About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

About the UMass Fine Arts Center

Since its founding in 1975, the UMass Fine Arts Center has been a central force in the cultural, social, and academic life of the University, the Five College campuses, and the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. The Fine Arts Center's combination of educational, visual, and performing arts programs not only makes us unique, but it also secures a very vital and necessary position for us to meet the diverse needs of scholars, faculty, students, alumni, and the broader community.

Job Summary

The Visual Arts Administration Manager directs, manages, and organizes the administrative and fiscal activities and the hiring of visitor attendants, in support of the goals of the University's teaching museum (the University Museum of Contemporary Art (UMCA)), the Augusta Savage Gallery and Hampden Gallery. The position works closely with the Visual Arts Director and the Associate Directors of the galleries to provide administrative support in coordinating and tracking contracts, grants, budgets, marketing and purchasing.

Essential Functions

• Business Management
  • Responsible for all campus-wide transfers and purchasing for the visual arts entities: payments to artists, curators, students, vendors, and guest speakers. Acts as liaison to Procurement and FAC's business office to ensure compliance with University and departmental policies and guidelines.
  • Organizes, manages and pays for travel and lodging for staff and visiting artists.
  • Responsible for tracking all invoices, OneCard purchases and art acquisitions.
  • Organizes, tracks and reconciles department and exhibition budgets. Total budget responsibility of approximately $200,000.
  • Maintains donation box.
• Visitor Attendant Supervision
  • Recruits, hires, trains, schedules and supervises student museum guards.
  • Creates and maintains Visitor Attendant Handbook.
  • Responsible for communicating weekly with students, managing schedules, and ensuring full staffing during opening hours, events, and class visits.
  • Collects and maintains visitor attendance data.
• Marketing Liaison
  • Provides relevant information and images to FAC marketing for press releases, weekly newsletters, exhibition materials and web updates.
• Contracts
  • Coordinates key components of, and information within, contract and draft confirmation documents and other agreements for Visual Arts activities.
  • Facilitates processing and tracking of such documents and liaises with artist representatives as necessary.
• Grants
  • Assists staff to track visual arts-related grants and funding sources.
  • Assists staff with reports to grant funders.
• Office Management
  • Maintains office supplies, events calendars.
  • Collects and distributes mail.
  • Organizes electronic files.
  • Records and distributes minutes for staff meetings.

Other Functions

• Contributes toward creating a positive and respectful workplace defined by personal and professional competence, integrity, and collaboration.
• Works collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, diversity, equality and inclusiveness.
• Work in partnership with colleagues, the community, and across the campus to support the Fine Arts Center's mission, vision, and strategic priorities.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the Fine Arts Center.
• Participate and cross train in similarly leveled roles.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two (2) years' relevant financial or other business office administrative experience, preferably in an arts organization, arts education, outreach program or other nonprofit work environment.
• Excellent organizational, written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to handle complex processes with multiple stakeholders.
• Knowledge of budgetary procedures.
• Computer literacy, including familiarity with a variety of office and database programs, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook, and Google Docs and Sheets.
• Proficiency with navigating internet, browsers and computer networks.
• Self-directed problem solver. Ability to handle multiple tasks and stressful situations using tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to provide quality customer service.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree.
• Four (4) years' relevant financial or other business office administrative experience, preferably in an arts organization, arts education, outreach program or other nonprofit work environment.
• Appreciation and familiarity with the visual arts field.
• Familiarity with University-level policies and procedures, including purchasing and financial reporting.
• Basic graphic design or layout experience.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment activity.

Work Schedule

M-F; 8:30am - 5:00pm.

Salary Information

Grade 13

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the online application, please submit a resume, cover letter and contact information for three (3) professional references.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.

Advertised: Dec 26 2025 Eastern Standard Time Applications close: Mar 26 2024 Eastern Daylight Time