Job description

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the world’s finest museums, seeks an Educator in Charge, Public Programs and Engagement position.

More than 6.5 million people visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art each year. We find it critical to connect to broader more diverse audiences, increasing engagement and cultivating new relationships while nurturing existing ties. We also wish to utilize and positon our collection to encourage greater access and dialogue with and among scholars, artists, communities and families alike. This next chapter for the Met is guided by its mission and the strategies articulated in The Met’s 5 Year Strategy and the Education Department Re-Think (an overall visioning document realized in 2016). Key goals are to transform and expand access to The Met’s collections and expertise, engage a much broader range of people, and attain organizational and operational excellence.

The Museum seeks an experienced Education leader who will serve as a key programmatic partner for peers, the Chairman of Education and various departments throughout the museum and in communities. The Educator in Charge for Public Programs and Engagement occupies an important senior leadership role at The Met, supporting its mission to connect people to creativity, knowledge and ideas. This position reports directly to the Chairman of Education and a key focus for this individual will be to develop and oversee the area’s program strategy, budget, staff and resources, and successfully turn the strategy into operational reality.

As such, the successful candidate is responsible for strategic planning, conceptualization, development, and implementation of programs for all visitors, supervising staff for gallery programs, studio programs, programs for the disabled and other communities, and audience-specific programs. This person will set approaches and outcomes in consultation with the department head and will ensure their accomplishment through exceptional supervision and mentoring of direct reports and the development of strategic interdepartmental collaborations within the Museum, as well as outside partnerships that advance the quality and variety of programs.

The position oversees a newly developed division of the Education Department devoted to public programs, creative practice, scholarly presentations, accessibility, community engagement and audience development across the museum’s three sites. It also oversees program development for special exhibition and new installation.  This division will promote direct engagement with works of art; provide variety and diversity in the visitor experience; foster local, national, and international partnerships where possible.

The successful candidate brings innovative perspectives to the content and format of existing programs, and initiates new projects with the aim of engaging existing and broader constituencies in meaningful experiences. They will collaborate with appropriate staff to promote programs to target audiences. This person supervises staff and coordinates a broad array of Museum Education events which take place in a range of settings, and are intended to meet general adult, academic and specialized audience interests and needs. The position also oversees public gallery experiences and art making in order to ensure their interrelationship and relevance for museum users. They are also responsible for creating programs and outreach initiatives to make The Met a welcoming, accessible, and inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and abilities.  In this role, this person works to develop meaningful collaborations that result in high quality and creative programs inspired by exhibitions, the permanent collection, timely issues and special projects.

Key relationships: Senior Managing Educator, Academic Programs; Educator in Charge, Teaching and Learning;  General Manager, Operations, Communications, Administration; General Manager, Live Arts; Staff of curatorial and conservation departments; Development Department; Membership Department; Marketing, Communications and PR; Gallery Installations and Design; General Counsel, Special Events, Security and Visitor Services.

This is a permanent full-time position.

Primary Responsibilities and Duties:

  • The successful candidate will possess strong conceptual and strategic thinking skills, and the persuasive communication skills necessary to be a successful champion for one’s area of work and the Met as a whole. In particular, the Met is interested in candidates with the following experiences and competencies:
  • Depth of experience conceiving and managing a range of public, access, and scholarly programs and experiences
  • Proven leadership managing diverse teams
  • Ability to build and manage partnerships
  • Develop and implement strategic vision and goals for public and exhibition programs and lead evaluation efforts to determine success
  • Establish processes for program development that represent best practices, ensure smooth workflow, and maximize collaboration
  • Assess content, formats, and audiences of existing programs and propose innovations and initiatives to optimize offerings
  • Establish partnerships with key external organizations and/or leaders to develop dynamic collaborations, interdisciplinary approaches, and expanded audiences
  • Oversee the division’s annual budget, analyzing and making recommendations for programs, and working closely with the Chairman of Education and Development to secure program support
  • Supervise staff and instill high performance levels and accountability
  • Collaborate with other members of Education senior staff and with staff throughout the Museum
  • Represent the department head in high level meetings and external partnerships
  • Other related duties.

Requirements and Qualifications:

Experience and Skills:

  • 7-10 years’ experience in public, scholarly and engagement programs within an art museum
  • 5–7 years of demonstrated experience in community-based arts programming, museum education and gallery teaching as well as knowledge of disability law and regulations, museum access programming and contemporary artistic practice
  • Track record of developing an managing a per annual schedule of 50+ museum education and public programs related to special exhibitions, gallery rotations, access, community and special projects
  • Demonstrable record of effective negotiation and collaboration with diverse range of stakeholders within a large cultural institution and with outside partners and organizations
  • Demonstrable record of collaboration with development in fundraising initiatives for Education and public programs in a museum context
  • Strong, proven track record of developing and implementing high quality, innovative programs using original works of art in a museum setting
  • Strong, proven track record of attracting broad and diverse audiences
  • Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse range of stakeholders
  • Excellent budgeting and financial skills

Knowledge and Education:

  • M.A. in Art History, Museum Education, or other related field, or equivalent experience required; Ph.D. preferred
  • Exceptional organizational, oral, and written communication skills
  • Knowledge of current learning theories and pedagogies for general adult audiences
  • Knowledge of and experience with studio practice, contemporary artists, gallery teaching and pedagogy
  • Full familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite 2007/2010 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) required; familiarity with Microsoft Access 2007/2010 preferred

 

Please send cover letter, resume, and salary history tocareers@metmuseum.org with “Educator in Charge, Public Programs and Engagement” in the subject line.

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and national service alumni encouraged to apply.