programs that bring outstanding works of American art out of storage and into communities. Art Bridges partners with a growing network of more than 230 museums of all sizes and locations to provide financial and strategic support for exhibition development, loans from the collections of Art Bridges and its partners, and programs designed to educate, inspire, and deepen engagement with local audiences.
About The Position
The Director of Fellows and Internship Programs will support the current pilot and evolution of our fellowship program and the successful continuation of our summer and academic year internship programs. This role involves supporting the evolution of programs that provide meaningful, hands-on experience in the art and museum sectors, aligning with Art Bridges’ mission to expand access to American art. The Director will play a critical role in shaping the careers of emerging professionals in the arts, providing mentorship and building a strong network of future leaders in the field. This position oversees a team of three, including a Fellowship Manager, Internship Coordinator, and Fellows Administrator. To be successful in this role, the Director will support the continued evaluation and evolution of these programs, making sure they drive the desired impact within the field while supporting the other work of the Foundation.
Responsibilities
- Cultivate and maintain relationships with current and potential educational institutions, museums, and cultural institutions to support the program’s success.
- Develop and manage Art Bridges’ Fellows and Internship programs, ensuring they provide valuable learning and professional development opportunities.
- Support building expectations and alignment with partner museums to support recruiting, selecting, and onboarding Fellows to partner institutions.
- Support Entrepreneurial and innovative learning and networking opportunities for Fellow and Intern participants including educational sessions, workshops, and mentorship opportunities.
- Support learning experiences in Bentonville, including a 4-week summer residency for first year fellows, the annual 8-week summer internship program, and additional convenings and other collaborative events.
- Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the programs, making adjustments as needed to meet participants’ needs and organizational goals.
- Provide ongoing support and guidance to fellows and interns, including career advice and professional development resources both during their time in the roles and as a strong alumni group.
- Promote the programs to attract high-quality candidates, and to highlight the success and impact of program alumni.
Attributes that Support Your Success
- Strong leadership, mentoring, and coaching skills.
- Excellent program/project management skills, financial acumen, and relationship building abilities.
- Ability to foster an inclusive and supportive learning environment.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills across varied stakeholders and geographies.
- Passion for supporting the next generation of arts and museum professionals.
Qualifications And Skills
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, or significant experience in Art History, Program Design, Education, Museum Studies, or related field.
- 8-12+ years of experience in program development, preferably in fellowships/ internships or career development, within the arts, cultural sector, or non-profit organizations.
- Proven record of accomplishment in managing national scale programs.
- Strong network within the arts, education, and museum sectors is a plus.
- A demonstrated commitment to advancing equity and centering the perspectives of those most impacted in decision-making, including experience working directly with people from diverse backgrounds.
- Exceptional strategic thinking with a strong bias for action and implementation
- Strong relationship and influencing skills.
Work Schedule
This is a full-time, Monday to Friday, in person role. Our Flexible Work Policy allows an option to work one day per week from home between Tuesday and Thursday. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required. 10% overnight and weekend travel.
Physical Demands and Work Environment
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Physical demands: Occasionally, while performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to travel independently, regionally, and in communities served. This position requires working at a desk and utilizing a computer and a telephone for prolonged periods of time and good eye/hand coordination, bending and stretching for filing, and physical stamina to lift a minimum of 25 pounds to a height of at least three feet for art materials storage and preparation and as appropriate for the demands of the office. Visual acuity to review written materials is required for this job.
Work environment: Work will be performed in an office environment, museum spaces, and in communities served. Occasional evening and weekend hours may be required. The noise level in the office is usually low to moderate.
Art Bridges and DEAI
At Art Bridges, diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are central to all work and decisions made within our organization. We support our colleagues and partners in learning and growing together to make this important work part of our daily lives.
Art Bridges is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage all qualified applicants including women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.
All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States on your first day of work.