The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) in Springfield, IL, combines rigorous scholarship and ground-breaking showmanship to connect the public with the life, times, and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln. The museum serves local, state, national, and international audiences.

 

The ALPLM is seeking an energetic and experienced Director of Education (Senior Public Service Administrator Option 1) to lead the institution’s educational programs and initiatives and serve as a key member of the senior management team. The Director of Education will provide leadership and vision to create and implement engaging educational offerings that foster lifelong learning. The scope of responsibilities includes school programs, teacher engagement, public programs, special events, civic engagement, on-line resources, on-site children’s area, and partnerships with other educational institutions and organizations. The Director of Education will work collaboratively both within the institution and with external partners and constituencies.

 

Responsibilities:

• Develops an education program strategy, and plans and executes a wide range of educational programming for diverse audiences.

• Ensures educational programs are aligned with educational standards and best practices in museum education. Collaborates with the exhibition division and others to determine exhibit content and link content to current educational standards and best practices.

• Works in collaboration with other members of the ALPLM senior management team to develop educational programs related to the ALPLM’s permanent and changing exhibitions and extensive collections related to Illinois history.

• Identifies, develops, and maintains relationships and facilitates ongoing communication with academic institutions, K-12 educators, civic organizations, public and private organizations, and other educational organizations and institutions.

• Maintains a strong, visible profile for the ALPLM within the teaching community.

• Serves as an effective spokesperson for the ALPLM to educational and academic communities and civic organizations.

• Oversees the children’s area in the museum.

• Identifies opportunities to leverage innovative technology to achieve educational goals and objectives.

• Supervises education staff and administers all aspects of the Education Division.

• Develops budgets and oversees expenditures of the Education Division.

• Identifies opportunities to seek outside grants to support educational initiatives and facilitates development of grant proposals.

• Evaluates education and best practices; informal learning and audience evaluation; instructional methods and teaching techniques, organizational planning, and educational standards and principles.

• Must have strong leadership and communication skills and the ability to work in a collaborative team environment.

 

Minimum Requirements:

Requires a four-year college degree (post-graduate degree preferred), with extensive coursework in museum studies and administration, curriculum development, history, teaching and/or education. Requires prior experience equivalent to three years of progressively responsible experience in teaching and/or education administration, particularly in the areas of early childhood development and youth education or museum education. Requires two years’ experience in the supervision and management of subordinate staff. Requires two years’ experience in grant administration, including seeking grant opportunities and writing, reviewing, securing and administering private and public funded grants.

 

Requires knowledge of: 1) instructional methods and training techniques, including curriculum design principles, learning theory, group and individual teaching techniques, design of individual development plans, and test design principles; 2) informal learning practices and audience evaluation; 3) principles and processes involved in business and organizational planning, coordination, and execution with diverse audiences; 4) proper staff utilization and employee motivation and development processes; 5) media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods including alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media; 6) principles and processes for providing customer and personal services, including needs assessment techniques, quality service standards, alternative delivery systems, and customer satisfaction evaluation techniques.

 

Requires ability to: 1) develop and manage a supportive and innovative agency program; 2) analyze administrative problems and adopt an effective course of action; 3) develop, install and evaluate new and revised methods, procedures and performance standards; 4) exercise judgment and discretion in developing, implementing and interpreting departmental policies and procedures; 5) estimate and budget for future needs and costs of personnel, space, equipment, supplies and services; 6) identify, develop and maintain strong cooperative and collaborative working relationships; 7) remain positive and flexible when encountering any unusual situations or changing priorities; 8) effectively communicate information and ideas in orally and in writing so others will understand; 9) read and understand information and ideas presented in writing, to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences and to speak clearly so that it is understandable to a listener. Requires valid Illinois drivers’ license.

 

Work Hours:

8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday; however, the Museum is in full operation 7 days per week. This is an exempt appointment with high level authority and responsibility which will require additional work times and hours, including weekends, evenings and holidays.

 

Work Location:

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum

112 N. 6th Street

Springfield, IL 62701 Agency Contact:

Dawn DeFraties, Human Resources Director

Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

313 S. 6th Street

Springfield, IL 62701

(217) 785-7948

Dawn.DeFraties@Illinois.gov

 

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Illinois Human Rights Act, state agencies must ensure that the employment process is accessible to persons with disabilities. Specifically, these laws require that the State provide reasonable accommodation upon request by individuals participating in all steps of the employment process.

 

How to Apply:

NOTE: This position is exempt from the Personnel Code and is at will. Submit a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information for three references

to:

Dawn DeFraties, IHPA HR Director

313 S. 6th Street

Springfield, IL 62701

(217) 785-7948

Submissions may be delivered via e-mail to Dawn.DeFraties@Illinois.gov. For full consideration, applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 28, 2014.