The Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library seeks to hire for the position of Communications & Gallery Coordinator. The Communications & Gallery Coordinator oversees the public voice of the Center across all media, working not only to spread awareness about the Center’s collections and programs but also to actively cultivate new audiences. The Coordinator also shapes the visitor experience in the Center’s in-person gallery in the Central Library of the Boston Public Library by coordinating the many different types of work which keep the gallery well-maintained, welcoming, and inviting. This role is ideal for someone who is excited about working with one of the world’s largest geographic and cartographic collections housed in a public institution, and who can effectively share their own enthusiasm for the materials and topic with a diverse array of audiences.

 

About this Role 

The Communications & Gallery Coordinator is the Leventhal Center’s primary staff member responsible for maintaining consistency and quality across the Center’s communications channels and for championing a positive visitor experience to the Leventhal Center Gallery in the Central Library. Working closely with the Assistant Director, the Communications & Gallery Coordinator will work to expand the Center’s digital audiences and will find creative ways to bring new and returning visitors into the Gallery. This role reports directly to the Assistant Director and will also work closely with the Development & Grants Coordinator, Visitor Services & Exhibition Assistant, as well as managing seasonal interns responsible for gallery coverage.  

Key responsibilities of the Communications & Gallery Coordinator include:  

• Managing existing LMEC communications channels, including updates to the main LMEC website, social media profiles, and biweekly newsletter, including both original content creation as well as coordination of content created by other staff  
• Expanding audience reach through new communications strategies, both broad-scale and targeted 
• Developing and managing content calendar for original content that is published on the LMEC website, including managing deadlines with others on the LMEC staff as needed 
• Regular gallery desk coverage, at least 2 shifts per week 
• Coordinating gallery staffing and maintaining gallery calendar 
• Planning and staffing in-gallery public engagement events, such as “From the Vault” collections showings  
• Promotion of LMEC public events and educational activities, including maintaining event listings and publishing event details in associated BPL systems  
• Designing and implementing regular gallery tours, including working with the Visitor Services & Exhibition Assistant to implement a “standard” tour for visitors 

Additional responsibilities include: 

• Developing and executing monthly reporting, in consultation with the Assistant Director 
• Exhibition promotion, as needed during the run of gallery exhibitions, including coordinating with the curatorial team to strategize about a press release and key media coverage 
• Serving as the contact for group visits to the exhibition, coordinating with other LMEC staff as needed to perform group visits 
• Authoring original research-based content for the LMEC website that helps to bring attention to current events, activities of the Center, or specific collections 
• Liaising with the communications and public relations staff of the Boston Public Library and other key partners to best align on messaging for key initiatives 
• Assisting with special projects at the discretion of the Assistant Director, as needed 
• Other responsibilities as assigned 

The Leventhal Center values independent initiative in all staff roles, and we will work to ensure that the Communications & Gallery Coordinator will have ample time not assigned to other tasks in order to conceptualize and pilot their own creative projects related to the Center’s collections and programs. 

Skills & Qualifications 

• Required: Bachelor’s degree 
• Preferred: A topical and institutional familiarity with the Boston and New England region 
• Required: A track record of professional experience managing communications channels for museums, library, galleries, or other cultural and educational institutions, including a facility with digital tools for both design and distribution of communications materials. 
• Required: An ability to work in-person with patrons from all walks of life in a public setting. 
• Preferred: Demonstrated knowledge, experience, and expertise with some aspect of the Center’s broad portfolio of topic areas, including (for example) historical geography; urban, regional, and environmental studies; civics; science and technology studies; place-based inquiry; museum and library collections; and/or community history. 

Compensation & Position Details  

This is a salaried position, with an expected salary range of $45,000–52,000 annually according to experience and qualifications. The position is eligible for a full set of fringe benefits, including medical and dental insurance, employer contributions to a 401(k) retirement plan, life and disability insurance, and commuter benefits. 

The Communications & Gallery Coordinator will be expected to work primarily in-person at the Central Library in Copley Square, at 700 Boylston St. in Boston. After an initial transitional period, the Coordinator will be entitled to at least one day of work from a remote location per week, in accordance with Leventhal Center HR policy for salaried employees, as well as additional flexibility by approval where appropriate. 

There is no residency requirement for this position. Leventhal Map & Education Center employees report to the independent Leventhal Map & Education Center and are not covered directly by human resource policies pertaining to the Boston Public Library or City of Boston municipal employees. 

This position is subject to a CORI background check. 

Desired Start Date 

Ideally no later than mid-December 2023, though exceptions may be made for a slightly later start date in January 2024 for an exceptional candidate.  

About the Leventhal Center 

The Leventhal Map & Education Center is an independent, self-governing nonprofit organization in a long-term strategic relationship with the Boston Public Library. The Center stewards a quarter million geographic objects in the Library’s collections, and works to make them freely available to the public for research, interpretation, and engagement. Our collections range from fifteenth-century atlases to modern-day geospatial data sets. The Center creates original exhibitions hosted in its gallery space at the Central Library in Copley Square and promotes education on topics that explore the relationship between people and places. 

As a mission-driven organization, the Center endorses the following values: 

• Commit to integrity, excellence, respect in all our relationships, and professional library ethics (including the ALA’s Code of Ethics and the ACRL Code of Ethics for Special Collections Librarians) 
• Listen to and include community voices, especially those who have been less represented 
• Increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in our organization and our work with others 
• Work to advance a more just and equitable society 
• Keep our spaces and community services open, welcoming, and “free to all” 

The Center places great value on an organizational culture in which staff members have the flexibility and openness to work with a diverse group of audiences, constituencies, and colleagues. Our work is committed to public service and to innovation that fosters positive change in the world. 

To apply 

Please submit the following. 

• A cover letter of no more than two pages (PDF, DOCX, or MD format) 
• A CV or résumé 
• Portfolio showing examples of past communications work, including notes about your role in the process. (A Word document or PDF with screenshots is sufficient.) 
• A list of 3 professional references, including telephone numbers and email. We will inform candidates before contacting references. 

Additional material will be requested from semifinalist candidates. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled. For full consideration, please submit application materials by November 8, 2023 by 12:00 pm ET.

For more information

Contact info@leventhalmap.org for more questions about this job vacancy, or visit leventhalmap.org for more information about the Leventhal Center.