Director of Education [Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh, PA]

Description

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

BACKGROUND

The Mattress Factory is a museum of contemporary art that presents art you can get into – room-sized,
site-specific environments, created by in-residence artists. Located in the historic Mexican War Streets of
Pittsburgh’s North Side since 1977. The Mattress Factory is one of the few museums of its kind anywhere.
The museum’s programs derive from a central focus on the creative process and its mission is to (1)
provide artists with an integrated residency and exhibition program, (2) educate and encourage visitors to
examine the relevance of art and creativity in their own lives and (3) energize its urban neighborhood
through its artistic and education programs.

Education programs use installation art as a point of departure for exploring a variety of learning
disciplines and resources. The museum is a national leader in developing educational programs for
students with a multi-disciplinary focus, creative problem solving, observation and critical thinking, all of
which are the basis of contemporary art practice.

PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Education Programs

• Sets the goals and target audiences for the Education Department, planning programming and making strategic partnerships that meet these goals.
• Supervises the Education Programs Coordinator and Outreach Coordinator and works to accomplish the goals of the Education Department and the museum as a whole.
• Plans, maintains and communicates museum-wide Accessibility Initiatives including trainings, audio guides, large-print guides, Braille guides and stays current with other accessibility needs and trends in the museum field.
• Develops, plans and implements innovative adult programming directly related to and inspired by current exhibitions and artists, including but not limited to films, performances, Art +
• Conversation, potlucks, pub crawls, etc.
• Conducts interviews with incoming artists for the museum archive, the audio guide and to use in training the Museum Educators and Education Team.
• Oversees and provides support for on-going weekend programming including ARTLab and Mini-Factory.
• Develops, plans, implements and evaluates Community Art Lab, a summer program for 7-13 year old students and Install: Afternoons @ The Factory, an after-school program for 3rd-5th graders.
• Hiring Teaching Artists, recruiting and communicating with families, organizing curriculum and supplies.
• Develops, plans and implements several family and community days throughout the year.
• Builds relationships with teachers in the area, planning School Partnerships and other programs as needed, including an annual Educator Open House.
• Plans regular trainings and professional development opportunities for Education Team and Museum Educators, including making sure Museum Educators are prepared for tours.
• Create, update and maintain relevant Educational materials including a Family Guide, Parent
• Guide and other information as needed.
• Oversee, mentor and guide the Outreach Coordinator and the Outreach Program, helping to create and maintain strategic partnerships.
• Oversee, mentor and guide the Outreach Coordinator and the Teen Art Cooperative and Summer Art Cooperative programs.
• Create new activities for online TOOLKIT and upload to archive.
• Works closely with Graphic Designer and Marketing Manager in creating Educational materials, updating website information, blog posts, etc.

Institutional Advancement

• Meets regularly with Executive, Marketing and Development Teams to assist with general grant writing and fundraising activities, including providing relevant programming data and program specific content for proposals and reports in assistance of fundraising efforts.
• Prepares presentations to relevant funders and donors, sharing program information and coordinating visits.

Administration and Financial Management

• Prepares, monitors, manages, and evaluates the annual Education Department budget.
• Supervises and provides academic reports to Education Interns’ institutions, as needed.
• Maintains and manages a variety of departmental contact lists.

Other

• Conducts research and stays current with trends in the field of museum education.
• Maintains regular contact with museum education colleagues, scholars and artists.
• Identifies, initiates, and deepens relationships with various community stakeholders.
• Represents the Mattress Factory to a variety of special constituencies (local, regional, and national) and to the public at large.
• Provides support to a variety of museum-wide programs, acting as an integral member of the Mattress Factory team.

REPORTS TO: President + Co-Directors

SUPERVISES: Education Programs Coordinator, Outreach Coordinator, Education Interns and Museum
Educators.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• M.A. in art or art history, with a concentration in contemporary art or an advanced degree in
• Museum Education or related field preferred.
• Experience teaching a wide variety of ages, audiences and settings.
• Wide knowledge and enthusiasm about contemporary art.
• Special and passionate interest in the place of contemporary art in civic life and a diverse community.
• Broad knowledge of current practices in art and museum education with a wide knowledge of the best thought-leaders and presenters in the field.
• Minimum of five years Museum experience in an art museum’s education department with a measurable level of achievement of institutional goals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to present information in a variety of formats, to understand present information to a variety of audiences, and to
• communicate the Mattress Factory’s mission and vision with passion and sensitivity.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a proven ability to work well with colleagues, other employees, artists, donors, and lenders.
• Record of strong management skills.
• Familiarity and experience with appropriate, current computer programs and technology.
• Willingness to work in a fast-paced collaborative environment.

TO APPLY:

Interested candidates should submit and cover letter and resume via e-mail to: education@mattress.org
with the subject line: DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION / YOUR NAME

Requirements