Please do not call or email us about these positions. We’ll share our hiring progress on this webpage and try to be as transparent as possible.

Marketing Manager

Marketing Manager

Job Type: Contractor
Job Duration: 4 months
Contractor Compensation: $25,000 – $35,000
Timing: approximately April 2025 – July 2025

Do you love museums? Do you enjoy helping promote the efforts of cultural organizations? Are you naturally talented at marketing and engaging audiences? If the answer is YES to all of these questions, we would love to hear more about you and how you might fill this contract position!

Overall project description:
Wilkening Consulting has been retained by New York State to conduct an operational survey of New York State Museums. We will be attempting to collect attendance, financial, and other information from as many museums in the state as possible.

Contractor responsibilities:
The Marketing Manager will be primarily responsible for maximizing participation in this critical research through strategic, focused marketing to New York Museums. We are seeking an experienced, proactive Marketing Manager to lead promotional efforts for a statewide research project aimed at gathering data from New York museums. The Marketing Manager will be responsible for driving museum participation in the survey, creating targeted outreach campaigns, and ensuring maximum engagement, response, and completion. Project responsibilities include:

  • Develop and implement marketing strategies to encourage museum participation in our state-wide museum survey
  • In partnership with Wilkening Consulting’s graphic designer, compose and produce promotional materials, including digital content, print collateral, and social media posts, to drive awareness of the survey as well as promotional materials for conferences and webinars
  • Collaborate with stakeholder organizations to develop messaging and strategies tailored to their museums, providing regular updates and reports
  • Monitor the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and adjust strategies as needed to optimize survey participation
  • Finalizing and implementing a marketing plan, that includes social media, email, and USPS communications, and similar communications prepared for the use of stakeholder organizations and agencies

 

Contractor qualifications:

Experience:

  • Proven experience in marketing and project management, with strong communication and writing skills, with the ability to craft clear and compelling messages
  • Experience working with cultural organizations, museums, or similar sectors is required
  • Demonstrated success in driving participation in surveys or similar campaigns
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks and work independently in a remote environment using collaboration tools
  • Familiarity with digital marketing platforms and analytics
  • Knowledge of state-level government projects is a plus
  • Familiarity with New York State and its museums

 

Other desired attributes:

  • Attention to detail with the ability to manage complex projects
  • Capacity to identify the unique challenges of engaging museums of different sizes, and types, and the ability to find creative solutions to engage them effectively
  • Ability to develop and execute long-term strategies to meet participation goals, while being flexible to adapt to changing needs or feedback
  • Strong organizational and time management skills and the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
  • Proficiency in digital tools for marketing, project management, and communication
  • Ability to think outside the box to create compelling and engaging marketing campaigns that resonate with museum professionals and leadership
  • Familiarity with the needs and interests of museums, zoos, and other cultural organizations, as well as trends in the cultural sector
  • Comfort with tracking, analyzing, and reporting on key performance metrics to assess campaign effectiveness and optimize efforts
  • Awareness of the cultural and historical context of various museums, ensuring marketing materials and outreach strategies are appropriate and effective for diverse audiences
  • Adaptability to pivot and adjust strategies quickly based on the needs of the project or changes in the survey response rates

 

Contractor compensation and budget:

We expect this contractor to be working on this project for approximately three months to four months. The budget for this work is $25,000 – $35,000, depending on mutually agreed upon scope.

As a short-term contractor, you are responsible for providing your own equipment and fulfilling the contracted goals. You are also responsible for any tax obligations, benefits, etc. 

To apply:

We’ve put together a short questionnaire for interested contractors to complete. You can download the questionnaire here in advance, and when you are ready, go to this link to submit your initial proposal. 

Please do not call or email us about the position. We’ll share our progress on hiring this contract position on our website and try to be as transparent as possible. 

We can’t wait to hear from you!

 

Outreach Field Worker

Outreach Field Worker

Job Type: Contractor
Job Duration: 4 months
Contractor Compensation: $30,000-35,000 plus travel expenses; contractor will be paid on an hourly basis
Required Travel: likely three one-week road trips in New York State
Timing: approximately May 2025 – August 2025

Do you love museums? Especially small ones? Do you enjoy meeting the staff and volunteers that are behind so many museums? And do you love data? If the answer is YES to all of these questions, we would love to hear more about you and how you might fill this contract position!

Overall project description:

Wilkening Consulting has been retained by New York State to conduct an operational survey of New York State Museums. As part of this project, we are seeking two Outreach Field Workers to assist the Museum Outreach Director in maximizing participation in this critical research. If you are passionate about museums, and are excited to help collect important data, we want to hear from you!

Contractor responsibilities:

Outreach Field Workers will be responsible for direct outreach to museums, helping them complete the data collection survey, and assisting with travel to support in-person visits when necessary.

Project responsibilities include:

  • Support the Museum Outreach Director in engaging museums across New York State, ensuring participation in the survey
  • Conduct outreach via phone, email, and in-person visits to encourage museum staff and volunteers to complete the survey
  • Provide assistance to museums in completing the data collection survey, offering guidance and troubleshooting as needed
  • Track museum responses and follow up with non-participants to ensure a high level of engagement
  • Travel as needed for in-person visits to museums to provide hands-on assistance with survey completion


While 100% participation by NYS museums is the ultimate goal, a realistic goal is a 60 – 70% participation rate.

Contractor qualifications:

Experience:

  • Has worked in the museum field; small museum experience preferred
  • Familiarity with the operations of different types and sizes of museums
  • Ease with talking to strangers, including phone and email communications
  • Ability to engage with volunteers and museum staff, building relationships and encouraging participation.
  • Strong organizational and planning skills to manage outreach efforts and travel logistics
  • Basic data collection skills and experience working with museum data (attendance, budgeting, etc.)
  • Ability to work independently and manage your own time effectively
  • Ability to travel within New York State for in-person visits as required

Other desired attributes:

  • Ability to build strong relationships with museum board, staff, and/or volunteers
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Enthusiasm for museums, particularly small cultural organizations
  • Persistence
  • Familiarity with New York State museums

This position requires a valid driver’s license (candidate should be comfortable driving a car) and the ability to travel around New York State for in-person visits to museums as needed.

Contractor compensation and budget:

We expect this contractor to be working full-time on this project for approximately four months. The budget for this work is $30,000 to $35,000 plus pre-approved expenses (including travel expenses, etc.). Contractor will be paid on an hourly basis.

As a short-term contractor, you are responsible for providing your own equipment and fulfilling the contracted goals. You are also responsible for any tax obligations, benefits, etc.                 

To apply:

We’ve put together a short questionnaire for interested contractors to complete. You can find the questionnaire below, and when you are ready, go to this link to submit your initial proposal.

Please do not call or email us about the position. We’ll share our progress on hiring this contract position on our website, and try to be as transparent as possible.

We can’t wait to hear from you!

Wilkening Consulting will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability or marital status, and will undertake or continue existing EEO programs to ensure that minority group members and women are afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination, and shall make and document its conscientious and active efforts to employ and utilize minority group members and women in its work force.