The Newport Art Museum

The Newport Art Museum, founded in 1912, educates and inspires a diverse audience by collecting, preserving, exhibiting, and interpreting historic and contemporary art and integrates appreciation for the arts into all its programs. The Museum maintains an extensive community outreach program, partnering with schools, hospitals, and cultural organizations throughout the region. The Museum School offers year-round studio art and design classes for all ages and experiences levels. The Newport Art Museum is fully accredited by the American Association of Museums.

The mission of the Newport Art Museum is to share a diversity of art and experiences that spark reflection, inspiration, discovery, and connections within our Newport community and beyond.

The Museum Experience Associate position

The Museum Experience Associate is primarily responsible for providing visitors with a high level of seamless service, ensuring a positive and meaningful Museum experience supportive of the Museum’s mission and strategic objectives. Ideally, a guest’s interaction, no matter how brief, advances a relationship based on important intellectual and personal connections, and leads to deeper and more frequent visitor engagement. How this active participation in the life of the Museum is fostered will be the collective responsibility of the Coordinator and the Museum Experience Team, in collaboration with the dedicated staff of the Museum.

Principal Responsibilities

• Maintain regular shifts at the Museum front desk, including occasionally weekends and evenings
• Represent the Museum during special events, evening functions, and off-site programs
• Maintain a well-informed working knowledge of the Museum’s exhibitions, history, special events and programs, classes, and membership opportunities, and accurately educate visitors
• Welcome, process, direct all visitors, tour groups, vendors and members of the general public, professionally and promptly, facilitating the timely and polite resolution of questions or complaints.
• Maintain a clean front facing lobby to ensure a positive and professional first impression
• Act as and/or support Museum Security with respect to visitors, conduct routine gallery checks.
• Maintain familiarity with emergency procedures and ability to implement if necessary and help coordinate an evacuation of the Museum in the event of an emergency
• Opening/closing and alarming Museum buildings
• Maintain accurate electronic visitor attendance and admission revenue financial records
• Execute visitor surveys or other visitor experience assessments, as needed
• Opportunity to assist Director of Marketing in designing print and online collateral materials, supporting the Museum’s social media presence, and managing online event calendar presence

Education & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Arts Administration, Hospitality, Fine Arts, Museum Studies, or related field
• Professional customer service experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google platforms, Square
• Working knowledge of Adobe Suite, Mailchimp, Social Media platforms a plus
• Marketing and Graphic Design experience a plus

Skills & Abilities

• Strong customer service, interpersonal and public relations skills; ability to communicate effectively with individuals of diverse social and cultural backgrounds, children and families. Knowledge of arts and cultural audiences preferred
• Clear and effective verbal/written communication skills
• Ability to understand and balance priorities, with strong attention to detail
• Dependability, flexibility, adaptability and ability to thrive in a dynamic, collaborative team environment
• Ability to represent the museum with a high level of integrity and professionalism, adhere to museum policies and support management decisions in a positive, professional manner
• Able to go up and down stairs, sustain periods of prolonged standing, and perform occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds
• CPR certification required (will train)
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus

Compensation
This is a part time, 3 day per week, hourly position with commensurate vacation and personal time. Starting wage is $15/hr.

Organizational Relationship
This position reports to the Museum Experience Coordinator.

Availability

• Shifts are typically 9:30am-4:30pm, occasional Thursdays until 7pm, and 11:30-5:30 on Sundays. Occasional holidays, and additional time for special Museum-wide events such as the Artists Ball Gala and Wet Paint Fundraiser.

To Apply

• Qualified candidates should send a cover letter, current résumé, and three references to: jobs@newportartmuseum.org. No phone calls please. This position is a part-time position with no benefits. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
• The Newport Art Museum recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its work culture and integral to its role as a cultural institution serving the public. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. The Newport Art Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.