Curator of Education and Visitor Engagement

Curator of Education and Visitor Engagement The Position

Reporting to the Executive Director and serving as a member of the senior management team, the Curator of Education and Visitor Engagement is responsible for the development, implementation, and management of a diverse set of educational programs and strategies to serve the museum’s audiences and support the sustainability and growth of the museum’s educational programs. In addition, this position oversees front desk operations, staffed by members of the education department to provide visitors with a high-quality educational experience upon entry.

This position oversees the curation of exhibits and the natural history collection.

The Curator of Education manages a team of nine direct reports as well as a large team of volunteers (Wildlife Educators).

• Expand, develop, and execute the museum’s strategic plan for educational programming to best match the strengths, mission, and needs of the museum with the needs of the formal education community and local children, families, and adults.
• Working with colleagues (staff and volunteers), evaluate and strengthen the museum’s existing education programs and develop, implement, and evaluate new programs that meet the needs of the museum’s diverse audiences and leverage the museum’s unique resources.
• Oversee the delivery of all educational programs
• Lead efforts to increase education program revenues and achieve annual education department financial goals.
• Develop and execute an annual operations plan and budget, monitoring implementation and results on a monthly basis.
• In cooperation with staff and volunteers, promote the museum’s educational programs to maximize enrollments, revenues, and support, leading to ongoing growth of the overall educational program.
• Coordinate the design and development of education and marketing materials to support education programs.
• Continue to strengthen LWE’s reputation as a provider of quality science and nature education programming.
• Collaborate with the development department in the development of and reporting on grant proposals supporting specific education initiatives and ongoing programs.
• Serve as a key member of the museum’s senior management team to create unified programming, messages, and policies, and provide leadership in high-level internal planning activities.
• Manage the education department, including direct supervision of education staff and oversight of education volunteers and staff to ensure excellent programming and customer service.
• Developing annual work plans with measurable goals, providing timely feedback both informally and through formal performance reviews.
• Oversee management of the museum’s natural history collection.
• Oversee management of the museum’s front desk.

• A Bachelor’s degree (MA or MS preferred) from an accredited four-year college or university in education, museum studies, or a related field.
• A minimum of eight years of experience in education, with at least five years in the informal learning sector.
• A minimum of three years of experience in cashier management, with knowledge of non-profit financial management.
• At least three years of direct management experience and demonstrated success in hiring, training, and managing an effective team.
• Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association of Interpretation (Certified Interpretive Trainer or Certified Interpretive Manager preferred)
• Demonstrated understanding of pedagogies applicable to informal learning settings.
• Experience with the development and evaluation of education programs offered to both school and museum (or other informal) audiences.
• Familiarity with current trends in and influences on the K-12 classroom curriculum in California. (NGSS)
• Demonstrated skill in coaching, supervising, and leading paid staff and volunteers.
• Ability to create and manage effective plans.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in developing and managing projects and annual budgets
• Demonstrated understanding of collection laws and regulations.
• Demonstrated understanding of proper collection practices and procedures.
• A passion for nature,…