Special Events Director

Job Title: Director of Special Events 

Department: Development

FLSA Status: Exempt 

Employment Status: Full-Time 

Union Position: No

Salary Range: $100,000-$120,000.00

Reports to: Vice President of Advancement

POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Director of Special Events is responsible for shaping and executing the New Museum’s special event strategy (target currently $1.6M) and its growth, driving rental revenue and identifying new opportunities for client development and event sponsorship, while maintaining strategic oversight of operational and administrative workflow.

This role serves as a strategic sales leader, operational executive, and senior-level event producer, executing Special Events that advance the Museum’s financial and organizational goals. The ideal candidate is a highly collaborative, good-humored, and solutions-oriented professional who enjoys building relationships, bringing ideas to life, and creating exceptional experiences that reflect the Museum’s mission and values.

The successful candidate will regularly work evenings, weekends, and early mornings to support setups, load-ins, events, and strikes. A non-traditional schedule is a standard expectation of this role.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Event Rentals 

• Lead the Museum’s event rental business, achieving annual rental targets (currently $1.6M for FY27). Develop strategic plans to achieve event rental revenue goals and promoting revenue growth.
• Manage all aspects of the event rental process, from lead generation and contract negotiation through event execution and follow-up.
• Maintain rental policies, procedures, contracts, and operational standards.
• Track rental revenue and expenses, and provide weekly financial reporting to Vice President of Advancement; develop annual event rental expense budget
• Assess and identify new leads and event rental opportunities, developing a robust roster of new and returning clients
• Ensure timely execution of communications to rental clients and leads
• Ensure rental programs align with Museum priorities, safety requirements, and visitor experience standards
• With the Department of External Affairs, develop outreach strategies, advertising campaigns, marketing materials, sales collateral—and identify opportunities for editorial placements, industry recognition, and media to highlight the Museum’s event spaces
• Identify emerging trends, technologies, partnerships, and opportunities within the cultural, nonprofit, hospitality, and corporate sectors that can benefit the Museum.
• Cultivate relationships with corporate clients, event planners, nonprofit organizations, production companies, and community partners to support event rentals

Special Events 

• Lead the production and execution of a minimum of 50 annual Special Events primarily onsite, in partnership with Senior Leadership, Development, Capital Campaign, and Director’s Office. Events include, among others:
  • Exhibition Openings: previews, receptions, and dinners
  • Trustee meetings and events
  • Annual Spring Gala and other fundraising events
  • Council and Membership events
  • Institutional celebrations and special initiatives
  • Staff meetings and celebrations
  • Capital Campaign events
• Manage Special Event production schedules, vendors, staffing, logistics, and onsite execution
• Partner closely with colleagues across departments (Security, Education and Public Engagement, Department of External Affairs, Development, Visitor Experience, and Operations) to execute Special Events that advance programmatic and financial goals.
• Secure strategic brand partnerships to support Special Event guest hospitality

Staff Management & Operations 

• Oversight and management of Special Events Coordinator
• Leadership of weekly cross-department operations meeting.
• Oversee event calendars, scheduling systems, production documents, and institutional event communications.
• Oversee the management and reporting of event-related data, client records, revenue tracking, and rental event sales/performance metrics.
• Oversee Special Event and rental event software, advancing system use and training  

QUALIFICATIONS

• 12 years of experience in event sales/venue rentals, event production, or hospitality-related fields, demonstrating success in planning, production, and management
• Outstanding organizational, communication, project management, and exceptional client relationship skills
• Experience preparing and managing budgets and financial reports
• Ability to work independently on several events simultaneously
• Demonstrated success in marketing and sales
• Excellent problem-solving, demonstrated success in prioritizing and addressing issues quickly and efficiently
• Experience managing staff required, familiarity with a unionized environment preferred
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Tripleseat or comparable event management software required
• Experience with Raiser's Edge, ACME, Zkipster, Asana, or comparable platforms preferred 
• Knowledge of museum environments preferred; knowledge of contemporary art a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
• Availability to work a regular schedule of evenings, weekends, and early mornings

BENEFITS

We offer a full comprehensive benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Employer funded Health Reimbursement Program through the Difference Card, Commuter Benefits Program through the Difference Card, Voluntary Short Term Disability Plan and Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance, Retirement Plan, and other voluntary benefits.

PAID TIME OFF AND HOLIDAYS

We offer full-time employees 15 days of paid time off days, 8 sick days, and 13 holidays as applicable through the fiscal year.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM 

The New Museum's mission is simply "New Art, New Ideas." Founded in 1977 by curator Marcia Tucker with a bold vision of presenting contemporary culture in a critical and scholarly context, the New Museum has been a leader among contemporary art museums for over 40 years and is among the most respected internationally for its risk-taking curatorial program. The New Museum is a center for exhibitions, information, and documentation about living artists from around the world, focusing on emerging and under-recognized voices, and providing a platform for the artists who are defining our cultural moment. In 2007, the New Museum made history with the inauguration of its first permanent building at 235 Bowery designed by the Tokyo-based firm SANAA. Since that time, over 4 million have visited or attended programs and events, and the Museum has 155 exhibitions featuring over 600 artists from 60 countries in our galleries, as well as over 1,200 public programs ranging from live performances, conferences, residencies, screening, after-school programs, and family days. 

For more information about the New Museum and its programs, please visit www.newmuseum.org.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The New Museum of Contemporary Art believes that all persons are entitled to Equal Employment Opportunity and we do not discriminate against our staff members or applicants for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender identity and expression, sex, age, disability, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, genetic information, or veteran or citizenship status provided they are qualified and meet the requirements for the job. The New Museum provides reasonable accommodation to candidates with disabilities. All candidates hired must be vaccinated with the COVID vaccine.