Senior Manager, Board Governance and Operations

Brooklyn Museum; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Pension plan

401(k) Savings Plan

Paid time off

Free museum admission

Staff discount

Hybrid schedule

Job summary

The Brooklyn Museum is seeking a Senior Manager, Board Governance and Operations to serve as a strategic partner to the Board Relations team. The role oversees governance processes, meeting materials, and sensitive governance matters, ensuring the Board operates efficiently and in alignment with the institution's mission.

Responsibilities include setting calendars, maintaining governance data, coordinating materials, and coordinating with General Counsel on confidential matters.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or 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.

Responsibilities

• Serve as trusted advisor to the Director and Board leadership, providing confidential strategic support on governance and leadership matters.
• Set the annual calendar for the Board and committees, including schedules and timelines, with monthly stakeholder meetings.
• Architect and maintain governance data systems, Trustee terms, class elections, committee assignments, and board-related data.

Skills

Leadership

Governance

Project management

Discretion

Executive communication

Attention to detail

Written communication

Collaboration

Stakeholder engagement

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Tessitura

Microsoft Office Suite

Board portals

Job description

Senior Manager, Board Governance and Operations

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 institution’s 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 leadership’s 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 institution’s 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

• Bachelor's 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

Union status

Non-Union

FLSA status

Exempt

Position type

Full-time

Schedule

35 hours per week, Monday–Friday, 9am – 5pm, evenings and weekends as needed.

Benefit offerings

The Museum provides competitive compensationalong withgenerous benefits and perks for all eligible employees.Individualbenefitofferingsmayvarybased 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
• All positions arebased in Brooklyn, New York, with someeligible for a hybrid work schedule (three days on-site / two days remote)