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Senior Manager, Board Governance and Operations
Job Location:
Job Location:
Brooklyn, NY - USA
Monthly Salary:
Not provided by the employer
Monthly Salary:
Posted:
21 August 2026 (15 days ago)
Posted:
Application Deadline:
18 November 2026
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Vacancies:
Job Summary
Senior Manager Board Governance and Operations
Museum overview
The Brooklyn Museum is a world-renowned cultural institution dedicated to preserving and showcasing art history and heritage. Our mission is to bring people together through art and experiences that inspire celebration compassion courage and the will to act. Our vision is to serve as an institution where art is a powerful force for personal transformation and social change. Celebrating our differences and learning about our diverse communities through our collections exhibitions and programming is the core of who we are and what we do.
We are committed to creating and cultivating a community of talented passionate people who are inspired to make the Museum an important hub of community activity and a great global destination. Our staff have the opportunity to grow their professional skills and work collaboratively with colleagues they admire and respect. Read more about our story here.
About the role
The Senior Manager Board Governance and Operations is a strategic member of the Board Relations team and advisor and operational owner for the work of the Board of Trustees its Executive Committee and committees. As the Brooklyn Museum ambitiously grows its fundraising alongside a transition in Board leadership this role exists to ensure that the Board the institutions most significant donors and ambassadors is well-governed organized and positioned to lead. The Senior Manager is a trusted thought partner to the Museum Director the Cabinet of senior leadership and Board officers advising on governance and meeting strategy anticipating leaderships needs and exercising independent judgment on sensitive and confidential matters. The role owns the governance and operational infrastructure behind a growing increasingly active Board setting the systems strategy and standards that make the Trustee experience seamless.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the Director and Board leadership providing confidential strategic support on governance executive leadership matters organizational priorities and sensitive Board deliberations requiring the exercise of independent judgment and discretion
- Set the annual calendar for the Board and all committees including schedules and timelines convening a monthly stakeholder meeting to keep Board priorities and deadlines on track
- Architect and maintain the systems and data that underpin Board governance Trustee terms and class elections committee assignments officer roles appointments leadership transitions attendance and other governance data using them to inform planning and Trustee engagement strategy
- Own the quality and strategic coherence of all Board and committee meeting materials end to end: directing inputs from senior colleagues across departments so that every agenda pre-read and presentation reflects the institutions best thinking and strategy
- Shape the messaging that drives Board decision-making: craft the talking points scripts and remarks including the co-chair report and materials for other presenters that frame key messages to support productive discussion build alignment and move Trustees toward action
- Lead the implementation and ongoing maintenance of a centralized Board portal inclusive of onboarding Trustees and staff and the Development standard operating procedures
- Partner with the General Counsel to manage confidential governance legal employment and labor-related matters before the Board maintaining privileged communications overseeing required disclosures and ensuring compliance while identifying and mitigating institutional risk
- Partner with the Board Relations team on the planning and execution of the annual Board retreat and other Board meetings including scheduling material and content coordination and managing day-of details
- Regularly access prepare and safeguard highly confidential Board materials including executive personnel matters legal advice governance deliberations strategic initiatives and other sensitive information that is not available to bargaining unit employees exercising independent judgment and absolute discretion
Qualifications
- Bachelors degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- 7 years of progressively responsible experience in Board administration executive operations development operations or governance/legal support
- Demonstrated ability to work independently in a leadership-facing role owning complex high-stakes processes end to end anticipating needs before they are raised and exercising judgment with accuracy and discretion
- Direct experience working with senior leadership Board members or other high-level external stakeholders with strong judgment in sensitive situations
- Working knowledge of nonprofit Board operations committee structures and governance-related processes
- Experience in a museum cultural institution higher education setting or other mission-driven nonprofit environment preferred
- Excellent project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage overlapping deadlines and competing priorities in a dynamic high-visibility environment
- A systems-oriented approach with the ability to build structure improve workflows and sustain effective operations over time
- High level of discretion and sound judgment in handling sensitive and confidential information
- Strong writing editing and executive-facing communication skills
- Excellent attention to detail and follow-through and the judgment to know what rises to leadership and what to resolve independently
- Ability to work effectively and credibly with senior leadership Trustees and colleagues across the organization
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; experience with Tessitura and Board portals or similar resource platforms is a plus
Department:Board Relations
Reports to:Director of Board Relations and Special Events
Salary:$99188
Union status: Non-Union
FLSA status:Exempt
Position type: Full-time
Schedule:35 hours per week MondayFriday 9am 5pm evenings and weekends as needed.
Benefit offerings
The Museum provides competitive compensationalong withgenerous benefits and perks for all eligible onposition typeandunionstatus.
- Medical dental vision and life insurance
- 401(k) Savings Plan and Pension Plan
- Generouspaid time off including annualvacation leave sick leave and 13 Museum holidays
- Short-term andlong-term disability coverage
- Flexible Spending Accounts(FSAs)& Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)for eligible pre-tax health care dependent care and commuterexpenses
- Employee Assistant Program
- Free admission to variousNYCmuseums and cultural institutions
- Early access to Museum exhibitions
- Invitations to staff-only programs tours and on-site engagement events
- Opportunities to participate in community initiatives and Museum programs
- 40% discount for staff in Museum shops
- 20% discount atMuseum café
- All positions arebased in Brooklyn New York with someeligible for a hybrid work schedule (three days on-site / two days remote)
Apply today
We recognize that its unlikely thatany candidate willmeet 100% of the desiredqualificationsfor a role. If much of this job descriptionresonates withyouwe strongly encourage you toapply committed to welcoming candidates with a wide range of experiences and perspectives especially those who see themselves contributing to our mission to bring people together through art and experiences that inspire celebration compassion courage and the will to act.
Required Experience:
Senior Manager
About Company
The Brooklyn Museum is an art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At 560,000 square feet, the museum is New York City's second largest in physical size and holds an art collection with roughly 1.5 million works.
