School & Teacher Programs Manager

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, Connecticut, seeks an experienced art education professional to join our Learning and Engagement Department staff. The Wadsworth offers extensive programming for schools that supports curricular learning for approximately 13,000 students in grades PreK to 12 and provides professional development opportunities for teachers inspired by the collections and exhibitions at the museum.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

• Develop and oversee a dynamic schedule of gallery and studio-based programs for grades PreK-12 that responds to the museum’s collections and exhibitions. Maintain and cultivate new partnerships within Hartford Public School system and throughout vicinity.
• Oversee Museum on the Move and Art & Writing programs, working closely with staff, docents, teachers and funders to assess and evolve programs. Prepare training and promotional materials.
• Manage exhibition development for annual Hartford Youth Art Renaissance with Hartford Public Schools on an annual basis along with Exhibition team. This includes coordinating reception and award ceremony and secondary summer display in partnership with Friends of Colt Park.
• Develop and manage resources and interpretive materials designed for schools and teachers, ensuring that all programs and resources align with current state and federal academic standards.
• Hire, onboard, and manage contractual teaching staff for Studio programs. Oversee scheduling for teaching artist staff in coordination with Group Tour Manager.
• Inventory, purchase, and preparation/maintain Studio Program materials
• Train Docent Council on program content for all grade levels
• Represent the museum at school and community events
• Maintain regular presence at docent trainings, docent annual meetings, and docent social events
• Teach all grades in galleries and at schools as needed.
• Actively promote museum programs to broader education community.

TEACHER PROGRAMS

• Develop, coordinate, and teach workshops, in-services, institutes and educator evenings, including all event management and teacher communication.
• Enlist and collaborate with teachers to design and assess new curricula.
• Serve as museum liaison to local school districts.

INTERPRETATION

• Work closely with cross-departmental teams and in some instances 1:1 with curator on exhibition development including devising visitor learning goals and outcomes, drafting funding proposals, and designing interpretive strategies.
• Draft, edit, and create interpretive content, including in-gallery interactives, for collections and special exhibitions as assigned.
• Train docents on exhibition content and learning goals when serving as educational liaison

ADMINISTRATION

• Work closely with Grants Manager to prepare program proposals, budgets and attendance reports for funders. Represent programs in person during meetings and program walk-throughs with major funders.
• Manage program budgets in coordination with office of Finance, providing projections on a regular basis and tracking spend downs
• Coordinate and conduct extensive school and teacher program evaluation and use findings to inform and evolve programs.
• Prepare quarterly and annual reports detailing activities.
• Work with Marketing and Communications to develop program promotion in print and online. Maintain mail and Constant Contact lists for targeted teacher and school administration.
• Serve on various museum-wide staff committees as needed.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree (preferred) in museum education, art education, museum studies, art history or related field
• Minimum 5 years of experience teaching in a museum, classroom, or comparable setting
• Strong knowledge of museum education theory and practice; familiarity with national and state teaching standards
• Experience with object/inquiry-based teaching and learning

Skills and Abilities

• Outgoing, diplomatic and perceptive with strong interpersonal skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team with staff and external associates
• Strong organization and project management skills, and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong budget management skills
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred
• Ability to work a flexible work schedule, including nights and minimal weekends
• Proficient with Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, and databases
• Digital email marketing (Constant Contact) preferred

WORKING CONDITIONS

Physical Demands

The physical requirements and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by a School and Teacher Programs Manager to successfully perform the essential functions of the job or may be encountered while performing the essential functions of this job.

Climate controlled art museum with display galleries, standard offices, café, library/archives, theater, museum shop, and other non-public spaces. Work is performed primarily indoors and occasionally outdoors, in lobbies, art display galleries, public spaces and non-public offices and storage areas. This position must also travel to schools. Compliance with Museum health and safety-related protocols is required.

This job operates in a clerical, office setting within a museum with both modern and historic architectural elements. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to receive oral and written instructions and to clearly communicate in person, over the telephone, through email and through other electronic means. Employee is required to move about the work area, ascend and descend stairs; and stand and/or sit for extended periods of time. The employee is occasionally required to lift, drag and/or move up to 15 pounds unassisted. The employee is required to visually or otherwise identify, observe, assess and differentiate dimension and color.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions to the extent the museum may do so without undue hardship. The term “qualified individual with a disability” means an individual who with or without reasonable accommodation can perform the essential functions of the position.

DISCLAIMER

The preceding job description indicates the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this classification. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time nor does it proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $53,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Work setting:

• In-person

Work Location: In person