Rights Coordinator Jobs

About MoMA’s Publications Program:

The Museum of Modern Art’s publications program has been an integral part of the Museum’s mission since its founding in 1929. MoMA publications represent the range and diversity of the Museum’s collections and programming and serve as valuable resources for scholars, students, and art lovers alike.

The Department of Publications produces 20 to 40 books annually, including new titles, co-publications, foreign-language editions, facsimile editions, and reprints. MoMA’s award-winning, globally distributed publications range from exhibition catalogues and collection highlights to scholarly resources and children’s books.

Position summary:

MoMA’s Publications Department is currently accepting applications for a Rights Coordinator to support the procurement of intellectual-property rights for the Museum’s publications and, when applicable, exhibitions.

Specific responsibilities include:

Image Research, Rights, and Permissions

• Negotiates permissions rates and terms of agreement with rights holders and photo archives.
• Acts as Museum’s point-person for procuring image rights and permissions for 20–25 publications per year.
• Leads and updates rights clearance training sessions on a one-on-one basis for curatorial staff, new hires, and interns.
• Works with the Museum’s Imaging and Visual Resources Department and outside photographers to coordinate imaging and scanning for publications.
• Works closely with MoMA curatorial departments and Publications staff, artists and estates, rights agencies, and individual rights holders to research and secure image rights for select MoMA publications.
• Drafts image captions and photo credits.

Foreign Rights

• Manages database of past and present foreign edition projects.
• In support of licensing efforts, drafts contracts and maintains correspondences.
• Handles yearly royalty tracking for licensed editions.
• Updates and maintains physical and digital contract files.

Author and Freelance Contracts and Payments

• Using the internal contract management system, drafts and manages contracts for internal and external authors and, as needed, photographers, translators, and other Publications-related freelancers.
• Processes payments for Publications-issued contracts.
• Routinely works with General Counsel to update contracts as needed.

Text Permissions

• Processes permissions and generates licenses and invoices for third parties.
• Periodically audits and revises text permission fee structure to maintain industry standard.
• Monitors incoming text permission requests.

• Performs any other duties, including administrative, reasonably related to the functions described above.

Requirements:

• Strong communication, organizational, writing, and administrative skills.
• Experience with clearing text and/or image rights for publications.
• Ability to balance multiple projects with competing demands and short deadlines.
• Firm grasp of the main elements of US copyright law, public domain, and fair-use policy.
• Basic understanding of digital-imaging standards and formats.
• Minimum of two years relevant experience in museum or visual arts publishing.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Google suite, and certain elements of Adobe Suite (InDesign, Photoshop). Familiarity with TMS and digital-asset management systems.
• Capacity to think independently and creatively.
• Overall understanding of the publication process, including scheduling and production.

Reports to: Business and Marketing Director, Publications

Salary: The current salary for this position is $55,000 per annum

Application instructions: To apply, please visit MoMA Jobs. Applicants should submit a resume and a statement of interest. Applications without cover letters will not be considered.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement: Equal Employment Opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at the Museum, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital and civil partnership/union status, alienage or citizenship status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, unemployment status, familial status, domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking victim status, caregiver status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, or any other protected category as established by applicable law, including the New York City Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”).

This is a unionized position at MoMA with covered employees represented by Local 2110, UAW, AFL-CIO.