Manager, Board Relations and Special Projects

Manager, Board Relations and Special Projects

Position Overview:

The Manager, Board Relations and Special Projects is responsible for the project management of strategic initiatives within the Director's Office and provides management and comprehensive support for the Museum's Board of Advisors. Reporting to the Chief of Staff and working closely with other staff members, including the Board Relations Officer, Director's Office, and Development staff, the Manager, Board Relations and Special Projects provides primary support for the MFA Boston's Board of Advisors, including the Advisor Chair, Advisor Vice Chair(s) and Steering Committee. They are responsible for the engagement and stewardship of Advisors and overseeing initiatives, events, meetings, and communications in service of the Board of Advisors. With the Chief of Staff, this position manages the tracking of both Board and staff work plans that align governance oversight and engagement with the mission, vision, and strategic direction of the Museum. They work closely with the Chief of Staff to project manage and advance strategic initiatives and activities of the Director's Office.

Essential Functions

• Responsible for the overall engagement of the Board of Advisors; oversee initiatives, events, meetings, and communications for advisors.
• In partnership with the Leadership team and Governance staff, strategize and execute content for the Annual Meeting of the Boards of Trustees and Advisors, and the Spring Meetings of the Board of Advisors. Manage the Spring Meeting planning committee. Generate agendas, draft talking points for participants, manage the flow of the meetings, and oversee dress rehearsals.
• Serve as the day-to-day staff liaison for all Museum matters involving the Board of Advisors, including meeting notification, administrative support, and information management. Serve as the primary contact for Advisors.
• Support Advisor Steering Committee with meeting and agenda planning, and produce meeting minutes for Board of Advisors.
• Manage the orientation and onboarding for new Advisors, as well as a range of Advisor enrichment programs. Collaborate on the planning and implementation of additional Board-related events including but not limited to the annual lunch for new Trustees and induction meetings for standing committee chairs.
• Work with the Director's Office and Governance team to ensure that materials for Board of Advisor Steering Committee meetings and events are prepared, distributed to members in a timely manner, and archived in the secure Board portal.
• Manage Advisor's rosters and term limits, and maintain accurate self-reported demographics and contact information.
• Responsible for calendar management for the Board of Advisors and related committee meetings for the full year, in coordination with the Director's Office, Governance team, Development and Special Events.
• In conjunction with Board and staff leadership and the Board's Nominating Committee, track and coordinate the pipeline of potential candidates for the Board of Advisors and their stewardship.
• With the Chief of Staff and Board Relations Officer, support Board of Trustees meetings, including agenda creation and coordination, meeting logistics, material preparation, and on-site management.
• Coordinate work plans for the Board of Advisors and other committees, as needed. This includes maintaining standards for committee experiences that create inclusive opportunities for deliberation, ensure equitable information sharing, and clearly integrate with other governance structures.
• Support special initiatives such as board retreats, Leadership Team meetings, and staff workshops, as assigned.
• Draft communications and key messages from the Director's Office. Manage, prepare, and review other communications for Board and Museum leadership as needed.
• Manage and conduct research studies, working with Museum staff, volunteers, and consultants to evaluate and assess strategic goals, establish benchmarking, and track progress.
• Initiate and manage general, administrative tasks and special projects for the Chief of Staff and Director's Office.
• Handle sensitive issues and confidential matters professionally.
• Perform other duties as directed or as responsibilities necessitate.

Qualifications and Ideal Characteristics

• Bachelor's degree required
• A minimum of 5-7 years of transferable work experience, including experience working with board-level constituents at a non-profit organization, preferably a museum or arts organization.
• Event and project management, group facilitation, and communications experience are preferred.
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Creative program development ability and experience.
• Strong relationship management skills, with demonstrated ability to cultivate and steward relationships.
• Demonstrated administrative experience with strong organizational and project management skills.
• Ability to handle multiple projects concurrently and accurately while adhering to timelines and budgets.
• Experience managing budgets is desirable.
• Systems-savvy, with the ability to research, analyze, and communicate data.
• Strong computer literacy, proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, and aptitude for learning new applications. Proficiency with Tessitura is a plus.
• Proven track record of working successfully within a complex, fast-paced environment and with institutional leaders, staff, and volunteers.
• Highly professional and service-oriented work ethic.
• Proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
• Comfortable working both independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of how to build equity, diversity, and inclusion in the governance function; culturally competent concerning issues such as racial, cultural, religious, sexual, and gender identity.
• Possesses an understanding and appreciation for the important role that volunteers play within the context of a large, complex, non-profit organization.
• An affinity for and interest in art and museums is desirable.
• This role is hybrid-eligible and requires some evening and weekend work.

The Museum reserves the right to change job descriptions. While this job description is intended to include essential duties, it is conceivable that job responsibilities may change before the job description is revised.

Compensation Range and Schedule:

• Pay Range: $95,000 - $115,000 / Annual.
• Full-Time Salary - 35 hours per week.

Please note that the advertised salary range is competitive and commensurate with experience. The Salary offered to a final candidate in good faith will depend on various factors, such as experience, education, specialized training, unique, relevant skills and abilities, internal equity, and other individual experiences and qualifications.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive work environment and strongly encourage and welcome an application pool that reflects our commitment.