Job Description:

Position Title: Programming Assistant, Food Programs

Position Type: Full-Time

FLSA Classification: Non-Exempt

Division: Momentary, Food Programs

Reports to: Associate Director, Food Programs

Compensation Range: $16.15 - $24.23

About Crystal Bridges & The Momentary:

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. Founded by Alice Walton in 2005, the museum opened in 2011 and is a public, non-profit charitable organization with free admission.

The Momentary is a venue for the music, art, and food of our time, and a catalyst for creativity and economic vitality. An extension to Crystal Bridges, the Momentary is a ‘living room’ where community gathers to be inspired, connected, and joyful. The Momentary enriches lives through music, art, and food experiences that inspire creativity, build community, and create joy. You belong here, make the most of this moment.

Position Summary

The Programming Assistant is an integral member of the Food Programming team who contributes to the programmatic vision through administrative and execution support. A strong interest in and experience with food and beverage is required. The Programming Assistant supports an active team in the research, planning and implementation of a wide range of food programs including but not limited to, chef’s dinners, pop-ups, festivals, workshops, competitions, panels, and lectures.

The Programming Assistant will be in regular communication with visiting chefs and their teams, external food vendors, internal departments, and community partners. They will be knowledgeable of all programs in the Food Programming department and act as a bridge between idea generation, practical production, and audience experiences.

The Programming Assistant regularly performs administrative tasks that are complex in nature and require considerable discretion and confidentiality. The Programming Assistant must be consistently professional, approachable, proactive, and be able to organize and balance multiple tasks. Regularly, the Programming Assistant will be responsible for working across multiple, overlapping timelines and ensuring all external and inter-departmental communications are clear, timely, and documented. The position requires strong public speaking skills, social networking, and community organizing skills. Opportunities exist for this role to develop programs under the supervision of the Associate Director of Food Programs.

The Programming Assistant reports to the Associate Director, Food Programs, and works closely with team members across departments at Crystal Bridges and the Momentary, including, but not limited to, Hospitality, Operations, Box Office, Data Strategy, Brand Strategy and Communications, Engagement, and Visual Arts.

Principal Responsibilities

Research and Data Analysis

• Conduct comprehensive research on chefs, restaurants, and emerging artists to identify potential programs.
• Analyze trends in the hospitality industry, understand relevant food culture, and compile data around audience insights to make informed recommendations for bookings.

Talent Coordination:

• Assist in selecting food vendors for concerts and festivals.
• Coordinate communications with chefs, keeping accurate records of interactions and agreements to keep program planning on track.

Administrative Support:

• Maintain and update a tracker of booked food programs in correlation with the Momentary and Crystal Bridges events calendar.
• Ensure that Microsoft Team channels, Momentus event management software, and other calendars are updated.
• Assist in providing organizational support for Food Programming projects, including scheduling project meetings, booking meeting rooms, preparing agendas and sending out notes focused on next steps.

Budget and Financial Tracking:

• Assist in monitoring and documenting the internal budgets and amounts spent on offers and operational costs for multiple projects.

Programming Support:

• Act as a Programmer-on-Site for events, providing backup to the primary programmer.
• Responsible for assisting in the planning and production of food programs such as, but not limited to, chef’s dinners, restaurant pop-ups, workshops and collaborative projects with other programming departments.
• Work with Associate Director of Food Programs to advance the overall mission and goals of programmatic engagement and the implementation of innovative practices and research related to social practice arts, creative place-making, and community engagement.
• Manage submissions of programs to various platforms including program management, SmartSheet, and Microsoft Teams programming documents.
• Coordinate logistics, venue space, production and facilitation of on and offsite activities.

Collaboration and Teamwork:

• Work closely with the programming team and CBMO Hospitality team to manage workflow and coordination.
• Work cooperatively with other departments to effectively plan and improve working methods for the successful delivery of Food programs, particularly AV production, Membership, Protection Services, Special Events, Development, Trails & Grounds, Volunteer Services, and Facilities.
• Engage in brainstorming sessions to continually innovate and improve our food offerings.

Additional Responsibilities

• Answers inquiries in a prompt, professional manner
• Ensures all inter-departmental communications are clear, timely, helpful, and documented
• Provides suggestions to improve processes
• Keep supervisor informed as to any issues or changes in project scope
• Nudges colleagues as needed to keep projects on track
• Make suggestions for keeping projects under or on budget
• Helps foster team creativity, collegiality, timeliness, and mutual respect, to create experiences that engage and delight guests
• Generates and contributes solutions as challenges crop up
• Assist in managing interns and volunteers
• Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications Education, Training, and Traits

• Experience in food and beverage industry and/or education in hospitality management or food studies required
• Proven experience and success in project coordination and in meeting deadlines within fast-paced working environments
• Experience with (or the ability to learn) specialized software systems is required, including Microsoft products, Momentus, Workday, Adaptive, and Google Workspace
• Ability to work independently, as well as within a team
• Ability to maintain the highest ethics as they relate to all aspects of curatorial endeavor and to understand and maintain the highest levels of confidentiality and discretion

Work Experience

• Minimum two years’ work experience in related employment preferred
• Experience working in community engagement, arts programming, special event planning, community relationship building, museum and/or entertainment programming preferred

Skills and Abilities:

• Highly organized and detail oriented
• Professional and approachable, with excellent communication, organizational and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently, and facilitate teams of diverse personalities
• Willingness to work weekends and evenings, and adjust hours, as required

Desirable Qualifications:

• Experience working with living chefs/artists and their representatives
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications: Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Project, and One Note
• Demonstrated knowledge of current practices in producing events, supporting residencies or equivalent experience

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: Occasionally, while performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to travel independently regionally and in communities served. In the work environment described below, position requires working at a desk and utilizing a computer and a telephone for prolonged periods of time and good eye/hand coordination. Vision abilities required by the job include close and distant vision. The person in this position will require the capability to move and be present onsite for extended periods of time during all phases of bump in, tech, rehearsal, presentation and bump out, and be able to navigate through the different Museum buildings and on the trails and grounds. When working in public spaces and performing arts venues, physical stamina is needed to lift and carry supplies, and at times, assist with other presentation related elements. Unimpaired hearing is required for this job.
• Work Environment: Work will be performed in an office environment, performance venues, museum spaces, and outdoors. When not in the office, the employee will be spending extensive amounts of time in the Museum buildings, grounds, and performance spaces. The noise level in the Museum work environment is usually low to moderate. Outdoor work will include walking around the venue’s grounds in a variety of weather conditions, and occasionally at night.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States.

Crystal Bridges is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.