Administrative Assistant, Curatorial at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in Houston, TX

Responsibilities:

Provide administrative support to the Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design and European Art departments for activities relating to their collections, exhibitions, and general office administration (including filing, archiving, drafting/editing documents & correspondence, submitting interdepartmental request forms, mailings, supply orders, and reception/fielding queries).
Provide a window of communication between the curatorial department, other departments across the Museum, Museum supporters, volunteers, artists, and the general public. Must be willing to field telephone calls, emails, and special requests consistent with departmental needs.
Meeting arrangements for quarterly subcommittee meetings with Museum’s trustees and advisory board members, as well as internal departmental meetings: handle all logistics and preparation for set-up including room reservations, audio-visual needs, catering, meeting notices, RSVPs, preparing and compiling agenda/meeting packets, and minute composition & distribution.
Book and process travel arrangements (for multiple curators and non-staff visitors)
Process purchase orders, and expense reports via AX accounting system (for multiple curators and vendors)
Acquisitions: under the direction of the curatorial administrator, work with curators to generate, compile, edit, copy, and route gift/purchase paperwork for necessary meetings, approvals, and processing.
Assist curators with the organization of events related to exhibitions, symposia, fundraising, (as needed, and in conjunction with hosting department).
Submit and track requests related to movement, photography, framing, and conservation of incoming works of art as well as for objects in the Museum’s collection (as needed).
Maintain internal curatorial staff distribution lists and assist with maintenance of curatorial SharePoint site and other reference resources.
Special projects as assigned by curatorial administrator.

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

Excellent verbal and interpersonal skills combined with a professional, welcoming demeanor and good organizational abilities
Must demonstrate extreme attention to detail and exceptional proofreading abilities.
Ability to problem solve, multi-task, and meet deadlines.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite required.
Knowledge of the The Museum System AND SharePoint preferred.
A willingness to learn new database systems and protocols.
Enthusiastic by nature with a desire to be part of a cultural organization.
Desire to work as a team member and project a positive attitude with a respectful spirit of collaboration.

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in (appropriate field of study) preferred or an equivalent combination of experience and education from which comparable and demonstrable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.
Two or more years of experience providing administrative support.
Detail oriented, organized with proven ability to successfully multi-task.
Outstanding interpersonal skills and preference for collaboration with proven success working with others.
Ability to consistently apply good judgment and make good decisions.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion at all times.
Proven analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Organized with a proven ability to juggle multiple projects at once.

About the MFAH

The MFAH is an organization comprised of 600+ employees and 1,000+ docents and volunteers. The museum is more than 100 years old and ranks nationally among the top 10 art museums in exhibition space, memberships, endowments, and attendance, with 1M visitors annually. Our multifaceted institution includes multiple gallery buildings, a sculpture garden, two art schools, three eateries and two house museums for decorative arts. The encyclopedic collection numbers more than 70,000 works of art in a wide range of media. As an employer, MFAH offers a supportive, collegial and inclusive work environment and a competitive benefits package.

Position Available:

Title: Administrative Assistant, Curatorial

Reports to: Curatorial Administrator/Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design and European Art departments

Classification: Non Exempt/Hourly

Schedule: 35 hour work week – 9 am to 5 pm

Pay Rate: DOE

Work Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Work will primarily be performed in an office environment. Work will involve extended sitting and computer use. With or without reasonable accommodation, the individual selected must have the physical and mental capacity to perform effectively all essential functions. In addition to the other demands mentioned, the demands of the job may or will include:

Must undergo and meet company standards for background and reference
Occasionally may be required to work overtime (with pay) with advance
Required ability to handle multiple tasks
Extensive computer
Seeing, hearing, speaking, and writing clearly in order to communicate with staff, guests, and the general
Frequent sitting, standing and walking, which may be required for extended periods of
Good vision or corrected by use of glasses and/or contacts for reading and viewing
May be exposed to or required to handle sensitive and confidential information.

Equal Opportunities for All

At the MFAH, we believe that diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusivity are fundamental to our organization. We welcome all candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our organization and our pledge for workplace diversity, inclusion, and excellence.

Our commitment to our policy and practice of nondiscrimination represents more than good intentions. It provides for employment decisions that are made without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established by law or any other reason unrelated to your ability to join and contribute to our organization and support our mission to provide a museum experience for all.

Research shows that individuals from underrepresented backgrounds often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that an applicant meets 100% of the qualifications for a given role. Therefore, if much of this job description describes you, then you are highly encouraged to apply for this role.

The MFAH is equally committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals interested in employment with the organization. As part of this commitment, we want to ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation needed to 1) participate in the job application or 2) interview process; 3) perform essential job functions; and/or 4) participate in the benefits and privileges of employment with the MFAH. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the human resources department: HR@mfah.org

Benefits:

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, offers an excellent benefits package that includes:

Medical Insurance: Employee and dependent coverage through a choice of managed health care programs
Dental Insurance: Employee and dependent coverage through two plan choices
Vision Insurance: Employee and dependent coverage through a vision program
Group health, dental and vision insurance coverage available and effective the first of the month following employment with the MFAH for this
Life Insurance & AD&D: Employee coverage at no cost to the employee
Long Term Disability: Employee coverage at no cost to the employee

The MFAH provides a generous schedule for time off under the following benefit categories:

Paid Time Off - Used for absences from work such as vacation, illness of short duration, and personal reasons. Hours are accrued biweekly, based on employment status, length of service, and hours worked
Reserve Time Off - Used for extended illnesses. Employees accrue up to 6 days per year, up to a maximum of 120 days
Holidays - Full-time employees receive ten paid holidays per year
Volunteer Time Off - The MFAH supports activities that enhance and serve the communities in which we live and work. Employees receive up to 40 hours of paid time off annually to give back and

Other Benefits

Staff may contribute to the MFAH Retirement Savings Plan. Eligible staff contributing to the plan may receive up to a 5% matching contribution from the MFAH after one year of service. (We also recognize prior nonprofit service which will provide for an accelerated employer match!)
MFAH Membership – Staff receive a free Family-level membership.
Discounts – Staff receive discounts on purchases at the Museum shop and all on campus eateries and the Glassell School of

Compensation:

Salary will be commensurate with the applicant's experience and the needs and requirements expressed in the job description. The MFAH has set the pay range for this job and level as a general guideline and not a guarantee of the compensation amount or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, the needs and requirements expressed in the job description, as well as internal equity, and alignment with market data, and any related regulations or other laws.

Application Procedure

Qualified applicants should apply online, which will be the most effective way to ensure consideration. Application materials should include a cover letter, your resume or CV, and if you prefer, a list of references will be accepted but not required at this early stage in the process.

Applications or letters of interest sent via mail, fax, or direct email to a staff member will not ensure consideration.