Manager of Administration and Executive Assistant to the COO

​The Manager of Administration and Executive Assistant to the COO manages, integrates, and supports the operational and strategic infrastructure of the Museum, directly supporting the COO and indirectly supporting their key deputies. Working across multiple operating divisions and alongside staff at all levels of the Museum, including the executive leadership team (Management Council or MC), the senior staff (Strategic Planning Group or SPG, and Department Heads (DH), the position stewards and executes on a range of recurring and ad hoc projects and high-priority Museum-wide strategic and operating initiatives. This position routinely works with both internal and external parties and often serves as the first point of contact for questions, issues, and solutions related to Museum operations and administration. This position often serves as an entry point for dialogue and exchange of ideas with the COO and is expected to build strong, museum-wide relationships through thoughtful communication and effective collaboration. On occasion, this position also serves as the confidential representative for the COO in internal and external situations, including but not limited to meetings, projects, and events.

Administrative Management:

• Manage the day-to-day running of the office of the COO;
• Manage COO’s daily and advance schedule, including communicating with internal and external parties, initiating and maintaining both routine and multi-faceted meetings and events, prioritizing allocation of time, and resolving calendar conflicts;
• Prepare COO for meetings, events and other internal and external initiatives and engagements, including but not limited to creating materials, such as briefings, agendas, presentations, talking points, etc.
• Plan for and manage logistics for internal and external meetings, including but not limited to scheduling and setting up conference rooms, coordinating virtual meetings, arranging event spaces, resources and catering as needed.
• Manage inputs to and outputs from the COO’s office, as well as MC, SPG and DH groups;
• Serve as the primary liaison with the administrative managers and teams for the Director’s and Trustee Office, Deputy Director, Chief Advancement Officer, and Chief Curator;
• Draft COO correspondence, memos, briefings, and reports; support COO with internal and external communications as needed, including role as Museum spokesperson;
• Support COO with talent management and workforce planning, working with key deputies, Chief Human Resources Officer, and other human resources professionals from the Office of People and Culture (OPC) and outside firms, as required;
• Partner with COO, their key deputies, and OPC on recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and offboarding staff;
• Organize and maintain critical and confidential documents and files in MS365 systems (SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams) for security and safekeeping;
• Correspond and manage communication with internal and external contacts;
• Coordinate departmental files and record-keeping including tracking of budgets, confidential proposals, and proprietary information related to strategic and other priority institutional initiatives in the 2026 Strategic Plan;
• Process and submit invoice vouchers (via Concur);

Project Management and Operations:

• Assist in planning, developing, implementing, and managing both high-priority and ad hoc projects and initiatives in support of annual divisional and institutional goals, as well as the 2026 Strategic Plan;
• Manage a diverse array of operating duties to ensure smooth delivery, within allocated timeframes and budgets, and consistent with expectations and standards of care;
• Manage complex, multi-step, and multi-stakeholder project workplans, timelines, resources (including staffing needs), and budgets;
• Provide special assistance to the COO and Management Council in implementing priority leadership team initiatives;

Trustee Administration:

• Manage all administrative duties for the Marketing Committee of the Board of Trustees, including by preparing meeting agendas, minutes, and all materials;
• Develop presentations, talking points, and other materials for Board, Executive Committee, and Board Leadership meetings and support the Director’s Office as requested;
• Support the Trustee Office in administrative duties as needed, including maintaining / updating Trustee contact information;
• Maintain good working relationships with Trustees and their offices.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or additional relevant education is an asset.
• 3-4 years administrative or equivalent experience desired, preferably supporting a senior executive
• Outstanding organizational ability and attention to detail; excellent written and oral communication skills; strong quantitative and analytical skills a plus; strong working knowledge of office practices and procedures; ability to work independently and manage multiple deadlines simultaneously. Diplomacy, confidentiality, collaboration, and teamwork skills are crucial.
• Strong computer and digital skills including but not limited to Microsoft 365, Excel, PowerPoint, Word or comparable software.​

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range is $75,000 to $85,0000 and will be commensurate with experience
• Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(b) elections
• Generous Paid Time Off benefits
• Commuter benefits - parking and mass transit
• Admission to world-renowned museums across the city and nationally
• Pet insurance and discounted membership for Citibike

The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates. Whether you’re new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or take the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role.

About the Whitney

The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.

EEO Statement

The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, pregnancy, partnership status, caregiver status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, genetic information, predisposition, or carrier status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking victim status, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels.