Production Coordinator, Design, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Job Title: Production Coordinator

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 Design Department

The scope of the department is significant, and includes approximately 50+ exhibitions and rotations per year, capital construction and buildings projects, gallery reinstallation projects, and all communication materials for the institution. The studio provides design services for a building that is over 2 million square feet and contains objects from 17 curatorial departments, collaborating with over 50 departments to serve and average of over 7 million visitors annually.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

The Production Coordinator reports to the Project Manager, Communication Design, and functions as part of the Communication Design team, which helps produce all promotional graphics for exhibitions and Museum applications and programs alike.  They will be responsible for managing the workflow and execution of institutional branding through all graphic applications. The scope of the department includes approximately 200+ communication design projects a year, ranging from large-scale events with bespoke graphic identities to wayfinding systems and printed collateral. This position is responsible for tracking incoming design requests, creating and maintaining schedules, tracking and obtaining approvals, and coordinating vendors and installations to ensure accurate and timely execution of print, branding, and digital designs.  The Production Coordinator will also actively uphold and support the Met’s core graphic identity in the maintenance of templates, file preparation, color correction, and prepress operations.

Please note:  this is an exempt, full-time position.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

Project Planning and Workflow

  • With the Project Manager, Communication Design, create project plans, schedules, and budgets for communication design jobs (including deliverables for Exhibition signage)
  • With the Project Manager, Communication Design, and Design Managers, assign incoming projects to designers and meet regularly to communicate deadlines, schedules, budget, and approvals
  • Proactively communicate with graphic design team and Museum colleagues regarding assignments, schedules, approvals, and budgets for various projects
  • Oversee Exhibition promotional design package development from signature image, final approval, and posting on NetX
  • Manage Jira requisition system as it pertains to Communication Design assignments, project phasing, and ticket communication

Print Production

  • Collaborate with Graphic Designers to assess, source, and refine print production methods within constraints of project timelines and budget
  • Supervise various print production processes from the release of files to the printer through delivery including prepress, proofing, and on-press supervision to ensure highest quality production
  • Maintain departmental guidelines for file preparation, color correction, material specification, and server structure and, with the Project Manager, Communication Design, communicate these protocols and best practices consistently and effectively to the Design team
  • Maintain and develop relationships with key vendors and work with procurement to source and update our roster according to the goals of the museum’s Supplier Diversity Program
  • Schedule and oversee on-site signage installations when necessary and ensure that all Exhibition-related communication assets (banners, signage, etc.) are produced and installed on-time and that vendors maintain standards of quality

Studio Processes

  • Support Project Manager, Communication Design with development of schedule templates, maintenance of print sample archives, and production files and records on the server
  • Support Project Manager, Communication Design to determine yearly design priorities for high-volume Departments when necessary
  • Support Production Designer to manage the high volume of production necessary for large scale institutional signage needs by providing clear priorities, file locations, and routing approvals
  • Work with the Communication Design team to actively uphold the Met’s core graphic identity by providing proper templates, fonts, logos, and brand guidance to both internal and external partners
  • Provide data for cost reallocations to the Operations team
  • 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:

  • Excellent organizational skills
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Ability to multi-task and manage multiple projects simultaneously
  • Strong collaborative spirit, convivial attitude, and ability to strategically solve problems
  • Extensive print production experience
  • Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite software
  • Digital production experience preferred

Knowledge and Education:

  • BA or BFA in Design or related field
  • 2-5 years of experience in design print production required, museum experience preferred

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

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 “Production Coordinator – Design Department“ in the subject line of the email. Applications received with the requested cover letter will be given priority.

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.