Chief Operating Officer (COO)

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About Crystal Bridges

The mission of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is to welcome all to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. Our vision is to activate an institution that transforms lives through experiences that encourage the discovery of new ideas, expanded dreams and inspired actions.

Culture Pillars

Each one of us is a vital component of this team, empowered and responsible for fulfilling the mission and vision.

We are united in our purpose and in our obligation to act respectfully and with integrity.

• We listen actively and speak honestly
• We honor our commitments
• We champion lifelong learning
• We are unstoppable when we work together

Crystal Bridges is committed to creating an institution that reflects the diversity of our region and nation. We are especially mindful of those in our community impacted by inequity due to ability, language, class, age, gender, religion, sexuality, race and ethnicity, and are working diligently to address perceived and real barriers that keep anyone from fully experiencing the museum as a guest, volunteer, or employee. To achieve our goals, we must have a diverse, highly qualified team dedicated to:

• providing an unparalleled guest experience for all,
• offering relevant programs,
• developing an inclusive collection,
• demonstrating progressive leadership

History

Crystal Bridges was founded in 2005 by philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton as a non-profit charitable organization for all to enjoy. Today, Alice Walton chairs the museum’s nine member board of directors. The building was designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie and opened to the public on November 11, 2011.

Crystal Bridges takes its name from a nearby natural spring and the bridge construction incorporated in the building, designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. A series of pavilions nestled around two spring-fed ponds house galleries, meeting and classroom spaces, and a large, glass-enclosed gathering hall. The museum welcomes approximately 600,000 guests per year to engage in museum programs, exhibitions, a full restaurant on a glass-enclosed bridge overlooking the ponds, a Museum Store designed by architect Marlon Blackwell, and a library featuring more than 50,000 volumes of art reference material. Sculpture and walking trails link the museum’s 120-acre park to downtown Bentonville, Arkansas.

The Momentary

In 2015, Crystal Bridges announced plans to transform a decommissioned 63,000 square-foot Kraft Foods plant into a multi-disciplinary space for visual and performing arts, culinary experiences, festivals, and artist residencies. Work is now underway, with an expected opening in early 2020. While Crystal Bridges provides a deep historical art context within a museum setting, the Momentary will have a more experimental feel, encouraging visitors to participate in ongoing conversations about art and to get closer to the creative process of artists, performers, and chefs. We are creating adaptable spaces for artists and visitors, including galleries, studio spaces, a concert venue, small black box theater, festival stage, studio kitchen, café, bar, and flexible indoor and outdoor community gathering areas. The Momentary is located in downtown Bentonville, near 8th Street Market and Brightwater culinary school. Newly opened trails connect it to the Razorback Regional Greenway, providing access for pedestrians and cyclists.

The Collection

Crystal Bridges’ permanent collection spans five centuries of American masterworks ranging from the Colonial era to the current day. Included within the collection are iconic images such as Asher B. Durand’s Kindred Spirits, Kerry James Marshall’s Our Town, Norman Rockwell’s

Rosie the Riveter, and Andy Warhol’s Coca-Cola [3]— each reflecting a distinct moment in American artistic evolution—as well as major works by modern and contemporary American artists, including Alma Thomas, Luis Jimenez, Georgia O’Keeffe, Louise Bourgeois, Felix Gonzales-Torres, Edward Hopper, Nari Ward and James Turrell. The permanent collection, which continues to grow through a strategic acquisition plan, is on view year-round and is enhanced by an array of temporary exhibitions.

Education and Engagement

Crystal Bridges provides year-round programming for all ages, including lectures, performances, classes, and continuing education for K-12 teachers. More than 50,000 schoolchildren visit the museum each year as part of the Willard and Pat Walker School Visit Program, which offers schools reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses associated with a school field trip, including transportation costs, substitute teachers, and lunch. A new initiative to develop high-quality distance learning opportunities for students and teachers is currently under way.

The Role

The COO will serve a critical role, elevating operational effectiveness and efficiency across the organization while maximizing the financial and operational performance. The COO will have oversight over all administration, including Finance, IT, Operations, Human Resources and ensure all functions meet the museum’s growing needs while keeping within budget parameters. S/he will serve as a member of the Leadership Team. The COO will share the organization’s vision and champion its efforts to grow capacity and increase impact. S/he will work effectively and strategically with departments across the museum and support aspects of the evolving Momentary development and operations.

The COO will be a seasoned executive with a track record of successful management and decision-making in a complex organization. The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience working with diverse communities and a strong commitment to the core values of the museum. S/he will be a natural collaborator practiced in establishing and leveraging innovative partnerships with other organizations including the Momentary and the University of Arkansas, and will be a servant-leader, an excellent listener who can prioritize across teams, and operationalize vision and tactical strategy.

The COO will oversee the development and implementation of annual and long-term fiscal and operational plans to maximize sources of contributed and earned income in order to finance operations and programs. Additionally, S/he will be fiscally savvy and responsible for the supervision of day-to-day operations for an organization of over 300 staff and a $30M annual operating budget and growing. S/he will create and maintain systems that ensure programming meets the highest quality standards for all, including the interest and support of broad, diverse and untapped local, regional and national audiences.

The COO directly supervises the Chief Financial Officer, Director of Human Resources, Chief People Officer, Director of Operations, Design Thinking Fellow.

Organizational Leadership

As a critical member of the museum’s leadership team, the COO will

• Plan, align, manage, and evaluate the progress of the organization toward its dual goals of access and impact by creating strong accountability measures
• Lead the day-to-day operations of the organization and increase the capacity for all team members to advance the mission of the museum
• Drive, at a tactical level, the organizational plans related to HR, IT, Finance, Trails & Grounds, Operations, Business Services (Retail, Culinary, Special Events), Protection Services and Guest Services to ensure the museum reaches its programmatic and organizational goals.
• Promote, facilitate, and embody an engaged, impact-oriented culture grounded in respect, collaboration, learning, and the mission and values of the museum
• Embody the spirit of the organization by serving as champion who supports proposals to develop and grow staff engagement
• Create a culture of transparency and consistency while always taking into account what is best for the museum and its stakeholders.
• Establish systems to optimize the organization’s ability to make decisions and a culture that values effectiveness.

The successful candidate will be a natural connector of people and ideas. S/he will be capable of working with others to develop differentiated strategies with multifaceted approaches. This proactive individual will be a thoughtful, articulate, and inspiring leader who will work closely with staff, volunteers and external partners to build on the organization’s successful accomplishments to date. The COO will bring a customer service mentality and inspire those around her/him to approach their work in the same way.

Operations

• Serve as part of the leadership team that sets priorities, establishes policies, develops budgets, and sets long-range strategic goals for the museum.
• In partnership with the leadership team, Board, and staff, enhance and contribute to the museum’s strategic plan; develop and align short and long-range objectives with the strategic plan; ensure that approved policies are evaluated and updated.
• Work closely with members of the staff to build an infrastructure for the museum that will sustain growth; evaluate the Museum operations already in place; where appropriate, create and implement new systems and procedures throughout the institution; evaluate the museum’s activities broadly.
• Maximize unique programmatic opportunities, preserve and maintain the museum’s physical assets, determine the best use of available indoor and outdoor space to support the museum’s activities and mission.
• Ensure, by effective leadership and management, that the day-to-day operations and programs of the museum are professionally and efficiently administered consistent with the museum’s strategic plan.
• Empower, delegate appropriate responsibility and accountability, and provide strategic oversight among of all operating departments to ensure all short- and long-term goals are accomplished.
• Provide direction challenge and work closely with staff: listening to their ideas; understanding their strengths; and encouraging each member’s professional growth.
• Create an atmosphere that rewards initiative, holds all accountable, exceeds industry standards, and encourages productivity and cross-departmental collaboration.

Finance:

• Manage the museum in a fiscally responsible and knowledgeable manner, taking into consideration the financial implications of operations, programming and acquisitions for the institution.
• Understand and be proficient with the CFO’s responsibilities to:
  • prepare financial statements, operational analyses, tax returns, risk analysis and management, and financial information required by internal staff, Board of Directors, and regulatory agencies
  • develop the annual operating, and capital budgets; analyze results throughout the year; identify potential issues; develop financial forecasting models; develop reports that afford the team members increased knowledge of their budgets and how their decisions affect budgets
• Maintain current knowledge of and ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements, and current accounting standards; maintain compliance for all grants and oversee insurance program
• Oversee CFO’s role to manage, and maintain all functions within the museum’s systems, financial reporting and internal controls
• Provide support to the entire museum in terms of budget planning, budget projection and management.

Operationalizing Strategy

Be a strategic, growth oriented thinker capable of creating and deploying an effective operational vision, framework, and culture.

• Possess the inclination to seek and analyze data from a variety of sources to support decisions and to align others with the organization’s overall strategy.
• Take an entrepreneurial and creative approach to developing new, innovative ideas that will stretch the organization and push the boundaries of the field.
• Have the ability to effectively balance the desire/need for broad change with an understanding of how much change the organization is capable of handling, to create realistic goals and implementation plans that are achievable and successful.

Talent Management

• In cooperation with the CPO
  • design and develop an integrated strategic program for all people-related functions in the organization, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, coaching, staff and leadership development and recognition
  • evolve performance management systems that allow for clear goal-setting and accountability
  • develop and make flourish a progressive, holistic wellness program that nurtures a productive, healthy and joyous team
  • evolve performance evaluation and accountability to provide the necessary feedback to and motivation of team members; promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values a commitment to quality
• Fulfill the diversity, inclusion and equity efforts of the organization in partnership with the CPO, Executive Director and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer
• Ensure the systems and processes are in place to effectively recruit, onboard, train, retain, support, evaluate, enrich and off-board a talented, highly motivated, and diverse staff
• Collaborate with all teams to excel in determining and meeting resource needs, hiring, evaluation, orientation, training, coaching, and development
• Cultivate and steward positive team relations throughout the museum
• Activate a robust succession plan to ensure individual and organizational goals are met
• Foster volunteer talent to create meaningful experience for each individual while achieving organizational strategic goals
• Develop and foster organizational internship and fellowship (high school, undergraduate and graduate) effort to create interest in the field and employment at the museum

Skills and Abilities:

• Communicate effectively with internal and external resources, partners, executives, and coworkers.
• Skill in reporting to leadership in a complete and concise manner
• Ability to collaborate effectively in problem solving and decision-making
• Exemplary skills in providing superior internal service and communications as well as expertise in training the trainers principles
• Experienced in setting goals, managing performance and effectively coaching all levels of personnel
• Ability to effectively develop and accomplish financial management initiatives in an environment with significant financial demands
• Ability to effectively communicate, lead, motivate, and seek feedback from employees, internal and external resources, managers, executives, and co-workers
• Understand and create process improvement plans utilizing industry experience and process measurement data.
• Influence, persuade, and engage others to adopt appropriate practices, procedures, and processes to create concepts that differ from the industry norm.
• Work cross departmentally to resolve issues with innovative solutions and develop respectful relationships -Build a culture of discipline and accountability.
• Apply a high level of conceptual/abstract thinking to planning, organizing, and managing the Museum departments.

Qualifications/Qualities Desired

• Demonstrated track record managing people, operations and budgets in a complex organization; competence, ease and experience handling multiple revenue streams; success in identifying earning income opportunities.
• Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership techniques, and coordination of people and resources
• Knowledge of applicable laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, and federal, state and local government regulations, as they apply to organizational management
• Strong desire to work in a team environment and support the organization with a positive and can-do attitude
• Proven ability to build and nurture relationships with staff members and other individuals from a broad swath of society – from the indifferent or intimidated, to dedicated museum guests and supporters.
• Demonstrated ability to serve as an effective spokesperson and ambassador with outstanding verbal and written communication skills, able to generate awareness, excitement and appreciation.
• Highest degree of personal ethics, integrity and ability to treat all information with appropriate levels of confidentiality.
• Connector who builds strong relationships with others, demonstrates strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.
• Exhibits self-awareness, and an understanding of others that enhances interpersonal communication and management abilities.
• Commitment and ability to ensure that the strategic and operational objectives integrate with the priorities of the organization.
• Ability to inspire trust in others through compelling influence, powerful charisma, passion in his/her beliefs, and active drive.
• Strong decision-making record related to financial, staff, policy, and other operational segments that impact the success of the organization.
• Ability to innovate and solve complex problems – with an entrepreneurial approach – in an evolving and ambiguous environment.
• Synthesizes data from multiple sources to make well-considered decisions and shares insight with others.
• Exhibits empathy and respect to all individuals by empowering staff and volunteers to openly embrace inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility
• Encourages curiosity and the desire to learn.

Minimum Qualifications

Education, Training, and Traits:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or related field.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of human resources development and administration
• Financial management

Work Experience:

• Over 10 years of progressively responsible organizational senior management experience.

In regard to education and experience, an equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience will satisfy the minimum requirements.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical demands: In the work environments described below, Position requires sitting at desk/workstation and utilizing a computer and telephone for prolonged periods of time, good eye/hand coordination, verbal and written conversation with others,). Vision abilities required by the job include close vision.
• Work Environment: Work will be performed in an office environment and in museum spaces. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. Some overnight travel may be necessary.

Application

To be considered for this position, please apply through this posting. Applications must be complete and include a resume and cover letter.

No phone calls please.

The successful candidate will be required to pass a routine background and consumer credit check and drug screen.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

Crystal Bridges is committed to creating an institution that reflects the diversity of our region and nation. We are especially mindful of those in our community impacted by inequity due to ability, language, class, age, gender, religion, sexuality, race and ethnicity, and are working diligently to address perceived and real barriers that keep anyone from fully experiencing the museum as a guest, volunteer, or employee. To achieve true reform, we must have a diverse, highly qualified team. Crystal Bridges is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and is committed to creating a diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

We actively encourage minority candidates to apply for this position.

Museum Overview:

Crystal Bridges is a museum of American Art located in Bentonville, Arkansas. We explore the unfolding story of America by actively collecting, exhibiting, interpreting and preserving outstanding works that illuminate the American heritage and artistic possibilities.

We are passionate about transforming lives through experiences that encourage the discovery of new ideas, expanded dreams and inspired actions.

As an employee at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, you will be empowered to think creatively, ask questions, and make suggestions to help move the institution forward.