Chief of Staff [The Jewish Museum, New York, NY]

The Jewish Museum

The Jewish Museum is the only art museum in the world that focuses on the dynamic interplay between artistic practice (both contemporary and historical) and an unparalleled collection of art and artifacts reflecting global Jewish identity and tradition from ancient times to the present day. It is recognized around the world for the quality of its collection, exhibitions and scholarship. The museum is shaping a new vision for its future that builds on its unique history and values, and propels its mission into the 21st century. The Jewish Museum is internationally recognized as a distinctive hub for art and Jewish culture – the essential “go to” cultural destination for Jews and people of all backgrounds.

The Position

The Chief of Staff (COS) to the Director is a critically important role, enabling the Director to work most effectively with internal and external stakeholders and fulfill her commitments to the Jewish Museum Board of Directors, staff, funders and constituents. This is not an administrative role; it is a highly strategic and facilitative one that requires a combination of focus and flexibility, as well as a willingness to play an active role. As the Director’s ‘trusted counsel’, the role requires a highly resourceful individual with effective leadership and teambuilding abilities, emotional intelligence, self-motivation and strong analytical skills.

This position reports directly to Claudia Gould, Helen Goldsmith Menschel Director and encompasses six primary responsibilities:

Preparation for, and facilitation of, “critical path” Director meetings (e.g., with JM executive board and staff leadership, current and prospective funders, artists and partners). While members of any one of these groups may initiate meetings through the Director’s Executive Assistant and be responsible for inviting and preparing participants, the COS ensures meeting objectives are realistic, preparation is appropriate, and that the Director is well prepared. This responsibility is less about logistics and more about content and the COS’s judgment about the appropriateness and sufficiency of the intended preparation. The COS may also facilitate meetings and follow up as needed. The COS’s role is to make sure the Director’s time is leveraged most effectively in a meeting context.

Coordination/orchestration of projects or commitments directly involving the Director and her direct reports. This responsibility primarily focuses on ensuring alignment among the often disparate stakeholders and, when such alignment is absent, communicating with the Director and recommending mitigating approaches. While this responsibility envisions the COS “going deep” on a relatively limited number of projects, s/he would also need to understand the breadth of the projects within the Director’s purview. The Director and the COS would agree in advance on the schedule of projects requiring COS involvement. Tact, diplomacy, and persistence are essential qualities in executing this dimension of the role.

Independent leadership of special Director-initiated projects, ranging from written products to be authored by the Director to convening thought leaders on various topics. While the vast majority of Director-initiated projects will find homes among the executive team and their staffs, some confidential or time sensitive issues will need to reside within the office of the Director and be led by the COS and the Director. From time to time, the Board asks the Director to come back with specific analyses—these, too, would fall within the COS’ purview.

Development of draft communication on behalf of the Director. Communications range from the Director update at Board meetings, to follow up correspondence related to the Director’s various meetings with funders, partners and staff. The COS will also be responsible for drafting talking points and other materials for various speaking engagements involving external audiences.

Proactive identification of issues that could impact the successful execution of the Director’s commitments: This responsibility involves elevating those issues about which the Director should be aware and framing/positioning ideas to resolve the problem/mitigate the risk. This is among the most challenging aspects of the job and will require the COS to focus on the underlying interests of the parties working with the Director, understand their intentions, and creatively identify alternative means of handling pressing issues and improving processes as needed.

Support the executive team’s communications with the Director: The COS will help facilitate decisions needed by the executive staff requiring feedback from the Director. S/he will support the needs of the executive staff in their ability to raise critical issues with the Director and receive needed responses, guidance and decisions.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

Critical core competencies for successful performance in this role are:

• Highly-developed communications skills (written/verbal) and interpersonal savvy
• Results/action-orientation; project management skills
• Organizational and political agility; developed negotiation skills
• Unquestionable personal code of ethics, integrity, diversity and trust
• Able to successfully navigate within varying degrees of ambiguity in a fast-paced environment · Strong strategic/financial analysis skills

QUALIFICATIONS:

This role provides privileged access to the inner workings of the Jewish Museum and to highly sensitive information. The successful candidate will be discrete, high-energy, agile-minded, strategic, proactive, a direct communicator, highly-organized and committed to the vision and values of the Jewish Museum. In addition, the following standards will generally define the successful applicant:

• MBA, JD or MPP or MAA required. Minimum of 5 years relevant work experience required
• Applicable/transferable experience: private sector roles in law, business strategy or consulting; public sector policy roles; campaign aides/strategists
• Mission-driven; passionate about the Jewish Museum and related constituencies
• Good sense of self and strong personal presence
• Market research experience a plus
• Willingness to work hard and take direction—but also creatively solve problems for which the answers aren’t always obvious
• Knowledge of the Jewish Museum and key stakeholders is desirable but not essential

Please submit resume and salary requirements in confidence to:

Email:  jobs@thejm.org

Subject line: Chief of Staff

No phone calls please

The Jewish Museum is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.