Operations Manager

Full Time – Seattle

Overview:

The Operations Manager is responsible for overall management of their assigned location, including business management, operations management and people management. This role requires elements of business management to insure the financial and operational health of the office and operational management to ensure that communications and operations meet company standards. People management is required to ensure the communication, direction and skill development of Art Handlers. The Operations Manager will ensure estimating, project management and storage projects are on track, by personally completing or working through others to do so.

This role requires detailed knowledge of art handling best practices, museum standards of care, in-depth understanding of fine art logistics and the documentation requirements necessary to maintain the chain of control and legal necessities.

This role typically works M-F 9:00am – 5:00pm, with after–hours participation as needed.

Operations Manager Primary Responsibilities Include:

  • Business Management
    • Manages Local Office and Field Team
    • Adheres to all guidance regarding client communications, emails, information sharing, project planning and reporting. Ensures that all direct reports are aware of and follow guidance for their applicable communication/information/documentation tasks.

 

  • Operations Management
    • Responsible for timely response to client requests and excellent customer service: calls and emails responded to by end of day and follow up on outstanding/pending requests or jobs.
    • May respond to new or existing client/customer service requests directly or assign to other members of the team.
    • Ensures all communications are timely, professional and include complete and necessary information.
    • Estimates for field work and transportation for clients, coordinates location-specific estimates with crating and storage departments.
    • Works with Administrative Coordinator to schedule all jobs and allocate employee, vehicle, and material resources for jobs in field. Uses Google calendar and Art Manager to schedule resources.
    • Works with Storage Preparator to schedule warehouse tasks as necessary.
     

  • People Management
    • Leads all communication with direct reports: daily operations, job scheduling, training, company updates and HR.
    • Leads morning meetings with all staff to discuss jobs for the day. Includes crating, collections, storage or other staff to communicate project-specific information. Keep meetings short and efficient, but ensure necessary info is shared, redirect conversation as necessary.
    • Ensures all employees are prepared for daily jobs, including information about upcoming jobs and proper preparation of equipment and materials
    • Leads monthly meetings with art handling teams to include training, communication, and morale-building activities. Invites “specialists” from other areas of the company or within the team to share information and cross-train on these areas of expertise.
    • Prepares and delivers semi-annual reviews for all art handlers, including leads and project manager(s). Gather feedback from other managers to ensure a complete picture of employee strengths and opportunities. Makes recommendations for merit or out-of-pattern increases. May create performance plans when appropriate to redirect employee behavior.
    • Ensures all employees are trained in art handling safety and best practices.
    • Ensures that vehicles and driving teams are prepared for all local or long-distance routes, including vehicle/driver training, vehicle preparation and best practices. Works through Project Managers or vehicle specialists to complete physical route-planning, training and vehicle-readiness.
    • Ensures all employees are trained in and use best practices for safe transport of objects.
    • Completes initial employee interviews and makes recommendations for second interview or decline.
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  • Project Management
      • Work with other managers to staff jobs.
      • Ensure clear team communication/preparation.
      • Provide superior client service directly or through another member of the team.
      • Provide finance and leadership have sufficient information for planning/forecasting
      • Completes project-related tasks through designated Project Manager or other supportpersonnel, and completes duties themselves when necessary to maintain successful operations.
  •  
    Amount of Time in Field: 5%.
    Work from home available one day per week.
     

  • Estimated time in general activities
      • 10% business management
      • 30% management of daily operations
      • 20% people management
      • 40% project management
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  • Required skills and experience
      • Minimum 10 years’ experience in a high-volume art service company, museum, gallery or related organization
      • 3 or more years Art Handling experience
      • Knowledge of museum storage, art handling and transportation best practices
      • Proficiency in collections management databases preferred
      • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint)
      • Attention to detail and accuracy in communication
      • Knowledge of museum storage, art handling and transportation best practices
      • Bachelor of Arts Degree in the arts or museum studies or equivalent, or combination of education and experience

     

    This position is a salaried, exempt role. Exempt employees manage others or have a specific administrative specialty. Exempt employees are not entitled to overtime pay and are instead assigned tasks or duties for their role.
     

  • Benefits:
    • Art Work Fine Art Services offers a competitive benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, LTD, AD&D, Company-paid and Voluntary Life Insurance, Vacation Time Off, 401(k) Plan and College Tuition Plan.

     

    Equal Opportunity Employer:

    • Your gender, your sex, your faith, your age and your skin color don’t matter here. Art Work Fine Art Services seeks diverse backgrounds and perspectives and strives to offer equal opportunity to all smart, hard-working, dedicated people. Come as you are.

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