Awards Specialist

Position: Awards Specialist

Reporting to: Awards Manager

Location: Bentonville, AR

Salary Range: $55,800-$69,800

About Art Bridges Foundation

Art Bridges Foundation is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton. Since 2017, Art Bridges has created and supported projects that bring outstanding works of American art out of storage and into communities. Art Bridges partners with a growing network of over 200 museums of all sizes and locations on nearly 900 projects—impacting more than 5.3 million people across 49 states and Puerto Rico—to provide financial and strategic support for exhibition development, collection loans, and programs designed to educate, inspire, and deepen engagement with local audiences. The Art Bridges Collection represents an expanding vision of American art from the 19th century to present day and encompasses multiple media and voices. For more information, visit artbridgesfoundation.org.

About the Position

The Awards Specialist requires a collaborative, detail-oriented, and diplomatic professional who will work independently as well as consult on award activities, correspond with awardees regarding proposals, prepare and review reports, and organize materials for Award Review Meetings with colleagues across the foundation. Preferred candidates will be passionate about expanding access to art with skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, research, writing, and building interpersonal relationships. The Awards Specialist should possess intellectual curiosity, imagination, flexibility, and openness to giving and receiving feedback. They will be interested in American art, community engagement, and social equity. The Awards Specialist will be able to work with diverse partners, listen, ask questions, adapt, and collaborate.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of awards, including identifying efficiencies for project teams to consider and advising partners on the preparation and revision of narrative and financial components of applications and final reports
• Participate in and lead meetings with partners interested in Art Bridges funding
• Conduct routine award management—including award reports and requests for modifications, extensions, and transfers—execute appropriate follow-up and alert project team to unresolved challenges
• Manage awardee and stakeholder relationships with integrity and authenticity
• Prepare, process, track, and audit internal award-related documents such as applications, dockets, award letters, and payment documentation
• Conduct awardee due diligence and create documentation to support a variety of Art Bridges programs
• Gather relevant information about potential and existing partners, including organizational details, performance metrics, and compatibility factors, to create comprehensive profiles for review and decision-making
• Populate award-reporting forms, templates, and update information in various foundation databases such as Asana, Salesforce, and other digital asset management platforms
• Utilize digital project management tools and collaborate cross-departmentally to drive efficient award processing and cross-organizational information flows
• Assist with general department correspondence, requests for information, creation and updating of files and records, follow-up reports, etc.
• Attend regular department, division, foundation, and partner meetings
• Stay informed about best practices in philanthropy and the arts sector
• Other projects as assigned

Attributes that Support Your Success

• An interest in joining an organization that is evolving and poised to have a major impact on the museum field
• An interest in art and its power to transform lives
• Creativity, flexibility, and curiosity
• Ability to anticipate and solve problems proactively
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to mediate diverse opinions to address shared needs
• High degree of initiative and discretion

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree with coursework in business, nonprofit management, art history, museum studies, or related field
• Experience in and knowledge of philanthropic, nonprofit, and/or business standards and topics
• Minimum three years’ work experience, preferably in an office environment, interacting with both internal and external clients
• A high degree of competency in the Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
• Experience with or ability to quickly learn specialized project and client management platforms, including Asana and Salesforce
• Strong organizational and analytical skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Responsive and personable communications, both written and verbal, with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to be flexible, think critically and exercise discretion and independent judgment
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities with strong attention to accuracy and detail
• Demonstrated capacity to work as part of a team, as well as independently
• Ability to understand and maintain the highest levels of confidentiality

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: Position requires utilizing a computer and telephone for prolonged periods of time, good eye/hand coordination, verbal and written conversation with others, and lifting/carrying up to 10 lbs. Vision abilities required by the job include close vision. 

Work environment: Work will be performed in an office environment full-time. The noise level in the work environment is typically low to moderate. Some overnight travel may be necessary on occasion.