Job Description:

Position Title: Donor & Museum Relations Project Manager

Position Type: Full-Time (Temporary; 6 Month Project Appointment)

FLSA Classification: Exempt 

Department: Donor & Museum Relations

Reports to: Donor & Museum Relations Manager  

Date Reviewed: February 2026 

About Crystal Bridges & The Momentary:

Crystal Bridges is a museum of American art located in Bentonville, Arkansas. We explore the unfolding story of America by actively collecting, exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving outstanding works that illuminate the American heritage and artistic possibilities. Founded by Alice Walton in 2005, the museum opened in 2011 and is a public, non-profit charitable organization with free admission.

The Momentary is a contemporary art space that opened to the public on February 22, 2020, in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas. The Momentary is a venue for the music, art, and food of our time, and a catalyst for creativity and economic vitality. An extension to Crystal Bridges, the Momentary is a ‘living room’ where community gathers to be inspired, connected, and joyful. You belong here: make the most of this moment.

Position Summary:

The Donor & Museum Relations Project Manager will serve as the central project lead for the 2026 Expansion Opening Celebrations. This role is responsible for driving execution across multiple high-visibility donor events, ensuring accountability across departments and external vendors, and eliminating bottlenecks that delay progress.

Reporting to the Donor & Museum Relations Manager, this position does not supervise staff but carries responsibility and authority to coordinate cross-functional teams and hold partners accountable to timelines and deliverables. The Project Manager will oversee production schedules, vendor coordination, executive approval flows, budget tracking, risk mitigation, and system-of-record management.

This is a six-month, high-impact role designed to ensure disciplined execution during a defining institutional moment.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Serve as project lead for the Expansion Gala, maintaining centralized ownership of timelines, deliverables, and dependencies.
• Oversee production coordination with external vendors including production, AV, catering, and hospitality partners.
• Manage executive approval flows, sequencing materials and decisions to prevent bottlenecks.
• Maintain and monitor event budgets in partnership with department leadership.
• Oversee project management systems (including Asana or designated system-of-record platforms) to ensure clarity of ownership and deadlines.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive run-of-show documentation for all major events.
• Identify risks early and implement contingency planning.
• Facilitate structured, action-oriented meetings with cross-department stakeholders.
• Ensure clear communication between Advancement, Marketing, Operations, Finance, Curatorial, and external contractors.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Support execution and production oversight for the Founder’s Reception and Sponsor Brunch.
• Coordinate logistics for VIP tours and donor hospitality in alignment with expansion events.
• Contribute to the development of documentation and workflows that strengthen future event execution.
• Maintain the highest standards of discretion and professionalism when handling confidential donor information.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support departmental and institutional priorities.

Qualifications and Skills:

Education, Training, and Traits

• Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, project management, hospitality, or related field preferred.
• Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to drive progress in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.
• Strong executive presence and discretion.

Work Experience

• Minimum of 5–10 years of experience in large-scale event production, capital campaign openings, civic events, political campaign operations, presidential libraries, or comparable high-visibility environments.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects.
• Experience overseeing vendor contracts and budget tracking.
• Proficiency with project management software and workflow systems.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

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.

Physical demands:

• Mobility & Stamina: Overseeing large-scale event production (Gala, Founder’s Reception, VIP tours) requires significant time on your feet, walking through museum galleries, and moving between event sites.
• Event Setup Oversight: While you aren't moving furniture, you’ll be on-site coordinating with AV, catering, and hospitality vendors, which involves active, physical presence during long production days.
• Standard Office Tasks: Managing systems like Asana and tracking budgets implies extended periods of sitting and computer use.

Work Environment:

• High-Pressure & Fast-Paced: Described as a "high-impact" and "deadline-driven" environment during a "defining institutional moment.
• Hybrid Setting: You will fluctuate between a professional office environment (meetings with Finance, Marketing, and Curatorial) and active "field" work at event venues and construction expansion sites.
• Stakeholder Interaction: The role requires a high "executive presence" as you'll be interacting with VIP donors, executive leadership, and external contractors simultaneously.
• Non-Traditional Hours: Large-scale events like Galas and Receptions typically involve working evenings and weekends as the opening date approaches.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States.

Crystal Bridges is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.