Communications Manager at the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum

Job Title: Communications Manager

Job Status: Full-time

Location: New York, NY

Salary: $75,000 to $85,000

Summary

The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum seeks a Communications Manager. Reporting to the Director of Content Production, the Communications Manager is a key team player in developing effective and dynamic communications for a wide range of audiences. The ideal candidate brings knowledge and passion about digitally-connected communities and the rapidly evolving landscapes of media and journalism. This is a wonderful opportunity for growth for a versatile project manager and producer with a thoughtful approach to exploring the many ways that Isamu Noguchi’s art and ideas resonate and endure in the contemporary world.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Together with Museum leadership and department heads, develop and refine strategic vision, values, and goals for publicity and media relations.
  • Oversee production of program communications; strategic use of social media and editorial platforms to achieve program goals and engage with a diverse range of audiences both locally and worldwide.
  • Supervise the work of public relations consultants; coordinate assets and collaborate on strategy.
  • Ideate and develop creative and educational storytelling initiatives to share the work and life of Isamu Noguchi, in collaboration with the museum staff and external producers and creators.
  • Create and edit video and photography for social media, responding to current production trends while cultivating a timeless storytelling approach.
  • Manage, coordinate, and facilitate the work of freelance video producers, photographers, and other creative partners to achieve programmatic goals. 
  • Proactively engage with offsite exhibition partners, gallery representation, and other partners for cross-promotional opportunities, information sharing, and content reviews by the Museum.
  • Organize and attend media events, previews, and tours; attend galas, openings, and public programs and serve as an engaged public-facing ambassador for the Museum.
  • Draft, edit, and produce concise, thoughtful, and engaging press releases, media alerts, social media posts, and other content as needed, in collaboration with Content Director, Curatorial, Development, Education, and Merchandising, and other departments.
  • Draft, edit, and workshop remarks and statements with the Museum’s leadership and other communications functions as needed, including internal and press FAQs and emergency response communications. 
  • Organize and manage assets for press kits, coordinate rights and agreements, and other production tasks as needed. 
  • Copyedit, refine, and circulate approvals for the work of other internal content creators and external collaborators.
  • Ensure that all incoming press inquiries are promptly routed, responded to, and followed through, including fact checking, corrections, and other correspondence with the press and other potential partners. 
  • Manage and share coverage reports, archive press clippings and assets, and other departmental administrative tasks as needed. 
  • Oversee Communications general departmental budget; track and manage departmental expenses. 

Skills & Requirements

  • At least 4–5 years of experience in a communications role at an arts organization, arts communications agency, arts media/journalism, or other comparable experience.
  • A strong passion for storytelling, art and design, and the work and life of Isamu Noguchi.
  • Project management experience, strong organizational and time management skills are required.
  • Exceptional verbal communication skills, emotional intelligence, and discretion. 
  • Enjoys working collaboratively in teams, mission-oriented, and intrinsically motivated. 
  • Ability to write concise, clear, and engaging prose for a variety of audiences; strong proofreading and copyediting skills; attention to typography, grammar, context, and voice.
  • Attuned to ever-evolving trends and best practices in communications technology, journalism, social media, and the societal roles of art and museums.
  • Adept at creating high-quality and engaging content (including technical use and specific requirements) using digital communications platforms and tools such as Instagram, Threads, YouTube, LinkedIn, Mailchimp, WordPress, and Adobe Creative Suite, among others.
  • Adept at basic video editing, content creation and production for social media.
  • Skills and experience in photography, video, web content production, arts journalism/publishing, and/or graphic design are strong advantages.
  • A deep interest in and ever-evolving understanding of how photography, sound, typography, texture, timing, and context interplay; what makes a story resonate or fall flat in dialogue with an audience; and how these relate to Isamu Noguchi’s own artistic vision and philosophies.
  • Written and/or verbal fluency in Japanese or Spanish is a strong advantage. 

The Communications Manager is a full-time, in-person position and is located in The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, Queens. The hours are 5 days a week, 9 am–5 pm, Monday– Friday. The position requires occasional work outside regular hours. Work is performed in an office environment; prolonged periods of sitting, use of computers and standard office equipment are required to accomplish work objectives. The health and safety of our community is our first priority. As such, The Noguchi Museum strongly encourages all staff members to be fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized and/or approved COVID-19 vaccine.

The Noguchi Museum is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race,

color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, citizenship status, veteran status, disability or any other criterion specified by federal, state or local laws, in the administration of its employment policy. The Museum considers the diversity of its workforce to be vital to our organization’s success in meeting its mission. We strongly encourage applicants from all cultures, races, educational backgrounds, life experiences, socio-economic classes, sexual orientations, age, gender, and physical abilities to apply.

About the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum

Founded in 1985 by Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988), The Isamu Noguchi Garden

Museum (now known as The Noguchi Museum), was the first museum in the United States to be established, designed, and installed by a living artist to show their own work. Located in the vibrant neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens, the Museum itself is widely viewed as among the artist’s greatest achievements. Holding the world’s largest collection of his works, the Museum features open air and indoor galleries in a repurposed 1920s industrial building and a serene outdoor sculpture garden. Since its founding, it has served as an international hub for Noguchi research and appreciation. In addition to managing the artist’s archives and catalogue raisonné, the Museum exhibits a comprehensive selection of Noguchi’s material culture, from sculpture, models, and drawings to his personal possessions. Provocative installations drawn from the permanent collection, together with diverse special exhibitions and collaborations with contemporary practitioners across disciplines, offer a multifaceted view of Noguchi’s art and illuminate his enduring influence as an innovator. Through its rich collection, exhibitions, and programming, the Museum facilitates scholarship and learning for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

To Apply

In a single PDF, please send a cover letter and résumé to jobs@noguchi.org with “Communications Manager” in the subject line.

This job was sourced via NYFA