About Dia Art Foundation 

Dia Art Foundation was established in 1974 for the purpose of collecting, commissioning, and presenting major works of art made in the 1960s onward. Today it consists of nine permanent sites across the United States and Germany, as well as three changing exhibition spaces in New York State: Dia Chelsea in New York, Dia Beacon in the Hudson Valley, and Dia Bridgehampton on Long Island. Dia is taken from the Greek word for “through” and conveys the foundation’s role as a facilitator of meaningful artistic experiences that can be encountered in single and repeated visits.

About The Lightning Field

The Lightning Field (1977), by the American sculptor Walter De Maria, is a work of Land art situated in a remote area of the high desert of western New Mexico. Commissioned and maintained by Dia Art Foundation, The Lightning Field is recognized internationally as one of the late twentieth century’s most significant works of art. It exemplifies Dia’s commitment to supporting art projects whose nature and scale exceed the limits normally available within the traditional museum or gallery.

Position summary 

The year-round, part-time Associate Administrator is an essential member of the team that stewards the artwork and facilitates the experience of Walter De Maria’s The Lightning Field. The Associate Administrator handles all aspects of visitor reservations in keeping with De Maria’s vision and is the frontline contact for members of the public interested in this work. This position maintains the scheduling calendar and visitor data and works closely with the Director of Visitor Experience on the administrative aspects of operations including all internal staff and external visitor communication, registration fee, and bill management.

Essential duties and responsibilities 

Visitor and Public Services

• Work with the Curator, Director of Visitor Experience, and on-site staff to ensure the highest standards of visitor experience in the presentation of this artwork 
• Manage the visitor reservation system, including organizing the reservation requests received around February 1st, sending out reservation options, tracking replies and payments, and continually updating the waitlist and reservation calendar
• Serve as the first and continued point of contact for visitors until their arrival in Quemado, New Mexico, providing timely responses to requests for reservations, questions about the visiting process, or special requests
• Solicit post-visit feedback and share with staff on-site and across departments to report on and improve operations
• Handle all general inquiries regarding the artwork and respond to inquiries from the public or forward to appropriate Dia staff as needed
• Maintain and improve reservations systems and operations for the visiting season, proposing improvements and updates for the website, reservation forms, procedures, and payment options
• Maintain and improve visitor files for accuracy, understanding of site visitorship, and future communication
• Maintain familiarity with the visitor experience, suggest, and, when appropriate, implement any improvements or anticipated needs to the Curator, Director of Visitor Experience, and site staff
• Update visitor policies in consultation with Director of Visitor Experience and site staff

Field Operations

• Communicate regularly with on-site staff about the visitor schedule, changes in the schedule, unusual visitor requests, and other unforeseen circumstances
• Create timely and accurate monthly financial reports for the Finance Department
• Manage registration fees including reconciliation of online payments with PayPal account and processing visitor refunds
• Submit Lightning Field site expenses for payment, provide backup for monthly bank account statements, and keep vendor accounts up to date

Stewardship

• Communicate and work with Director of Visitor Experience and on-site staff to help resolve problems that may occur with visiting operations or facilities
• Research and advise on process improvements and administrative efficiencies
• Provide biweekly updates to the Director of Visitor Experience
• Prepare the year-end report at the end of the season and any other reporting as required

Other duties and responsibilities

• Address unconventional circumstances or operational issues that may arise
• Maintain administrative manual with updated procedures and forms

Support the Director of Visitor Experience to identify, research, and implement opportunities for improved visitor experience, prior to arrival as well as on-site

Education, certification, and experience

• Bachelors’ degree in art, art history, English, or communications desirable
• Administrative experience and basic bookkeeping skills required

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Must be eager to learn the history and operations of The Lightning Field, and demonstrate ability to retain an understanding of and commitment to the artist’s intention for presentation of The Lightning Field to the public
• Experience in visitor services or public engagement preferred
• Must be extremely organized, detail oriented, self-directed; have excellent time management skills; and be able to handle complex communications and decision-making in a fast-paced environment
• Must have excellent written and oral communication skills, be friendly, open, and engaging with visitors, staff, and community members alike. The ability to quickly, enthusiastically, and knowledgably respond to visitor requests and questions, while also able to navigate challenging situations and respond to upset visitors is required
• Basic financial and office management skills required, with experience and comfort working in Outlook, Excel, Word, and Google Calendar
• Familiarity with Dia, Walter de Maria, and The Lightning Field desirable

Working conditions and physical demands

• Work can be performed at Dia’s Beacon or Chelsea offices, or remotely in a home office with occasional on-site presence in either Beacon or Chelsea. Annual or semi-annual travel to The Lightning Field.
• Requires the use of phone, computers, and other equipment typical of an office environment and ability to solve minor technological issues independently
• Hours vary throughout the year with a general schedule of 20–25 hours per week. During the busy booking period of January–March, weekly hours are higher at 35–45 hours per week. The Associate Administrator must also be available from 1 to 5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays during the visiting season (May–October) to answer questions and help visitors troubleshoot as they travel to The Lightning Field.

Part-time employees are eligible for paid sick days, holiday pay, and participation in the 401(k) savings program with employer match. Employees have the opportunity to learn about Dia’s collection through presentations by curators, artists, writers, and historians. Staff ID badges gain reduced or free admission to most American museums and arts organizations.

This position is represented by the Technical, Office & Professional Union, Local 2110, UAW, AFL-CIO. 

Qualified candidates are invited to apply by completing the online job application, linked here, and attaching a resume and letter of interest. No phone calls or emails to addresses other than the one specified. Previous applicants need not apply as we keep resumes on file. 

Dia Art Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies. In addition, Dia will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.