Public Relations Manager

The Public Relations Manager will serve as a key member of the Crystal Bridges and Momentary communications team, working to advance visibility for the institution, its venues and offerings. The Public Relations Manager will support the institutions strategic goals through research, planning, message development and media relations (such as print, radio, television, podcasts, blogs, and more). The Public Relations Manager reports to the Senior Public Relations Director.

Principal Responsibilities

The Public Relations Manager will work with key stakeholders and teams to:

• Champion the PR component of integrated marketing communications plans, work with the team to develop strategic communications campaigns and identify key audiences, messages, and tactics to generate awareness of Crystal Bridges and the Momentary offerings and programs while supporting the mission and goals of the institution.

• Working with the Social Media Manager, develop and maintain a strategic editorial calendar to maximize messaging and key performance indicators.

• Work closely with Senior Public Relations Director, PR Coordinator, Multimedia Producer, Social Media Manager and the entire Communications team to align editorial content calendar, announcement plans, assets, and timelines toward the goal of consistent messaging across channels.

• Create press releases, advisories, and news updates and oversee distribution of such. Oversee maintenance of key messaging and FAQ documents, press kits, and other media materials.

• Manage projects across departments and with public relations agencies, as needed.

• Help coordinate and oversee onsite photography and videography as needed.

• Develop talking points for various exhibitions and initiatives.

• Assist Senior PR Director with internal communications needs, including but not limited to weekly staff updates and quarterly all-staff meetings.

• Assist with maintaining the PR budget.

Additional Responsibilities

Media Relations Responsibilities:

• Develop and build relationships with reporters and media outlets, meeting with primary contacts on a regular basis.

• Create proactive pitch plans, respond to press inquiries, identify spokespeople, secure clearances for photo/video shoots, prepare talking points, visuals, and act as spokesperson/liaison during press visits.

• Help prepare various spokespeople for media with message points and training sessions as needed.

• Manage media monitoring system, Meltwater, and work with PR Coordinator to generate reports to track press mentions, reach, publicity value, etc. Create media reports for specific programs, exhibitions, or campaigns overall.

• Create media distribution lists and strategic pitch plans aligned with campaign goals to target specific publications, reporters, and geographic locations.

• Create press preview opportunities and act as a media relations liaison during previews, tours, interviews, and other media visits.

• Manage on-the-ground logistics and provide advance staffing at media events and presentations. Brief speakers on audience, venue logistics, tone, and delivery style.

• Monitor media outlets to stay current on industry news and community outreach opportunities.

• Work with community partners to both advance visibility of organizational offerings and to participate as a team player in broader dynamic happenings across the region.

Minimum Qualifications

Education, Training, and Traits:

• Degree or comparable work experience in public relations, integrated marketing communications, journalism, or related field.

• Applicants must share the belief that arts and culture experiences are for social good and a positive, dynamic force for economic development.

Work Experience

• Minimum of five years of related work experience.

• A high level of professional integrity and the ability to handle sensitive issues and situations with discretion.

• Having a demonstrable personal affinity with visual arts and museums and/or performing arts including music, theater, and dance is essential. Having professional experience in visual or performing arts communications is a plus.

Skills and Abilities

• Superb writing and editing skills, strong storytelling, and content development.

• Strong listening skills and a demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and professionally.

• Ability to assess and synthesize media landscape for issues and opportunities to inform media planning, pacing and promotion.

• Ability to work effectively in fast-paced working environments with deadlines.

• Digital savvy professional, open to learning a variety of platforms and applications, both for internal and external communications.

• Organizational planning, problem-solving, and collaboration skills.

• Understanding of the full breadth of PR channels and experience managing campaigns and reporting on metrics.

• Methodical project management and execution skills.

• Ability to interact respectfully, collegially, and professionally with all employees and volunteers at all levels of responsibility.

• Willingness to be a team player both within the department, and throughout the entire organization.

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. Sitting or leaning while on post will not be permitted.

• Physical demands: In the work environments described, position requires utilizing a computer and telephone for prolonged periods of time, good eye/hand coordination, verbal and written conversation with others, lifting/carrying (up to 10 lbs.), and ability to move around the museum. Vision abilities required by the job include close vision.

• Work environment: Work will be performed in an office environment, museum spaces, and in communities served. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.

Salary Range:

• Starting salary commensurate with experience.

About Crystal Bridges

The mission of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is to welcome all to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. We explore the unfolding story of America by actively collecting, exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving outstanding American art. Crystal Bridges was founded in 2005 as a non-profit charitable organization by arts patron and chair of the museums board of directors, Alice Walton. Since opening to the public on 11-11-11, the museum has welcomed more than 5 million visitors and garnered 15,000 membership households. Some 280,000 school children have participated in the Willard and Pat Walker School Visit program, which provides educational experiences for school groups at no cost.

Crystal Bridges takes its name from a nearby natural spring and the bridge construction incorporated in the building, designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. A series of pavilions nestled around two spring-fed ponds house the galleries and amenities such as a restaurant, museum store designed by architect Marlon Blackwell, and a library featuring more than 50,000 volumes of art reference material. In addition to the museums architecture, a Usonian house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright was preserved, acquired, and moved to the museum grounds in 2015, and a rare Buckminster Fullers Flys Eye Dome was installed in 2017, both providing access to American architectural masterworks in a natural setting.

Sculpture and walking trails link the museum's 120-acre park to downtown Bentonville, Arkansas. A new entrance, elevator tower, and pedestrian bridge was added to the north side of the building in 2017, increasing access to the museums north lawn and newly enhanced North Forest Trail. More than 600,000 visitors a year utilize the museums five miles of walking trails.

Crystal Bridges permanent collection spans five centuries of American artworks from early American to the present, and is always free to view. Crystal Bridges is committed to telling broad and inclusive stories by acquiring and showcasing the highest quality works by artists underrepresented in art history and conventional museum frameworks. Works such as Asher B. Durands Kindred Spirits, Gilbert Stuarts George Washington, and Georgia OKeeffes Jimson Weed are displayed alongside contemporary artists such as Kerry James Marshall, Maya Lin, Fritz Scholder, Jaune Quick-To-See-Smith, Felix Gonzales-Torres, and Amy Sherald represent some of the finest achievements in American art. The collection continues to grow, while the museum also offers temporary exhibitions that complement the collection and can also reveal arts connections to equality and justice.

Crystal Bridges provides year-round programming for all ages. In 2019, more than 800 public programs and events were offered, including lectures, performances, classes, and continuing education for K-12 teachers. Crystal Bridges stays connected online with the full collection available via eMuseum, an award-winning app, a podcast called Museum Way, all available for free, and many of the museums lectures such as the Distinguished Speaker Series are on Crystal Bridges YouTube channel. An online-learning initiative provides opportunities for students and teachers with arts-based courses, as well as SmartHistory with arts history videos and essays. Crystal Bridges also offers two research fellowship programs. The Tyson Scholars in American Art program encourages and supports full-time scholarship that seeks to expand boundaries and traditional categories of investigation into American art and visual culture. The Reese Teacher Fellowship provides for research into the development of interdisciplinary connections between American art and core curriculum subjects of language arts, history, social studies, and the sciences. In addition, Crystal Bridges administers the awarding of the Don Tyson Prize, an unprecedented award recognizing significant achievements in the field of American art. Additional information about Crystal Bridges is available online at CrystalBridges.org.

About the Momentary

The Momentary is a new contemporary art space that opened to the public on February 22, 2020, in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas. A satellite to Crystal Bridges, the Momentary presents visual, performing, and culinary arts. The mission of the Momentary is to champion contemporary arts role in everyday life and explore the unfolding story of contemporary American arts in an international context by actively commissioning and exhibiting outstanding works that explore new ideas and inspire action. The Momentary was founded by the Walton family, based on the vision of Tom, Olivia, and Steuart Walton. The Walton Family Foundation is supporting this project as a way to enhance the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas. The Momentary welcomes all with free general admission. Additional offerings include an artist-in-residence program, culinary experiences including an Onyx Coffee Lab, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, an outdoor festival space, and a gift store. For more information, visit theMomentary.org. The Momentary is located at 507 SE E Street, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712.