Seasonal Program Assistant

New York Botanical Garden; New York (NY); On-site; USD 25,000 - 33,000; Part time

Job summary

The Seasonal Program Assistant at New York Botanical Garden will support public programming across exhibitions and events, assisting with advance preparations, materials distribution, and visitor-facing services. The role involves setup/breakdown, coordinating with staff and volunteers, and ensuring a welcoming, educational environment for guests.

The position is part-time, weekend daytime/evening availability is required, with occasional Fridays and holidays, and work outdoors in various

Qualifications

• Experience in customer service or programs/events.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Familiarity with cultural institutions and related programming.
• Prompt and attentive to detail.

Responsibilities

• Set up, activate, and breakdown diverse public programming (lectures, performances, markets, tours).
• Support artists/performers with load-in/out, transportation, and hospitality needs.
• Learn setup and troubleshooting of speakers and lighting; basic QSC setup experience preferred.
• Coordinate with volunteers, freelancers, and interns.

Skills

Customer service

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Cultural institutions

Microsoft Suite

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Title

Seasonal Program Assistant

Position Summary

The Seasonal Program Assistant will assist the Exhibitions & Public Programming department at NYBG in executing public programming for NYBG visitors. Duties include making advance preparations for programs, distributing program/event materials, soliciting public participation, assisting with the setting up and running of programs, facilitating educational opportunities for visitors, and handling breakdown and data collection of programs. The Seasonal Program Assistant will work with other staff and volunteers to guarantee high quality public offerings. This position is visitor-facing, and so the ideal candidate is comfortable interacting with visitors in a friendly and professional manner. This position requires Saturday & Sunday daytime and evening availability, as well as occasional Fridays and holidays. This position will require work outdoors in many seasons.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Support the necessary tasks to set-up, activate, and break-down the diverse array of public programming, including lectures, symposiums, dance and musical performances, food markets, concerts, plays, tours, and more.
• Provide support for artists/performers with load-in/out of equipment, transportation, and hospitality needs such as artist escort and Greenroom tidiness.
• Learn basic setup and troubleshooting of speakers and lighting needs for performances, lectures, and viewings. Experience working with QSC speaker and mixer set-ups is preferred.
• Facilitate and delegate tasks and responsibilities to volunteers, freelancers, and interns.
• Coordinate with NYBG departments (Operations, Security, and Visitor Experience) to execute assigned tasks.
• Collect, retain, and update program data for departmental records, including visitor counts, post-event recaps, and database files relating to past and present programs.
• Create a welcoming and educational environment for visitors, and assist with wayfinding and crowd control.
• Organize, take inventory, and maintain equipment in storage spaces to ensure efficient functionality. Assess, prepare, and collect these essential materials for programs and events.
• Organize printed materials and set up informational tables.
• Contribute feedback to support the content of programs, and research ideas for future programming.
• Assist with the setup and breakdown of tents, tables, chairs, and other day-of event production.
• Attend departmental presentations and briefings on daily, weekly, and seasonal programming and exhibitions updates.
• Utilize scheduling platforms and email to receive assigned tasks.
• Other related duties as necessary.

Qualifications

• Keep up to date and knowledgeable on all Garden programs, hours, special events, and current exhibitions.
• Experience working in customer service and/or programs/events.
• Familiarity with cultural institutions and related programming.
• Prompt and attentive to detail.
• Must have excellent communication skills.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Suite preferred.
• Valid driver’s license required.

Physical Demand & Work Environment

• While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to, at minimum, stand; walk; sit; use hands, reach with hands and arms. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Work outdoors under a variety of weather conditions.

Work Schedule

• This is a temporary, part-time position.
• Availability is required on weekends, including both Saturday and Sunday (daytime and evening shifts).
• Additional availability on Wednesdays is preferred.

Rate

• $21 Per Hour

If you require an accommodation for any part of the application process, please notify the Human Resources department at [e-mail]