Job Opportunities
Position: Communications & Marketing Manager
Reports to: Director of Communications & Audience Development
The Communications & Marketing Manager will:
- Work hand-in-hand with the Director of Communications & Audience Development to develop and implement a comprehensive communications and marketing strategy to grow and engage AFAM’s audience via press, social media, and email marketing.
- Collaborate with colleagues in Curatorial, Learning & Engagement, Advancement, and other teams to develop ideas that will drive engagement with the Museum and support programming and development efforts.
- Support Director of Communications & Audience Development in managing media relationships, developing original story ideas, cultivating and pitching journalists and editors, and responding to media inquiries.
- Stay attuned to changes in the media landscape and aware of relevant opportunities to promote the Museum through listings, news stories, and reviews.
- Create compelling, on-brand organic and paid content for AFAM’s social media channels—including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn—with a strong emphasis on short-form video.
- Lead partnerships with content creators, influencers, and others to extend the reach and relevance of the Museum to new audiences.
- Work closely with the Museum Shop on a social media strategy to increase sales and support seasonal shopping initiatives.
- Regularly report digital engagement metrics and insights into actionable data and knowledge for staff.
- Develop and ensure regular distribution of the Museum’s email campaigns via Mailchimp to promote exhibitions, programs, institutional announcements, retail initiatives, and fundraising campaigns.
- Serve as the primary internal liaison for website updates, coordinating content changes across departments and managing the Museum’s content management system.
- Perform other duties and special projects as assigned in support of the Museum’s communications, marketing, and audience engagement goals.
Desired Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field and 2-4 years of experience in a communications, public relations, marketing, or social media position.
- Background in media relations, content planning and creation, and storytelling across different platforms.
- Proficiency in video creation and editing for social media.
- Working knowledge of social media management and content planning platforms (e.g., Later Social), email marketing platforms (e.g., Mailchimp), and website content management systems.
- Experience at a museum, non-profit, or within the commercial art world is a plus but not required. Candidates with experience from an array of backgrounds, such as luxury goods and consumer products, are also encouraged to apply.
- Familiarity with media relations, including drafting press releases, pitching stories to the media, and building relationships with journalists, is preferred.
Salary range: $55,000.00 – $60,000.00
The above statements of this job description entail the general duties and level of work performed by an employee assigned to this position. They do not claim to describe all of the functions of the position. The Employee may be assigned other duties, and the essential functions may change or be changed from time to time.
Please send a resume and cover letter to jobs@folkartmuseum.org. No phone calls, please.
The American Folk Art Museum is located at 2 Lincoln Square in midtown Manhattan. The administrative office and storage facility for the museum is in Long Island City, Queens. The position requires in-person attendance several days per week at our Queens location.
The staff of the American Folk Art Museum recently voted to unionize, and while the terms of the Union contract are currently being negotiated, your employment with the Museum will fall under the terms of that agreement, including the requirement for paying union dues.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The American Folk Art Museum provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and any other category protected by Federal, State, and City employment law.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are vital to the success of the Museum, contributing countless hours to visitor services, education projects, administrative assignments, and special events. The Museum is always seeking energetic and committed volunteers interested in folk art and self-taught artists. While each opportunity requires specific skill sets, every qualified candidate must be dedicated, communicate effectively, possess basic computer skills—including familiarity with the internet—and have a valid email address.
To apply: Please complete the volunteer application form here.
If your skills and qualifications meet our immediate needs, you will be contacted for an interview. If not, your application will be kept on file and you will be contacted if an appropriate position becomes available. Only individuals authorized to work for the museum in the United States will be accepted into the internship program. The museum will consider expressions of interest in providing volunteer services to the museum from non-work-authorized individuals.
Internships
The Museum offers internships for college and university students, graduate students, and emerging professionals interested in museum careers. The goal of an internship is to provide practical experience as well as a general understanding of the role of an individual department within a larger museum setting. Academic internships are by semester or full year.
For general internship queries, send a résumé and cover letter to education@folkartmuseum.org, stating the departments you are interested in working in, the skills you bring, and how you hope to contribute to the department.
Fellowships
Visit the Fellowship page to learn about current opportunities.