Two visitors explore Saburo Hasegawa's drawings in the exhibition ‘Changing and Unchanging Things'
Changing and Unchanging Things: Noguchi and Hasegawa in Postwar Japan. Photo: Don Stahl. ©INFGM / ARS

The Noguchi Museum—chartered as Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum—was founded and designed by acclaimed artist Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988) for the display of his life’s work. Opened in 1985 and located in Long Island City, Queens, in a converted industrial building with a serene outdoor sculpture garden, the Museum is considered to be one of Noguchi’s greatest achievements. Today, the mission of the Museum is to advance the understanding and appreciation of Noguchi’s art and legacy. It manages the world’s most extensive collection of Noguchi’s artworks in addition to his complete archives and Catalogue Raisonné. Through its rich collection, exhibitions, and programming, the Museum facilitates scholarship and learning for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

The Noguchi Museum is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, citizenship status, veteran status, disability or any other criterion specified by federal, state or local laws, in the administration of its employment policy. The Museum considers the diversity of its workforce to be vital to our organization’s success in meeting its mission. We strongly encourage applicants from all cultures, races, educational backgrounds, life experiences, socio-economic classes, sexual orientations, age, gender, and physical abilities to apply. 

Benefits
Full-time employees are eligible for benefits including a generous health insurance program including medical, dental, and vision, a 403(b) retirement savings plan with company match, paid time off, and other benefits.

Part-time employees receive pre-tax commuter benefits, as well as paid time off based on tenure, starting with three days per year. 

Current Job Openings
Communications Manager

The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum seeks a Communications Manager. Reporting to the Director of Content Production, the Communications Manager is a key team player in developing effective and dynamic communications for a wide range of audiences. The ideal candidate brings knowledge and passion about digitally-connected communities and the rapidly evolving landscapes of media and journalism. This is a wonderful opportunity for growth for a versatile project manager and producer with a thoughtful approach to exploring the many ways that Isamu Noguchi’s art and ideas resonate and endure in the contemporary world.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Together with Museum leadership and department heads, develop and refine strategic vision, values, and goals for publicity and media relations.
  • Oversee production of program communications; strategic use of social media and editorial platforms to achieve program goals and engage with a diverse range of audiences both locally and worldwide.
  • Supervise the work of public relations consultants; coordinate assets and collaborate on strategy.
  • Ideate and develop creative and educational storytelling initiatives to share the work and life of Isamu Noguchi, in collaboration with the museum staff and external producers and creators.
  • Create and edit video and photography for social media, responding to current production trends while cultivating a timeless storytelling approach.
  • Manage, coordinate, and facilitate the work of freelance video producers, photographers, and other creative partners to achieve programmatic goals. 
  • Proactively engage with offsite exhibition partners, gallery representation, and other partners for cross-promotional opportunities, information sharing, and content reviews by the Museum.
  • Organize and attend media events, previews, and tours; attend galas, openings, and public programs and serve as an engaged public-facing ambassador for the Museum.
  • Draft, edit, and produce concise, thoughtful, and engaging press releases, media alerts, social media posts, and other content as needed, in collaboration with Content Director, Curatorial, Development, Education, and Merchandising, and other departments.
  • Draft, edit, and workshop remarks and statements with the Museum’s leadership and other communications functions as needed, including internal and press FAQs and emergency response communications. 
  • Organize and manage assets for press kits, coordinate rights and agreements, and other production tasks as needed. 
  • Copyedit, refine, and circulate approvals for the work of other internal content creators and external collaborators.
  • Ensure that all incoming press inquiries are promptly routed, responded to, and followed through, including fact checking, corrections, and other correspondence with the press and other potential partners. 
  • Manage and share coverage reports, archive press clippings and assets, and other departmental administrative tasks as needed. 
  • Oversee Communications general departmental budget; track and manage departmental expenses. 

Skills & Requirements

  • At least 4–5 years of experience in a communications role at an arts organization, arts communications agency, arts media/journalism, or other comparable experience.
  • A strong passion for storytelling, art and design, and the work and life of Isamu Noguchi.
  • Project management experience, strong organizational and time management skills are required.
  • Exceptional verbal communication skills, emotional intelligence, and discretion. 
  • Enjoys working collaboratively in teams, mission-oriented, and intrinsically motivated. 
  • Ability to write concise, clear, and engaging prose for a variety of audiences; strong proofreading and copyediting skills; attention to typography, grammar, context, and voice.
  • Attuned to ever-evolving trends and best practices in communications technology, journalism, social media, and the societal roles of art and museums.
  • Adept at creating high-quality and engaging content (including technical use and specific requirements) using digital communications platforms and tools such as Instagram, Threads, YouTube, LinkedIn, Mailchimp, WordPress, and Adobe Creative Suite, among others.
  • Adept at basic video editing, content creation and production for social media.
  • Skills and experience in photography, video, web content production, arts journalism/publishing, and/or graphic design are strong advantages.
  • A deep interest in and ever-evolving understanding of how photography, sound, typography, texture, timing, and context interplay; what makes a story resonate or fall flat in dialogue with an audience; and how these relate to Isamu Noguchi’s own artistic vision and philosophies.
  • Written and/or verbal fluency in Japanese or Spanish is a strong advantage. 


The Communications Manager is a full-time, in-person position and is located in The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, Queens. The hours are 5 days a week, 9 am–5 pm, Monday– Friday. The position requires occasional work outside regular hours. Work is performed in an office environment; prolonged periods of sitting, use of computers and standard office equipment are required to accomplish work objectives. The health and safety of our community is our first priority. As such, The Noguchi Museum strongly encourages all staff members to be fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized and/or approved COVID-19 vaccine.


Compensation

Salary range is $75,000–85,000 per year and benefits include a generous health insurance program, including medical, dental, and vision, pre-tax commuter benefits, a 403(b) retirement savings plan with employer contribution and match after a year of employment, and generous paid time off, as well as other benefits. 


To Apply

Please send a cover letter and résumé as a single PDF to jobs@noguchi.org with “Communications Manager” in the subject line. 

 

Director of Finance

The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum seeks a dynamic Director of Finance to join its team. A key member of the senior leadership team, the Director of Finance will collaborate closely with the Director, Treasurer of the Board of Trustees, and the Board’s Finance and Investment Committee and Audit Committee. In this role, the Director of Finance will play a crucial part in maintaining the financial operations of the Museum; providing insightful reports and analyses; and establishing procedures to ensure the Museum’s fiscal health. As we navigate the intersection of the museum program and robust merchandising operations, the Director of Finance will be instrumental in balancing the Museum’s mission with financial sustainability and contributing to the strategic plan. The Director of Finance oversees a Manager of Accounting and Benefits and Accounts Payable Manager and works closely with all Museum departments as well as several outside consultants.


Essential Duties and Responsibilities

General

  • Oversee the Museum’s financial landscape, including managing the Museum’s institutional budget of approximately $11 million and serve as the liaison for its investment portfolio of approximately $44 million.
  • Manage all aspects of the Museum’s finances including accounting and tax filings, audits, risk management, and financial planning and analysis.
  • Act as the primary staff contact to the Finance and Investment Committee and Audit Committee of the Board.   

Accounting, Financial Management, and Controls

  • Ensure financial compliance, including timely issuance of audited financial statements and various tax forms.
  • Serve as the primary liaison with the Museum’s external accounting firm.
  • Oversee monthly, quarterly, and annual closing on a timely basis, maintaining workpapers and reconciliations for accounts and the NetSuite General Ledger. 
  • Produce prompt monthly financial reports for management and the Board.
  • Collaborate with department heads on strategic goals and budgets.
  • Develop and maintain accurate cash flow forecasts. Optimize working capital by working with the team to manage receivables, payables, and inventory levels. Collaborate with financial institutions and other external partners to negotiate favorable terms for the organization.
  • Work closely with the Development department to manage grants and contributions and assist in related budgets and expenditure reports.
  • Maintain a system of accounting controls, policies, and procedures.  

Retail Operation Financial Management

The Museum is the North American distributor of Isamu Noguchi’s Akari light sculptures and manages the distribution of Akari worldwide. The retail operation has annual revenue of approximately $5 million. Additionally, the Museum receives royalty income on several of Noguchi’s designs in production.

  • Collaborate with the Museum’s leadership to improve product sales and margins. 
  • Track and process international income and expenses related to the Museum’s merchandise operations and royalties, which requires basic understanding of international currencies and exchange rates and oversee merchant banking and other online transactions to ensure completeness and accuracy.
  • Work with the third-party vendor (Avalara) to ensure accurate preparation and filing of sales tax returns. Maintain accurate reconciliations of the sales tax balance.

Payroll and Administration

  • Supervise all aspects of the Museum’s payroll, the implementation of health insurance, 403(b) retirement plan, and other benefits.
  • Collaborate with Director of People and Culture on human resource issues from finance and compliance perspectives. 


Requirements

  • A master’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration or related field, or equivalent work experience. While a CPA is not necessary, knowledge of accounting principles is essential.
  • 3 to 5 years of experience in a leadership role in a finance department, preferably in arts organization(s) or other non-profits and /or in a retail environment
  • Knowledge of accounting rules and regulations including: USGAAP, USGAAS, IRS regulations, and Accounting Section Codification (ASC) 958 Not for Profit Entities.
  • Effective verbal and written communication skills, interpersonal and organizational skills.
  • Team player with a collaborative ethos and strong supervisory skills.
  • Prior experience with NetSuite, Shopify, Celigo, Shopify POS, Bill.com, and Justworks is a plus. 


The Director of Finance is a full-time, in-person position and is located in The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, Queens. The hours are 5 days a week, 9 am–5 pm, Monday– Friday. The position requires occasional work outside regular hours. Work is performed in an office environment; prolonged periods of sitting, use of computers and standard office equipment are required to accomplish work objectives. The health and safety of our community is our first priority. As such, The Noguchi Museum strongly encourages all staff members to be fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized and/or approved COVID-19 vaccine.


Compensation

Salary range is $160,000–180,000 per year and benefits include a generous health insurance program, including medical, dental, and vision, pre-tax commuter benefits, a 403(b) retirement savings plan with employer contribution and match after a year of employment, and generous paid time off, as well as other benefits. 


To Apply

Please send a cover letter and résumé as a single PDF to jobs@noguchi.org with “Director of Finance” in the subject line. 

 

Visitor Services Associate

The Visitor Services department at The Noguchi Museum is seeking a full time Associate to assist in overseeing daily operations, membership sales, team building and customer service. The Associate is an ambassador of the museum who will be a welcoming resource for guests and help inspire membership sales. This position will work during the museum’s operating hours, Wednesday through Sunday, and occasionally outside of those hours for special events as necessary.

This position reports directly to the Director of Visitor Services and also works closely with The Manager of Visitor Services, as well as the Facilities, Education, and Membership teams.


Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Keep track of membership sales at the front of house and update staff regularly on monthly sales goals.
  • Train staff on membership levels and soft selling techniques.
  • Process memberships when necessary.
  • Manage all materials in the front lobby including but not limited to coat check, lost and found, the Gallery Attendant binder, first aid kit, and family kits.
  • Sit at the front desk and take over ticketing responsibilities during Gallery Attendant lunch breaks.
  • Have in-epth knowledge of the museum’s ticketing partners and programs and assist the public on these matters when necessary.
  • When necessary, work as an orienteer, welcoming people to the museum, answering questions and providing information regarding daily education activities and membership information.
  • Work on special projects focused on staff morale (for example, a newsletter).
  • Answer incoming phone calls and emails to the museum.
  • Attend special events outside of normal office hours and assist in staff management.
  • Maintain communication with Education to create, update, and manage onsite program signage.
  • Cover Gallery Attendants on the floor when they need bathroom breaks or while they attend meetings.
  • Assist with greeting participants and large groups arriving for education programs including receiving payment, coat check, and crowd control. 
  • Create rotation slips based on new master schedules developed by the Manager of Visitor Services.
  • Be the department’s point person for day-of operations relating to special events.
  • Be the point person for Communications in regards to printing more brochures and walking guides.


Experience, Skills, and Qualities

  • A strong interest in both customer service and daily museum operations.
  • An interest in team building and special projects focused on improving staff morale.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with and to deliver effective feedback to all levels of staff.
  • Good communication skills and prior experience interacting with the public are necessary.
  • Previous museum experience and/or a background in the arts, art history, or museum studies is preferred.


The Visitor Services Associate position is full-t
ime located in The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum in Long Island City, Queens. Salary is $55,000 per year and benefits include a generous health insurance program, a 403(b) retirement savings plan with employer match, and paid time off, as well as other benefits.


To Apply
Interested candidates should submit a résumé and a cover letter describing what innovative changes you would like to bring to the department to enhance the experience of visitors and what special project(s) you would like to develop in PDF format to jobs@noguchi.org with the subject line “Visitor Services Associate.”

Applications can also be mailed to:

Visitor Services Associate Position
The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum
32-37 Vernon Boulevard
Long Island City, NY 11106