About Us

An exception among its peers, China Institute Gallery is the only major exhibition space in the United States that exclusively showcases Chinese art. Since 1966, the Gallery has been a New York cultural icon, and is one of the best destinations in our City for learning about Chinese art. Its trailblazing exhibitions--attended by local, national, and international audiences--covers all of the country's art forms and illuminates 5,000 years of Chinese history. Known for the originality of its thematic approach, the depth of its scholarship and the beauty of its presented artworks, China Institute Gallery is a symbol of excellence worldwide. Its scholarly publications and education initiatives expands the impact of its programming far beyond our Gallery’s doors.

Discover China Through Art (DCTA), China Institute Gallery’s innovative art education program, was created in 1992. DCTA serves K-12 schools, universities, senior populations, and the general public. Participants receive interactive docent-led gallery tours accompanied by informative video presentations and hands-on art workshops. Since 2020, the program has expanded its reach, offering its education workshops virtually and offsite.

About the Role:
China Institute Gallery seeks candidates for the position of Gallery Docent. After receiving training in exhibition content and reference materials, the docent will lead gallery tours and workshops tailored to meet the needs of the following: K-12 students; university students; senior groups, and general audiences. The program is usually comprised of a gallery talk, video presentation and hands-on art workshop. The docent will commit two hours for each DCTA program, to consist of preparation; content presentation (usually 60 to 90 minutes); and program wrap-up/cleanup. The docent will receive a flat fee for each DCTA session given.

Responsibilities include:

• Mastering exhibition content and background material
• Presenting each element of DCTA sessions (gallery talk, video presentation and hands-on workshop)
• The ability to modify DCTA sessions to serve specific age groups
• The ability to control a group as it progresses through the Gallery, especially as it relates to the safety of individual artworks
• Maintaining cleanliness in the Gallery and in art workshop classrooms

Hours:
This is a part-time position offered on an as-needed basis; the number of assigned tours depends on the number of tours booked.
For each specific tour and workshop offered (usually a minimum of three months), the docent is expected to make a commitment of two to eight days per month.

Generally, tours are held from 10:30am to 12:00 pm and from 1:30pm to 3:00 pm, Monday – Friday. Evening and weekend hours may also be required. Docents will be required to attend a half-day training session for each new exhibition and/or workshop design.

Qualifications:

• Ability to speak confidently and clearly before groups and online
• Flexibility to tailor tours depending on the ages of participants (especially in the K-12 age range)
• Willingness and eagerness to learn about Chinese art and culture
• Background in Asia Studies, Chinese History and Art preferred
• Prior teaching experience preferred
• Fluency in English required; fluency in Mandarin preferred
• Strong time management skills

How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected] with “Gallery Docent” in the subject line. No phone calls, please.

China Institute in America is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Minority/Female/Veteran/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.

China Institute seeks an experienced capital campaign and major gifts fundraiser with demonstrated success in identifying, cultivating and stewarding both capital campaign gifts ($100,000 and higher) and major gifts (ranging from $2,500 - $25,000+). The Director of Capital Campaign and Major Gifts will work closely with the President, Director of Development and Board of Trustees to set the next phase of the Capital Campaign schedule and drive the momentum in achieving the campaign goal. The Director will set and meet annual fundraising goals, serve as a front-line fundraiser for a portfolio of donors and prospects, and support Trustees and senior staff in their fundraising efforts during a period of ambitious growth for the organization.

This position reports to the Director of Development and works in close partnership with the President and other senior staff.

Responsibilities

• Capital Campaign:

  • In collaboration with the President, Director of Development, Board of Trustees, and Capital Campaign Committee oversee the planning and implementation of a multifaceted capital campaign through the identification of capital campaign prospects, development of cultivation strategies and acquisition of major gifts to reach established campaign revenue goals;
  • Working closely with the President, Director of Development and Capital Campaign Committee, develop a capital campaign strategy, managing all stages of the campaign through to completion;
  • Drive the Capital Campaign and deliverables; review and update pipeline; gift range and follow-up, track prospects and maintain timelines;
  • Manage the Capital Campaign committee, produce agenda and materials and ensure completion of action items for bi-weekly meeting;
  • Research and identify corporate, foundation and individual prospects;
  • Develop and execute targeted cultivation plans and solicitation strategies, including meeting requests, meeting follow up and preparation of proposals;
  • Prepare and provide campaign collateral for solicitations providing guidance and coaching when necessary including being present during solicitations when required;
  • Devise and direct cultivation and recognition events ensuring donor acknowledgement, stewardship and, as appropriate, public recognition;
  • Manage Capital Campaign budget tracking and reporting, both expenditure and contributed revenue;
  • Work collaboratively with the Director of Marketing to drive the development of the campaign's communications and collateral materials, including print, web and social media platforms;
  • Oversee process for gift recognition, correspondence, gift pledge payments & reminders, and proper implementation of naming opportunities.
  • Represent the organization at evening and weekend China Institute programs, lectures and at 3 annual Galas.

• Gifts

  • Create, implement, and manage a comprehensive major donor fundraising plan;
  • Create and implement strategies to achieve major gift goals through a multidimensional appeal schedule that utilizes a variety of mediums (e.g., electronic solicitation, direct mail appeals, face-to-face solicitations);
  • Manage a robust portfolio of individual donors by creating and executing strategies for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of current and new donors;
  • Conduct personal cultivation, briefing and solicitation meetings with individual prospects monthly in collaboration with the Director of Development;
  • Pro-actively fundraise for three key annual fundraising events through individual solicitations, in collaboration with the Director of Development and Events Department;
  • Develop key metrics and design effective processes and meaningful reports that identify current donor trends and measure team performance to inform future actions;
  • Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• At least seven (7) years’ experience and record of increasing responsibility in nonprofit development, preferably at a high-profile cultural institution;
• Demonstrated success as a Capital Campaign and front-line fundraiser, managing a portfolio of prospects and donors;
• Fluency in Chinese, knowledge of Chinese philanthropic community and China desired;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills as well as analytical skills;
• Proven ability to organize and manage multiple projects and tasks simultaneously, to work collaboratively, and to adapt quickly to changing priorities;
• Strong organizational skills and broad understanding of all functions of a development office;
• Possesses high competency in research tools and methodology;
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, able to meet tight deadlines, and work independently and collaboratively;
• Proficiency with Raiser's Edge, MS Office Suite, and Constant Contact and/or Mail Chimp.

To Apply, please email your cover letter and resume to [email protected]

China Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We All Live in the Forbidden City (WALFC) is a dynamic educational program about the history,
culture, architecture, and life of imperial China as seen through the lens of Beijing’s Forbidden City, one of the world’s most fascinating landmarks.

We are looking for energetic, creative, and dedicated adults to work with children in grades 3-5 in a series of thematic workshops about the Forbidden City.

Specific Responsibilities

• Study and implement WALFC lesson plans for the children’s workshops
• If needed, tailor lessons and activities so that they are appropriate to students with various abilities
• Review program work plans with the WALFC Children’s Workshop Consultant and Program Coordinator for effective implementation
• Evaluate the effectiveness of workshops and activities
• Create a fun and safe learning environment
• Instruct students on the safe and proper use of supplies and equipment, when applicable
• Maintain classroom order
• Interact professionally and appropriately with parents, teachers, and staff

Qualifications:

• B.A. or M.A. in Childhood Education, East Asian Studies, Drama, Dance, History, or related fields
• 1 to 2 years of prior teaching experience preferred, especially with school aged children in an academic or recreational setting
• Ability to speak before both large and small groups, and to articulate ideas in a clear, animated and dynamic manner
• Strong interest in Chinese culture
• Ability to speak, write, and read in Mandarin Chinese desired
• Some knowledge of Chinese imperial history preferred
• Prior experience working with diverse cultures will be useful; ability to respect, value and honor diversity of children and families a must
• Ability to independently supervise a class size of 15-20 students
• Strong time management skills
• Willingness to travel to schools, libraries, and institutions in the five boroughs; occasional trips out-of-state to conduct workshops at special events
• Ability to work flexible hours, especially in the afternoon; occasional work on weekends

This is a freelance position on an as-needed basis. The number of workshops assigned to an instructor is dependent on the number of workshops scheduled. Generally,
workshops will be one-hour long and will be held in the afternoon.

Compensation Type

Instructors will be paid a set rate per workshop. Travel-related costs will
be covered for workshops held outside New York City.

China Institute in America is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

To Apply:

Send cover letter and resume to [email protected] with “WALFC Instructor: YOUR LAST NAME” in subject line.

No phone calls please. Only those candidates considered for an interview will be contacted

The China Institute Children and Youth Programs is offering internship opportunities for reliable and self-motivated college-level students and recent graduates. Interns primary focus will be on the We All Live in the Forbidden City (WALFC), a dynamic educational program about the history, culture, architecture, and life of imperial China as seen through the lens of Beijing’s Forbidden City, one of the world’s most fascinating landmarks.

Interns will see how a non-profit educational and cultural institution operates from the inside by working closely with staff at China Institute, receiving practical training in program development.

Specific Responsibilities

• Create and develop kid-friendly activities related to the Forbidden City
• Support preparations for the WALFC workshops in classroom and online
• Assist workshop marketing effort including social media and post-workshop evaluation
• Other administrative support as needed.

Education and prior experience most suited for this internship:

• College students, recent graduates, and graduate students in humanities, education, or marketing
• Previous teaching experience a plus
• Excellent attention to detail
• Reliable self-starter and problem-solver who is able to plan independently to meet deadlines
• Flexibility and ability to multi-task
• Friendly personality
• Ready to commute to schools within all boroughs of New York City Skill and experience using social media as a marketing tool
• Proficiency using photography and video equipment a strong plus

Candidates are required to commit to a minimum of 12 weeks and at least 8 hours a week. Availability during the weekends may be requested.

China Institute sponsors OPT for future employment opportunities upon performance evaluation.

China Institute in America is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

To Apply:

Send cover letter and resume to [email protected] with “WALFC Intern: YOUR LAST NAME” in subject line.

No phone calls please. Only those candidates considered for an interview will be contacted.

School of Chinese Studies China Institute in America, a non-profit, non-partisan, educational, and bi-cultural organization based in NYC, is seeking experienced part-time Mandarin teachers for its Children and Youth program. Grouped by ages two and up, children learn a dynamic mix of Chinese language and culture through a whole language approach in active classroom environments. Classes are taught using simplified characters.

Successful candidates should be native speakers of Chinese who have teaching experience using simplified characters and who have a very good command of spoken English. They should be vivacious in the classroom and eager to nurture children’s learning and growth. They must feel comfortable creating their own unit plans, lesson plans and finding materials to suit classroom needs, levels, and abilities. Teaching assignments may entail classroom teaching or private tutoring and may be onsite, offsite in other schools, or in students’ homes.

Qualifications:

• Educational background in Early Childhood Education, Childhood Education, Teaching Chinese as a Second Language, Bilingual Education, Applied Linguistics, or related areas
• Native proficiency level in spoken and written Chinese
• Previous teaching experience of children in group settings in the U.S.
• A good command of using simplified Chinese characters
• Fluency in spoken English

To apply, please send cover letter and CV, including employment authorization status, to:
Yonglian Xiao
Director of Children & Youth Program
School of Chinese Studies
Email: [email protected]

China Institute
100 Washington Street
New York, NY 10006

China Institute is an equal opportunity employer.

School of Chinese Studies at China Institute in America, a non-profit, non-partisan, educational, and bi-cultural organization based in NYC, is seeking experienced part-time instructors to teach introductory courses on Chinese culture and/or business etiquette to non-Chinese adult students with a variety of professional or corporate backgrounds.

Qualifications:
• B.A. degree minimum, majoring in history, sociology, anthropology, economics, political science with a focus on China or East Asian preferred;
• Excellent presentation and speech skills in English with a good command of spoken and written Chinese language;
• Familiarity with Chinese culture in corporate/business settings;
• Knowledge of differences between US-China corporate/business practices;
• Previous experiences in managing group classes and engaging dynamic discussions with adult students;
• Working experience in corporate/business sectors in the US preferred.

Please send cover letter and CV, including employment authorization status, to:
Wanling Zhang
Associate Director of Education
School of Chinese Studies

China Institute
100 Washington Street
New York, NY 10006
Email: [email protected]
China Institute is an equal opportunity employer.

China Institute in America, a non-profit, non-partisan, educational, and bi-cultural organization based in NYC, is seeking experienced Mandarin teachers within the tri-state region for its Adult Language Program. Positions currently available include teachers for our group classes, and tutors for our private and corporate tutoring programs.

Successful candidates should be native speakers of Chinese who speak standard Mandarin with clear diction and who have a good command of spoken English. They should be comfortable with dealing with students from diverse backgrounds within the business world and private sector; be presentable in appearance and disposition; punctual; enthusiastic in their instruction and, for private tutoring, must be able to choose materials suited for each students’ needs, level, and abilities. Minimum educational requirement: B.A. degree.

Group classes are held onsite at China Institute. All classes use pinyin and simplified characters. Most tutoring assignments are offsite and held at our students’ office or home with some assignments taking place onsite at China Institute. Competitive hourly wage available. Applicants must have permission to work.

Please send cover letter and CV, including resident status, to:

Wanling Zhang
Associate Director of Education
School of Chinese Studies

China Institute
100 Washington Street
New York, NY 10006

Email: [email protected]

China Institute is an equal opportunity employer.

No phone calls please. Only those candidates considered for an interview will be contacted.