Program Associate, Accessibility at the Metropolitan Museum of Art – Museum Studies

Job Title: Program Associate

Job Status: Full-time

DESCRIPTION:

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art collects, studies, conserves, and presents significant works of art across all times and cultures in order to connect people to creativity, knowledge and ideas. The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City – The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Since it was founded in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.

About the Department The Met’s Department of Education—dedicated to making art accessible for everyone regardless of background, ability, age, or experience—is central to the mission and currently presents over 39,000 programs a year to an audience of over 845,000. The Department is a national and international leader in museum-based education and public programming, pushing boundaries through continuous innovation and experimentation. Programs include high school and college internships that promote career development and diversity; Pre K–12 educator programs that train teachers to integrate art into curricula across disciplines; performances, concerts, lectures and symposia that feature preeminent artists and scholarship; daily tours in multiple languages, and so much more.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

The Met seeks a dynamic individual to join the Accessibility team within in the Public Programs and Engagement division of the Education Department. The Program Associate provides support for the day-to-day operations of the team, including program administration and implementation, and accommodations that make The Met accessible to and inclusive of people with disabilities. He/she/they supports the planning and logistics for Access programs and partnerships, with a particular focus on audiences with dementia and their care partners. He/she/they ensures the smooth day-of execution of programs at both Museum locations and at sites throughout the New York City area, helps to maintain relationships with partner organizations, and tracks statistics and evaluation results for programs.

This is a full-time (35 hours per week), non-exempt, temporary 3-year position with a scheduled End Date of December 31, 2024. Some evening and weekend hours required.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

• Provide administrative support for in-gallery, classroom/studio, offsite, and virtual Access Programs for people with dementia and their care partners, including taking reservations, managing supplies, booking educators and rooms, ensuring appropriate set-up and a/v support, recording program statistics, etc. Provide similar support for some Access Programs for other audiences with disabilities.

• Assist with execution of Access programs in the Museum for people with dementia and their care partners and for other audiences with disabilities, including signing in participants, distributing assistive listening devices, and other program logistics.

• Assist in the maintenance of existing partnerships with sites serving people with disabilities – especially those with dementia – and the establishment of new partnerships, including research on organizations, and coordination of program activities.

• Act as a primary point of contact for contract educators/teaching artists and partner organizations for logistical and administrative aspects of programs for people with dementia.

• Assist the Accessibility team in developing resources for people with dementia that support independent visits to the Museum and in-home experiences with art.

• As a member of the Accessibility team, respond to inquiries from the public or direct them to others as needed.

• Assist with program promotion including print and email marketing and maintaining dementia-related contact lists.

• Assist the Program Coordinator with arrangements for access accommodations for visitors with disabilities participating in Access and other programs, such as assistive listening devices and Sign Language interpreters.

• Other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

Fully vaccinated with an FDA or WHO authorized vaccine (or approved for an exemption as a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, sincerely held religious belief, or pregnancy, or because you are a victim of domestic violence, stalking, or sex offenses).

Experience and Skills:

• 1 year of administrative experience, preferably in a museum or other non-profit environment;

• Experience working with people with disabilities preferred;

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and interpersonal skills required;

• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to prioritize required;

• Demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively and professionally with different constituencies. This includes excellence in customer service, motivated and personable stance towards visitors and colleagues, and a demonstrable desire and ability to engage effectively with others in the Museum.

• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, team-based environment essential.

Knowledge and Education:

• Bachelor’s degree, required. Background in art, art history, disability, or related fields preferred.

• Knowledge of accessibility and disability, especially dementia, preferred.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required.

• Experience with databases/information systems (such as Workday, Sitecore, Artifax, and Tessitura) preferred.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

How to Apply:

Applicants are asked to please provide a cover letter in addition to your resume, expressing your interest in the position. Applications can be submitted via the posting on LinkedIn. Alternatively, applications can be submitted via email to Careers@MetMuseum.org – please reference position “Program Associate, Accessibility – Education“ in the subject line of the email. Applications received with the requested cover letter will be given priority.