Chief Operating Officer

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Job description

Seattle Art Museum

Chief Operating Officer

Compensation: $200,000 - $280,000 Depending On Experience

OVERVIEW: The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) seeks an energetic and inclusive professional to lead business operations of the museum, including facilities, engineering, human resources, office administration, government affairs, security, and technology. This position supports the leadership and vision of Amada Cruz, the museum's CEO, and Constance Rice, the museum's Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, and is responsible for managing operations at all three museum sites: the Seattle Art Museum, the Olympic Sculpture Park & the Seattle Asian Art Museum, as well as real estate interests (commercial office space, Museum Development Authority, and Olympic Sculpture Park), and food service vendor relationships. The museum has seen unprecedented growth over the last 20 years including the building of the outdoor Olympic Sculpture Park, renovating the historical Asian Art Museum, and the recently announced $400 million art collection gift, one of the largest gifts to a museum in the history of the US. This position serves as a key leader for the largest visual arts organization in the Pacific Northwest that is setting best practices within the museum field.

SAM is dedicated to racial equity and welcomes employees, volunteers, and interns who are passionate, qualified, and offer diverse perspectives. SAM prioritizes racial equity in the workplace because we know that Black, Indigenous, and other Persons of Color are the most impacted when it comes to inequities. We are particularly interested in engaging with historically excluded groups in the museum field as we strive to be inclusive and equitable. SAM is responsive to cultural communities and experiences, and our strategic plan addresses the role art plays in empowering social justice and structural change to promote equity in our society.

Direct Reports: Directors of Facilities, Human Resources, Security and Technology departments

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

ESSENTIAL EXPECTATIONS:

1. Learn about and understand all facets of SAM within your first year as the new COO.
2. Set a dynamic vision and operating plan for the Operations Division that enhances the visitor, employee, volunteer, and community experience while building resilience, quality and accountability within museum systems.
3. Develop strategic plans that inspire employees, engage community and support museum goals and ensure operations of the three museum sites are foundationally strong and operate as a well-oiled machine of people, policies, and infrastructure.
4. Advance SAM's Equity, Diversity & Inclusion goals to become a place welcoming and reflective of diverse community voices, talent, and support.
5. Maintain and keep current the SAM's Emergency Operations, Infectious Disease and Pandemic Response, and Business Continuity plans, and implement them when required.
6. Provide management oversight to administrative and operational functions to assure these functions reflect and support SAM's mission and core values and successfully meet museum revenue and expense goals.
7. Oversee HR management of SAM employees, including recruitment, onboarding, performance plan, compensation, benefits administration, and professional training and development.
8. Be a visible and collaborative leader in the local Seattle community. Develop and support reciprocal relationships with key stakeholders and partners.
9. Serve as member of executive leadership team, reporting directly to the Director & CEO. Integrate operations within the wider goals of the institution, building strong intradepartmental working relationships to help balance museum priorities. Participate in long-range planning meetings with staff and senior managers.
10. Be an excellent problem solver and critical thinker. Achieve high quality work with an open-minded and collaborative approach.
11. Cultivate a work culture that encourages everyone to do their best and feel supported. Lead, inspire and direct staff to ensure implementation of the SAM mission. Manage the Facilities, Human Resources, Security and Technology Departments.
12. Through respective department managers:
    1. Provide a comprehensive technology infrastructure supporting interpretive programs, communications, and business operations.
    2. Oversee facilities management at all three sites, including daily and preventive maintenance programs, long-term maintenance programs and facility planning. Includes maintaining operating helpdesk and databases, and developing long-term capital requirements for all locations.
    3. Maintain a 24/7 security operation, including all staffing and related technology support. Develop and maintain security protocols for all sites, hire and train staff, oversee disaster preparedness and coordinate activities across sites as well as with appropriate external parties.
    4. Direct all operating activities of the nine-acre Olympic Sculpture Park, including landscaping program and event support.
    5. Lead government affairs efforts for local, state and federal initiatives pertaining to operational, funding and policy issues, including representing museum in public funding initiatives.
13. Planning and financing of capital projects, including ensuring appropriate operational design considerations and consistency of infrastructure components across all sites.
14. Oversight of government affairs and Olympic Sculpture Park board of trustee committees.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

1. MA/MS or an MBA or EQUIVALENT required.
2. 15+ years directly related work experience including responsibility for providing broad oversight of financial, administrative and operations management.
3. Demonstrated leadership and experience in managing planning and decision-making processes. Ability to coordinate and integrate the activities of relevant managers and staff.
4. Excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills; and a demonstrated ability to present clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; ability to conduct small & large group discussions.
5. Demonstrated proficiency & expertise using a wide range of MS Office products including Word and Excel, as well as other software applications.
6. Demonstrated experience and a strong track record in exercising sound, timely judgment; excellent short and long range planning and organization skills; ability to assess priorities, manage multiple projects simultaneously. Capacity to work with high levels of ambiguity and adjust to change, work pressures or difficult situations. Ability to maintain confidentiality.
7. Ability to effectively represent the museum and interact professionally and effectively with a wide range of individuals and organizations both inside and outside of the museum. The ability to adhere to Seattle Art Museum policies and support executive/board decisions in a positive manner.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Exposure: Work areas are primarily inside, in a climate-controlled environment with light background noise. Work is occasionally performed at other indoor and outdoor sites.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES REQUIRED FOR ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Stationary Work: Approximately 80% of time is spent stationary while working at a desk. Balance of time (approximately 20%) is spent moving around the work area. Occasional extended periods of standing may be required when assisting at Museum events.

Communication: Clear and effective communication with volunteers, donors, members, the public, and co-workers is necessary.

Vision: Corrected vision close to 20/20 is necessary to effectively use the computer screens.

Moving: The ability to move up to twenty pounds on occasion is necessary for moving files, equipment, and supplies. Must be able to regularly position self to access files.

Office Work: Ability to effectively and regularly operate a computer, keyboard, and other office productivity machinery, such as copy machines and printers, and ability to inspect, prepare and use paperwork, files, equipment, and supplies is necessary.

Centering equity, diversity, and inclusion as an organization, and as individuals, Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is committed to ensuring that all employees and volunteers enjoy a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming workplace. SAM is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability.

The Seattle Art Museum will consider applicants who may need a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions/duties. Please contact the Human Resources Department at or for additional information or to request reasonable accommodations for the application or interview process.

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