Museum Education and Volunteer Manager [El Rancho de las Golondrinas Living History Museum, Santa Fe, NM]

Description

The Museum Education and Volunteer Manager will craft dynamic and engaging interpretive strategies and education programs for exhibitions, buildings and grounds. Reporting to the Director of Education and Collections (DEC), the Museum Education and Volunteer Manager will think broadly about collection interpretation, the role of public tours, K-12 tours, event programming, and exploring ways to offer new and diverse perspectives on history for our visitors. This position will provide leadership for the museum’s large and growing corps of Volunteer Historical Interpreters, while working closely with the Director of Education and Collections and Program and Volunteer Coordinator. This position will interact collaboratively with staff and volunteers while engaging the greater Santa Fe community.

The Museum Education and Volunteer Manager will organize the use of volunteer service in all areas of the Museum.  This position will recruit, interview, place, evaluate and supervise all volunteers.  This role will also plan and conduct regular orientation and continuing education, as well as track statistics and develop department strategies.

The successful candidate must be a caring “people person” with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team, be detail-oriented and have excellent writing and communications skills.   The candidate must have Certification in Volunteer Administration (CVA) or must obtain certification within 12 months of hire.
Duties/Essential Functions:

• Evaluate programs, policies and procedures. Identify issues, and develop alternative solutions that may include changes to programs, policies and procedures.
• Review and analyze trends to advise and develop recommendations to achieve or modify the goals of the program.
• Be the primary presenter of programs at the museum and in outreach situations.
• Develop and implement an outreach strategy

Specific roles and responsibilities include:
Public tour programs

• Manage Volunteer Historical Interpreter program
• Train new and continuing Interpreters
• Update training methods, protocols, guidelines based on new research
• Research, write, compile new training guides
• Review exhibit materials and work with (DEC) on Interpretation Narratives
• Manage Viva Mexico Festival

K-12 School program

• Create Curriculum, pre- and post visit materials, and Teacher Workshops to 4^th Grade History Standards
• Implement school tour offerings
• Oversee outreach to schools

Developmental projects as needed including visitor experience improvements, printed materials, Family Programs

Requirements

Required

• Master’s degree in Museum Studies or equivalent.
• Three to five years of experience as a Museum Educator and Volunteer Manager.
• Demonstrated understanding of best practices and standards of Museum Education and Volunteer Management:
  • Experience designing and implementing museum education programs and special programming
  • Experience writing to education standards
  • Experience writing exhibit narratives for volunteer interpreters
  • Experience with managing a large volunteer program and training volunteers in interpretation, new programing and exhibit narratives
• Excellent written, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Supervisory experience
• Understanding of the Internet and Social Media and their use in promoting the museum, its volunteer core and educational programs.

Preferred

• Experience in evaluating educational programs
• Experience in evaluating volunteer interpreters
• Familiarity with New Mexico history and collections
• Experience writing programs for interpretation of gardens and fields
• Fluent in Spanish

Additional Requirements

• Highly organized with the ability to work on several projects concurrently and handle standards for accuracy and quality.
• Able to work independently and maintain regular and timely attendance.
• Able to climb stairs, carry and lift 30 pounds, and stand or sit for extended periods of time.
• Able to work in dusty environments and outdoors.
• Able to work a non-traditional schedule including weekends and evenings.