Engagement type: Freelance Consultancy, 4 months starting November 01- February 27

Location: Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Reporting to: Founding Chairwoman and Deputy Director

About the Role

PATI is delivering SITE Jodhpur 1.0 (29 January – 21 February 2027), a major international site-specific exhibition and public programme bringing curators,collectors, gallerists, diplomatic representatives, cultural institution heads, and highnet-worth patrons to Jodhpur. The VIP Patrons Programme is central to the exhibition's success — driving sponsorship relationships, international visibility, and long-term patron cultivation for PATI.

Given the scale of VIP engagement across the preview weekend (29–31 January 2027) and the full run of the exhibition, PATI requires a dedicated VIP Programme Manager to lead the planning, execution and stewardship of this workstream on a focused 4-month consultancy basis.

Purpose of the Role

To design, coordinate, and deliver a seamless and high-impact VIP experience for patrons, sponsors, curators and dignitaries associated with SITE Jodhpur 1.0, strengthening PATI's relationships with existing supporters and cultivating new patron and sponsorship pipelines.

Key Responsibilities

‍ ‍ 1. VIP Programme Design & Strategy

• Finalise and refine the VIP programme brochure and itinerary for the preview weekend (29–31 January 2027), building on the existing curatorial throughline.

• Design a tiered patron engagement framework (e.g., founding patrons,sponsors,curators/press, diplomatic guests) with differentiated hospitality and access levels.

• Plan touchpoints across the full exhibition run (29 Jan–21 Feb 2027), not only the opening weekend, to sustain engagement for patrons visiting at different times.
  
  2. Guest Management & Logistics
  
  Create the master VIP guest list: invitations, RSVPs, travel and accommodation coordination, ground transport, and protocol requirements.

• Work with Operations team for hotels, venues, drivers, and vendors in Jodhpur to ensure a polished, error-free guest experience.

• Coordinate with the curatorial and exhibitions team on private walkthroughs, artist meet-and-greets, and studio/site visits.

• Manage protocol and sequencing for dignitaries, diplomatic representatives, and lead sponsors (seating, precedence, security liaison where relevant).
  
  3. Sponsor & Patron Relations

• Serve as the primary relationship point for VIP sponsors and patrons during the programme period, ensuring commitments in the sponsorship prospectus are visibly honoured.

• Work with the Exhibitions & Partnerships team to identify stewardship opportunities that convert one-time attendance into ongoing patronage.

• Support post-event follow-up: thank-you communications, feedback capture, and handover notes for continued cultivation beyond the consultancy period.
  
  4. Cross-Team Coordination

• Coordinate closely with the social media/communications calendar to ensure VIP moments are appropriately (and discreetly, where required) documented and promoted.

• Align with the legal/partnerships track (MOUs, gallery relationships) where VIP guests intersect with represented artists or galleries.

• Brief and manage on-ground hospitality staff/volunteers during the preview weekend and key exhibition dates.

• Work cross-board with the Media Relations Manager and Partnership Coordinators as necessary, ensuring VIP-related communications and partner commitments are aligned across teams.
  
  5. Budget & Reporting

• Manage the VIP programme budget in coordination with the Deputy Director, tracking spend against the sponsorship prospectus commitments.

• Provide a final report at the end of the engagement covering guest attendance, patron feedback, sponsor satisfaction, and recommendations for SITE Jodhpur 2.0.
  
  Deliverables
  
  Finalised VIP programme itinerary and briefing documents (preview weekend + full run)

• Managed guest list with confirmed logistics for all VIP attendees

• On-ground execution of VIP hospitality, 29–31 January 2027 and key dates through 21 February 2027

• Sponsor/patron stewardship touchpoints documented and actioned

• End-of-engagement report with patron cultivation recommendations
  
  Duration & Commitment
  
  Term:* 4 months (approx. November 2026 – March 2027, to cover pre-event planning, live delivery and post-event stewardship)

• Intensity: Full-time equivalent during the peak period (mid-January–February 2027); part-time/flexible in preparatory and wind-down phases

• Location: Based in Jodhpur; no travel required
  
  Ideal Candidate Profile
  
  Arts management background: demonstrated experience in exhibition production, cultural institution management, or gallery/museum operations, able to speak knowledgeably with curators, collectors, and artists.

• Multilingual: fluent in English and Hindi required; working proficiency in French and/or Marwari strongly preferred, given PATI's international, diplomatic, and local stakeholder base.

• VIP management: proven track record managing high-profile guests, patrons, sponsors, diplomats, collectors, including protocol, precedence, and discretion insensitive situations.

• Coordination: strong cross-functional organisational skills, able to manage multiple moving parts (logistics, vendors, budgets, guest lists) across several stakeholder groups at once, calmly and under time pressure.

• Communication: excellent written and verbal communication skills; polished, diplomatic, and confident representing PATI to high-profile guests and institutional partners.
  
  Compensation
  To be determined based on experience and scope, consultancy retainer structured across the 4-month term, with terms to be finalised in the consultancy agreement.
  
  How to Apply

• Please send the following to inquiries@publicartstrustofindia.org with the subject line:

• Application: VIP Programme Manager (Consultancy)