Marketing and Media Relations Specialist

The museum

Museum Van Loon is one of the most beautiful and most-visited historic houses in the Netherlands. This unique complex, comprising a canal-side mansion, interior, collection, garden, and coach house, is located on Amsterdam’s Keizersgracht. The collection was assembled over the centuries by the Van Loon family, Amsterdam’s regent family, and the house opened to the public in 1973. Museum Van Loon attracts approximately 80,000 visitors annually and is open 7 days a week from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. In September 2023, we will celebrate our 50th anniversary!

The museum is run by a dynamic team, where hard work, camaraderie, and having fun go hand in hand. The historic museum buildings and the permanent collection serve as the starting point for the museum’s work; by presenting multifaceted narratives centered on the collection, the location, and family history, Museum Van Loon aims to be an open house with a welcoming atmosphere, where the most diverse audience possible can feel at home. In recent years, the museum has made significant strides in this regard with programming such as “Along the Surinamese Canals” (2019), “Va Pensiero: The Euphrates and Its Stories” (2021), “Between Gaasp & Gracht – Stories from Two Neighborhoods” (2022), and more recently, “Who Says So? Giving History a Place Together” (2023).

Museum Van Loon presents temporary exhibitions in the categories of Heritage, Contemporary Art, and Art History. Exhibitions are regularly developed in a participatory manner. In addition to exhibitions, we program and produce numerous public activities, including major events such as Opera in the Canal Garden and Museum Night. Through our educational programs, we are reaching an ever-growing number of elementary school students, vocational students, the blind and visually impaired, and other target groups. Through our online and offline marketing and press communications, we reach a wide variety of visitor groups from the Netherlands and abroad, who are becoming increasingly younger and more diverse.

In this context, and to further strengthen the multifaceted connection between our audience and our programming, we would like to welcome a new colleague to our team in the role of Marketing and Media Relations Specialist

The position

The Marketing and Press Communications Officer is responsible for developing and implementing marketing and PR policies to continuously strengthen the museum’s positioning, as well as for the communication plans for the entire programming. This all-around marketing and PR professional also develops and executes press strategies aimed at generating (international) free publicity, including serving as a spokesperson. Social media and offline marketing, CRM, audience research, dedicated newsletters, and the production (or commissioning) of campaign materials: these are all part of the daily responsibilities of the PR & Marketing Communications Officer. This also includes maintaining contacts with tour operators, the travel industry, and other tourism organizations. Our new colleague will manage the museum’s existing network of (press) contacts and expand it. Key outcomes include establishing a recognizable brand positioning and optimizing ticket sales. The Press & Marketing Communications Officer reports to the Manager of Audience, Participation & Education.

Our ideal candidate:

• has several years of experience developing PR and marketing policies and plans at a cultural institution, can translate these into communication and marketing plans tailored to specific target audiences, and can implement them
• is able to contribute strategic insights regarding the museum’s positioning and how to articulate it
• is highly skilled at translating substantive content into PR and marketing materials, including press releases
• has experience with media relations and acting as a spokesperson, brings their own network of (media) contacts to the table, and enjoys pushing the boundaries of ambition and results in the area of free publicity
• is well-versed in social media and offline marketing, CRM, audience research, newsletters, etc., preferably with experience working at a cultural institution
• is a creative writer (in Dutch and English), given the extent to which substantive ideas must be captured in communications.
• Basic proficiency in using a design program such as InDesign is a plus.
• has an affinity for a multifaceted approach to art, heritage, storytelling, the public, and public participation, and is able to promote this
• is flexible, hands-on, a good communicator, and able to handle stress, even in our fast-paced environment where you’ll be working closely with our visitors
• has at least a bachelor's degree and/or demonstrable work experience at this level

Terms of Employment

Compensation is based on competitive primary and secondary employment conditions, in accordance with the museum’s internal job classification system. For more information about the position, please contact Wandana Biekram, Manager of Public Engagement, Participation & Education (wandanabiekram@museumvanloon.nl). Please send your brief cover letter and resume to this same email address by Wednesday, July 26, 2023. The first round of interviews will take place during the weeks of July 31 and August 7. The second round of interviews will take place during the week of August 21, after which we aim to complete the hiring process by the end of August.