THE OPPORTUNITY
Located in the heart of San Francisco, the Asian Art Museum is home to one of the world’s finest collections of Asian art, boasting more than 18,000 inspiring artworks ranging from ancient jades and ceramics to contemporary video installations. Dynamic special exhibitions, cultural celebrations, and public programs for all ages provide rich art experiences that unlock the past and spark questions about the future.

Currently, we are seeking a Project Manager to join our team. This is an exceptional opportunity to join an organization that values creativity, teamwork, collaboration, and inclusion and where you will be surrounded by a diverse, talented, and enthusiastic group of colleagues. Under the supervision of the Senior Project Manager or designee, the Project Manager (PM) ensures that museum projects are completed on time, on budget, with excellence, and are aligned with the museum’s strategic priorities. In addition to ensuring projects stay on track, the PM identifies risks and areas for improvement, working strategically to develop and implement systems to increase efficiency, as well as manages project budgets and project team discipline.

The position regularly engages with staff, vendors, visitors, volunteers, members, and colleagues in a personable and respectful manner.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Under general supervision, manages small to medium exhibition projects from initial planning and design through construction and installation. Responsible for overall project communication and coordination to deliver public-facing exhibition and collection-based projects, programs, and initiatives.
• Develops and manages project plans (e.g. project objectives, action plans, responsibility charts, detailed requirements, etc.) for public-facing programs and exhibition projects from design through construction.
• Develops and manages scope, schedule, budgets and estimates, and identify resources needed for projects.
• Updates key project documentation throughout each project. Produces quarterly status reports related to progress, budget, and schedule, developing risk mitigation strategies at all phases.
• Participates in collaborative processes (e.g. brainstorming, feedback and decision-making sessions, creative development, workshops, and retrospective reviews).
• Schedules and hosts cross-functional project meetings across multiple departments and divisions, managing overall project communication and coordination. Tracks project deliverables (from content, design, exhibit fabrication, and general construction) against project requirements (e.g. scope, timelines, budget) from initial planning through completion.
• Monitors the performance of project team members to provide constructive performance feedback as needed, escalating performance deficiencies as appropriate.
• Nurtures a positive, cooperative, and respectful working environment that helps teams and projects grow; establishes effective working relationships amongst museum staff, project partners, consultants, vendors, and other parties related to museum projects.
• Maintains and updates project schedules; monitors progress against milestones; and acts as liaison between museum departments to ensure that projects are completed on time, on budget, and with excellence.
• Communicates project status to stakeholders and key project participants across the museum.
• Continually reviews and improves existing processes: Produces, manages, and refines project planning tools, templates, and document storage/access. Documents processes and shares across organization to optimize cross-departmental collaboration.
• In collaboration with museum staff, manages the process of executing contractual agreements between the Asian Art Museum and other parties, including other museums, artists, organizations, and/or vendors; facilitates contract completion and compliance.
• Establishes and nurtures strong working relationships with museum staff, colleagues from other institutions, patrons, consultants, and vendors.
• Performs other duties and projects as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor of Arts degree in the humanities; preference given to those with Asian Art, history, literature, or cultural studies backgrounds and one year of professional project management work experience in a museum or related organization. A combination of education and experience will be considered.
• Agile training, expert-level knowledge of Project Management theory and best practices.
• Understanding of processes related to exhibition production, including but not limited to: Catalogue production, registration and checklist management, exhibition text and editing, visitor engagement and experience planning, exhibition design and graphics, event planning and programming, and installation.
• Exceptional project management and organization skills.
• Technical proficiency with standard suite of applications (Outlook, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) as well as tools and applications related to project management (Smartsheet, Trello, Basecamp, SharePoint, basic aspects of image management and collections database management, etc.). Capacity to quickly learn new tools and platforms as technologies evolve.
• Strong analytical, research, team building, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with special attention to diplomacy and tact; strong copywriting and copyediting skills.
• Flexible, resourceful, and collaborative; expected to demonstrate initiative, positivity, and creativity with projects.
• Displays sound judgment, tact, and discretion.
• Ability to work under time constraints and meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as necessary.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Standard museum and office environment.
• Computer, tablet, and phone use.

Compensation

The Asian Art Museum is committed to practicing salary transparency. The hourly range for this position is $33.7576 - $40.5437/hr. This FLSA exempt opportunity includes a generous benefits package, including but not limited to:

• Fully covered medical, dental and vision insurance for employee 
• 12 paid holidays (2024) 
• 15 days of vacation starting
• 12 days of sick leave 
• Group retirement plan starting after one year of employment 

This position is represented by Local 1021, Service Employees International Union.

New hires typically start at the beginning of the wage range.

OUR DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION COMMITMENTS 

At the Asian Art Museum, we are dedicated to ideating, building, and holding ourselves accountable for Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion in everything we do. We strive to foster a culture of respect, belonging and inclusivity for all employees.

Our mission is to celebrate, preserve, and promote Asian and Asian American art and cultures for local and global audiences. We provide a dynamic forum for exchanging ideas, inviting collaboration, and fueling imagination to deepen understanding and empathy among people of all backgrounds. 

Diversity of thought and experience is essential to our mission, and we are committed to recruiting, hiring, and retaining a diverse workforce. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply. 

WHAT'S NEXT? 

Apply online at https://about.asianart.org/careers/. Ensuring a smooth and enjoyable candidate experience is critical for us. Application materials will be screened in relation to the criteria described. Candidates deemed to be the most highly qualified will be invited to participate in the interview process. Our interview process tends to take about 4 weeks to complete but may fluctuate depending on the role. Appointment is subject to completion of a thorough background check process. 

The Asian Art Museum is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories (arrest and criminal histories) consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law.