Full-time Exempt
The salary range is $85,000 - $90,000 annually, based on skills and experience.
Application deadline: May 10
The Frick requires all employees be fully vaccinated and to have received booster vaccines against COVID 19.
Background
Opened to the public in 1935, The Frick Collection is a world-renowned art museum consisting of more than 1,800 works of art from the thirteenth to the nineteenth centuries displayed in the intimate surroundings of the former home of Pittsburgh industrialist Henry Clay Frick. It is considered one of the world’s most perfect museums, and the residence is one of New York City’s few remaining Gilded Age mansions. The Frick welcomes nearly 200,000 visitors a year to its tranquil mansion on the Upper East Side, encouraging visitors to closely observe, reflect, and engage with its esteemed collection.
The Frick Art Reference Library, founded by Mr. Frick’s daughter, Helen Clay Frick, in 1920, is an internationally recognized research library that serves as one of the world's most complete resources for the study of Western art.
Our entire staff ensures that the resources of The Frick Collection are made accessible and inviting to “all persons whomsoever,” in accordance with the wishes of the museum’s founder.
Since summer 2020, The Frick has been in a temporary home—Frick Madison—at 75th Street and Madison Avenue (the former Whitney Museum of American Art), while renovations are underway at the mansion on 70th Street. Construction has progressed rapidly and, in addition to special exhibition galleries, education spaces we have added enhanced visitor amenities and accessible spaces. Frick Madison is now closed to the public as we prepare our move back to 1 East 70th Street. It is imperative that we continue rehabilitation and maintenance of the gardens at 1 East 70th Street as we prepare to welcome the public back to the museum and grounds in the coming months.
At the Frick Collection, we pride ourselves on promoting an open and welcoming workplace culture that supports diversity and work-life balance. The Frick strives to provide our employees with competitive salaries and exceptional benefits in a beautiful and pleasant work setting, while offering an excellent opportunity to appreciate some of the world’s finest works of art.
Position Summary
Reporting to the Deputy Director and Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator, the Head of Gardens and Horticulture will manage and maintain the three gardens of The Frick Collection: the 5th Avenue Garden, the 70th Street Garden, and the Garden Court. This is a hands-on role; the candidate will plan and execute upkeep of the gardens in addition to planning and delivering programming around gardens and horticulture. The Head of Gardens and Horticulture will work with an array of internal constituents: Education, Conservation, External Affairs, Retail and Special Events, as well as Facilities and Engineering.
The Head of Gardens and Horticulture is responsible for maintenance of lawns, all potted plants, garden beds, and trees. They may be called upon to provide arranged flowers or plants in galleries, offices and for Special Events.
Employment Status and Compensation
This is a full-time exempt role.
The institution hosts events and special programs on evenings and weekends, the Head of Gardens and Horticulture is often relied upon to support and participate in these. Additionally, vendors/contractors for large scale garden maintenance projects may be scheduled outside of the regular business day. The Head of Gardens and Horticulture provides in-person management and oversight of these activities. Generally, there is no remote work option for this role aside from on a very occasional basis.
Requirements
The education and/or experience requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and ability required to successfully perform the essential duties of this position. However, we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying.
Qualified candidates of diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels.
- 2-4 years of hands-on horticultural and landscape design experience with in-depth knowledge of plant culture, maintenance, and identification in a botanical garden, museum, public garden, or similar institution.
- Horticultural or landscape design certification from a recognized horticultural institution or higher education program.
- Intuitive understanding of urban horticulture and the challenges that come with it.
- High school diploma or GED.
- Excellent public speaking skills or willingness to develop same.
- Budgeting and fundraising experience.
- Experience managing planting and care of flowering annuals, perennials, broad-leaf evergreens, ornamental trees.
- Excellent time management, organizational, and communication skills.
- Ability to interact with internal and external stakeholders at all levels with courtesy and professionalism.
- Computer literacy, excellent written communication skills including development and execution of technical needs and instructions as related to garden and plant maintenance.
- Established relationship/knowledge of horticultural and gardens services and suppliers.
- Interest and experience in garden/horticulture programming in museums or other cultural institutions. Strong interest in developing same for a variety of audiences.
- Team-player, willing to physically and intellectually collaborate on all tasks required for maintaining the highest standards of landscape management and operations, programs, development, and communications.
Additional useful experience
- Aquaculture and experience with water features, care of fish and water plants.
- Bi-lingual: English/Spanish.
- Experience with floral design.
- Ability to produce simple landscape drawings for planting areas.
Physical Requirements
The candidate must be able to perform the essential functions of the position and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.
- Physical requirements are comparable to most office roles in addition to the ability to physically maintain gardens and plantings.
- Ability to interact in-person with colleagues, vendors, and visitors.
- Use common office tools and machines (computer, phone).
- Ability to traverse throughout the office, building(s) and gardens both in and out-of-doors and visit different levels of the building.
- Ability to perform heavy, physical labor on a daily basis in all weather conditions (year-round).
- Ability to reach, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, and regularly lift and/or move 40 lbs. (plant material and equipment) with proper tools and care for plants that are low to the ground and elevated.
- Ability to transport and operate gardening equipment, including but not limited to: lawn mower, irrigation systems and hoses, wheelbarrow, rakes, shovels, and hoes.
Benefits in Employment with the Frick Collection
Paid Holidays: All full-time employees are eligible for 14 paid holidays, all federal holidays including Juneteenth, and Election Day. Including four floating holidays: two may be used in the first half of the calendar year, two may be used in the second half of the calendar year.
Sick and Vacation time: All eligible full-time employees accrue up to 12 sick and 12 vacation days their first year of employment. In subsequent years, eligible full-time employees accrue up to 12 sick days and 25 vacation days/year.
Family leave: In addition to adhering to all federal family leave laws, we provide all eligible employees with paid bereavement and family leave.
Health, Dental, and Vision insurance: All eligible full-time employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in employer-sponsored benefit plans. Employees contribute to the cost of health insurance based on income level and type of coverage selected.
Short- and Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance: The Frick covers the entire cost of these benefits for all eligible full-time employees. The life insurance benefit is up to three times the employee’s annual salary.
Retirement: The Frick supports all employees in planning for retirement. The Frick provides all eligible employees with a defined benefit pension plan, the value of this plan is equivalent to an additional 12% in compensation. Eligible employees may also choose to make additional contributions to The Frick's Tax Deferred Savings Plan – 403(b) plan.
Wellness Programs at the Frick include an Employee Assistance Plan, a discount on Citi Bike memberships, and a discount on bike helmets.
Additional benefits include discounted Metro Cards/Transit Checks, flexible spending accounts for health, dependent care, and commuting costs, and Seamless discount on days when working onsite.
Application Process
Apply here or send resume and cover letter to:
Chief Human Resources Officer
Frick Madison
30 East 75th Street
New York, NY 10021
No phone calls, please.
Equal Employment Opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at The Frick Collection, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, alienage or citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, military status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status or any other protected characteristic as established by law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment.