Opportunities

OVERVIEW

The Head of Operations will play a major role at MMF during an exciting moment in the history of the organization. Working in close partnership with the Executive Director and the Head of Programs, the Head of Operations will grow MMF’s capacity to engage and learn from cultural workers across the country by supporting the management of activities across the organization, including governance, finance, fundraising, and the program. There will also be a particular emphasis on the stewardship of relationships with MMF’s growing network of museum partners and cultural workers. In addition, the responsibilities of this role will include the management of annual work plans, calendars and travel, databases, communications initiatives, and correspondence with contractors.

Importantly, the individual strengths and experiences of the candidate selected will further inform the responsibilities and opportunities offered by this role, both across the entire organization and through ownership over more specific aspects of the program. The aspiration is for this position to grow, contributing even more directly to the program, mission, and vision of MMF.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The Head of Operations will advance the mission of MMF by working closely with the Executive Director and, collaboratively, with the growing staff, board members, guest writers, publishing partners, advisors, and volunteers.

VALUES

As an employer, MMF operates in alignment with its mission and its four core institutional values—Care, Equity, Accountability, and Impact—by: committing to thoughtful and clear communication about our mutual roles and expectations, with the utmost consideration for the ebb-and-flow of our staff’s personal and professional well-being; sharing tasks of all kinds, however large or small, among all staff, with the knowledge they contribute as a whole to the mission and health of the organization; and encouraging the exploration of alternative management and governance styles, especially approaches that productively question prevalent hierarchical structures.

PRINCIPAL OPPORTUNITIES

This position was designed to accommodate an individual with a desire to work collaboratively, build their knowledge of nonprofit management, and contribute their expertise to the broader movement toward equity within the museum sector. The candidate selected will have the opportunity to:

●      Contribute to the overall capacity of MMF by developing the skills required to manage the operations of a nonprofit organization, with their time roughly evenly divided between programmatic and operational work;

●      Work as a member of a deeply invested team, sharing with and learning from one’s colleagues, with opportunities to grow the role and shape MMF’s program long-term;

●      Familiarize themselves with, work alongside, and learn from MMF’s nationwide community of 2,000+ museum directors, curators, educators, and other cultural workers, by communicating and coordinating their participation in MMF programs.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

●      Build and manage a robust annual calendar and work plan for the organization, spanning governance, staffing, program, communications, finance, and fundraising activities;

●      Set meaningful qualitative and quantitative metrics to measure and maintain progress towards annual goals;

●      Establish and drive the internal meeting structure and accountability necessary to succeed with all areas of work;

●      Strategically align public announcements, social media posts, newsletters, event invites, and other forms of communication, with programmatic milestones, including the workflow required to meet these milestones; 

●      Plan meetings alongside the Executive Director with stakeholders of all kinds, occasionally preparing agendas and taking minutes;

●      Coordinate travel and accommodations for the team when needed;

●      Optimize consistent data-entry for programs, communications, finance, and fundraising activities (through use of Neon One, Asana, Quickbooks);

●      Manage basic financial transactions, such as processing invoices for contractors and staff reimbursements;

●      Coordinate contracts with independent contractors;

●      Respond to general inquiries through the MMF email account;

●      As cited earlier, direct contributions to the shape and focus of MMF’s program have the potential to expand and shift these responsibilities, based on the interests and performance of the individual.

QUALIFICATIONS AND QUALITIES

The ideal candidate for the Head of Operations position possesses:

●      Bachelor’s degree in a related field, equivalent experience, or has made meaningful contributions to their communities;

●      3-5 years (or more) of experience working in the nonprofit sector, preferably museums, and the enthusiasm to deepen their knowledge of nonprofit administration;

●      Capacity and desire to learn and knowledgeably engage with MMF’s mission and its community of cultural workers, and is able to translate this commitment into reliable daily work;

●      Excited by the unique challenges that come with supporting a next-generation organization during a pivotal moment of growth; 

●      Supremely organized and motivated to increase efficiencies wherever possible;

●      A proficient writer and editor able to communicate with a variety of stakeholders, independent contractors, and the general public;

●      Interested in new ways of structuring tasks and deadlines through a thoughtful approach to project management;

●      Able to effectively manage multiple projects and deadlines;

●      Familiar with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Zoom, and other standard platforms and technologies;

●      Experienced with the use and optimization of Neon One CRM, Asana, Mailchimp, and Quickbooks; or comparable programs.

ACCESSIBILITY

The Head of Operations role involves:

●      Remaining in a stationary position, often in front of a computer;

●      Using a keyboard, mouse, phone, and other office equipment;

●      Navigating event sites of varying layouts;

●      Occasional domestic travel, including two-to-three night stays, to support the production of workshops, gatherings, and other events.

MMF is committed to providing the same access, benefits, and privileges to workers with and without disabilities.

TERMS OF THE POSITION

This is a full-time role (approx. 40 hours/week), with occasional evening commitments. Compensation includes a salary of $75,000 annually plus benefits. They will work remotely most days of the week, consistently communicating and coordinating with MMF’s broader team and occasionally traveling within the U.S.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected].

MMF is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants receive consideration without regard to race, age, ethnicity, religion, gender, national origin, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.

About the Editorial Council

MMF’s current editorial projects include: a biannual data study & report; MMF: Publications, articles that narrativize the connective tissue between data and change-making; and the publishing of resources and tools from MMF: Study Groups, action-oriented working groups that dig into issues of shared interest. Depending on interest and capacity, members of the Editorial Council will actively participate in at least one of these program areas in addition to offering occasional advice or guidance on MMF’s overall editorial strategy.

Responsibilities of Editorial Council Members

Members will participate in one (or more) of the following working groups:

1. MMF: PUBLICATIONS

   • Members in this working group will work with the MMF team to support the production of MMF: Publications, which may include: planning for open calls, identifying themes in need of editorial exploration, and supporting the article selection process.

   • Members will provide editorial support during article development and content editing phases for MMF: Publications. In addition to providing timely edits for articles, members may (depending on interest and capacity) serve as a “guest editor” for a publication cycle or article pair, working directly with authors and Publications & Events Manager to provide detailed edits, conduct interviews, and write an editorial note.

     
     
     

2. MMF: STUDY GROUPS

   • Members in this working group will represent the Editorial Council on an open Study Group of interest, in which they will participate as an active member of the group by attending regular meetings and collaborating with other members.

   • Members will offer editorial support in the development of the group’s published deliverable/s. 

   • Members will report back to the Editorial Council on development of Study Group’s published deliverable/s and potential opportunities for cross-collaboration (e.g. writing an article for MMF: Publications).
     
     

3. DATA STUDY & REPORT

   • Members will review Report at various stages of development and provide feedback to Report co-authors.

     
     

In addition to the above capacities, all members are expected to:

• Attend Editorial Council meetings 2-3 times per year to allow for cross-pollination and collaboration between working groups.

• Support MMF team with recruiting additional editorial council members, with a focus on diversifying perspectives and expertises, as needed.

qualifications

We seek Editorial Council members with demonstrated interest in advancing equity in art museum workplaces. In particular, we expect that members meet the following qualifications:

• Current (preferred) or former art museum worker

• Previous writing and/or editing experience

• Capacity to engage in one or more of the above working groups

Commitment

2-3 Editorial Council meetings per year, with additional ad hoc meetings for each working group (as described above). We ask all members to commit to a two-year term, with the option of extending involvement past initial term. Members who complete a one-year term will be offered a $500 honorarium.

application process

Please submit a resume or CV and a short note (1-2 paragraphs) about why you’re interested in supporting MMF’s work as a member of the Editorial Council to [email protected].

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please reach out to us by October 20th, 2024 at the latest.