Director of Learning & Engagement

Museum of Nebraska Art

Director of Learning & Engagement

Schedule – M-F, 40 hours

Salary Class:
Exempt Salaried position

Answers To:
Executive Director

The Director of Learning and Engagement provides strategic leadership for all educational, interpretive, and community engagement initiatives at the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA). Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director develops, implements, manages, and evaluates onsite, outreach, and virtual programs that serve diverse audiences and support MONA’s mission, vision, and strategic goals. The position collaborates across departments to ensure exhibitions, tours, public programs, and educational initiatives provide meaningful and accessible experiences for learners of all ages.

The Director oversees interpretive planning, community partnerships, public programming, and hands-on educational initiatives while supervising departmental staff and volunteers, managing departmental budgets, and contributing to fundraising and grant efforts. The Director represents MONA within the community and fosters collaborative relationships with schools, universities, cultural organizations, and other community partners throughout Nebraska.

• Set overall departmental vision with clear goals and measurable outcomes. Represent departmental priorities and projects to Museum leadership, staff, and external stakeholders.
• Develop and implement all formal educational curriculum for the Museum that aligns with State education standards, engage students, and support educators.
• Develop and manage the department’s annual budget.
• Represent the department to the public at events, conferences, in the media, and in other circumstances as needed.
• Manage, recruit, and train volunteers to support department activities and events. These volunteers should be considered independent from the MONA Docents, who largely support tours via the Tour and Outreach Coordinator.
• Contribute to grant applications and fundraising materials in coordination with Development.
• Serve as department liaison to the Education Committee of the Board of Directors.
• Manage Tours & Outreach Coordinator and serve as direct supervisor

• Lead interpretive program planning for exhibitions in collaboration with the Curator to ensure content and interpretive techniques best meet audiences’ needs. Develop and implement onsite, outreach, and virtual programs relating to special exhibitions and collections for a diverse range of audiences.
• Provide a program vision for the Community Studio, a hands-on education space for all ages; schedule and implement as resources allow.
• Provide support to the Tour and Outreach Coordinator for student and other public tours as needed.

• Serve as liaison to the University of Nebraska at Kearney faculty and staff, including but not limited to Art Department, Education Department, and other partnering faculty on curriculum-related opportunities.
• Build and maintain partnerships with other like-minded organizations locally and state-wide, including but not limited to the Kearney Cultural Partners, Rowe Sanctuary, Sheldon Museum of Art, Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Gallery 1516, Joslyn Art Museum, Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art, and others.
• Lead and manage other annual public events and programs, including the student art show and MONA Makers Day.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Museum Education, Art Education, Art History, Education, or a related field
• Minimum three to five years of experience in art education, education, or cultural programming with an art museum, museum, cultural institution, or related industry
• Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff, volunteers, educators, artists, and community members
• Experience coordinating educational programs, tours, or outreach initiatives
• Experience developing community outreach partnerships and educational programming in an art museum
• Professionalism, maturity, good judgment, and ability to foster and work well in a team environment
• High level of integrity and ability to…