Senior Manager of Government & Community Affairs

Title: Senior Manager of Government & Community Affairs
Reports to: Executive Director
Status: Full-time, Exempt

El Museo del Barrio, New York’s leading Latino cultural institution, welcomes visitors of all backgrounds to discover the artistic and cultural landscape of the Caribbean and Latin America. The richness of Latino cultures is represented through El Museo’s wide-ranging collections and exhibitions, complemented by performing arts events, cultural celebrations, and educational programs. A dynamic artistic, cultural, and community gathering space, El Museo serves as a center of cultural pride on New York’s Museum Mile.

SCOPE AND PURPOSE

The Senior Manager of Government & Community Affairs oversees El Museo del Barrio’s government relations, community engagement, advocacy, and public funding efforts. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, this position cultivates and maintains strategic relationships with elected officials, government agencies, community leaders, cultural organizations, and other external stakeholders.

The Senior Manager works to increase and sustain public support for El Museo’s operating, programmatic, and capital needs. This includes identifying public funding opportunities; preparing and submitting funding requests such as government-related grant proposals and required reports; and ensuring compliance with City, State, and Federal funding requirements.

The position also leads the Museum’s community engagement efforts by developing partnerships and outreach initiatives that expand access to El Museo’s exhibitions, programs, and resources. Particular emphasis is placed on strengthening the Museum’s relationship with its founding community of East Harlem and expanding engagement with Latine and other historically underserved communities throughout the New York metropolitan area.

Working closely with the Executive Director and departments across the Museum, the Senior Manager raises El Museo’s public profile, strengthens institutional goodwill, and promotes a shared understanding of the Museum’s government and community affairs priorities among Trustees, staff, volunteers, and external partners.

The Senior Manager represents El Museo at government, community, cultural, and civic meetings and events as directed by the Executive Director. Some evening and weekend attendance is required.

RESPONSIBILTIES

• Develop, strengthen, and maintain relationships with elected officials, government staff, agencies, community leaders, and public-sector partners at the City, State, and Federal levels to increase and sustain support for El Museo’s operating, programmatic, and capital priorities.
• Serve as El Museo’s primary point of contact for government agencies, elected officials, community leaders, and public-sector partners, responding to requests and coordinating engagement as appropriate.
• Work with the Executive Director and external government relations consultants to establish annual public funding goals and develop strategies to achieve them.
• Identify potential sources of public funding at the local, State, and Federal levels and, when appropriate, other governmental or public sources.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Museum departments, including Curatorial, Education, Public Programs, Development, Theater, Finance, and Capital Projects, to identify artistic, educational, operational, and capital initiatives that may qualify for public funding.
• Research, prepare, and submit grant proposals, funding requests, applications, and supporting materials to government agencies and other public funding sources.
• Manage grant reporting and compliance requirements for City, State, and Federal funders, including quarterly, biannual, and annual reports and required supporting documentation.
• Maintain accurate records of government grants, funding requests, reporting deadlines, compliance requirements, and communications with public agencies, including the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation.
• Lead El Museo’s Community Engagement Plan, deepening the Museum’s relationship with East Harlem and expanding outreach to underserved communities throughout New York City.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community organizations, libraries, universities, schools, senior centers, civic groups, local businesses, government entities, and cultural institutions.
• Identify and implement opportunities for public programs, community outreach, information sharing, institutional collaboration, and mutually beneficial partnerships that expand access to El Museo for adults, families, youth, children, and new or nontraditional Museum audiences.
• Serve as El Museo’s primary liaison to Manhattan Community Board 11 and coordinate the Museum’s participation in full board, committee, and other relevant meetings and forums.
• Coordinate and host government, civic, and community meetings and events at El Museo when appropriate, and represent the Museum at external meetings, events, hearings, and public forums as directed by the Executive Director.
• Maintain a comprehensive and current database of government, community, cultural, institutional, and public affairs contacts.
• Oversee and serve as the primary staff liaison to the Board of Trustees’ Government and Community Affairs Committee (CAC), facilitating the Committee’s work and coordinating meeting materials, reports, presentations, updates, follow-up items, and implementation of relevant Committee priorities.
• Prepare reports, briefing materials, talking points, correspondence, presentations, and other communications for the Executive Director and Board of Trustees.
• Monitor public policy, legislative, budgetary, and community developments that may affect El Museo, its programs, its funding, or the communities it serves.
• Collaborate with government relations consultants, lobbyists, community partners, and other external advisors as appropriate.
• Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned by the Executive Director.

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, political science, public administration, nonprofit management, community development, communications, fundraising, or a related field.
• A minimum of three to five years of professional experience in government affairs, community affairs, public policy, public funding, nonprofit advocacy, fundraising, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining productive relationships with elected officials, government agencies, community leaders, cultural organizations, and diverse constituencies.
• Knowledge of New York City government, public funding systems, community boards, cultural organizations, and civic institutions.
• Familiarity with East Harlem and an understanding of New York City’s diverse ethnic, cultural, and historically underserved communities is strongly preferred.
• Experience preparing government grant applications, funding requests, compliance documents, and narrative and financial reports.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including strong presentation, public speaking, and professional correspondence skills.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities accurately and independently.
• Proven ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, diplomacy, and professionalism when working with government officials, community partners, Trustees, staff, and external stakeholders.
• Ability to represent El Museo professionally and enthusiastically at public meetings, events, and external forums.
• Strong appreciation for El Museo’s mission and the ability to communicate its mission, programs, and community impact effectively.
• Spanish and English bilingual proficiency required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, databases, contact-management systems, and other standard workplace technology.
• Availability to attend occasional evening and weekend meetings and events.

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El Museo values diversity in backgrounds and in experiences. El Museo’s commitment to a diverse workforce has been a key to our success. In accordance with that commitment, El Museo provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, predisposing genetic information, gender identity and/or expression, military, or veteran status in accordance with applicable federal, state and/or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.