Liberty Hall, a historic house museum and arboretum in Union, New Jersey, is seeking a seasoned Director of Education with experience in the small and mid-sized museum field to join the team in a full-time position. The Director of Education is responsible for overseeing the museum’s education department and continuing the growth of the program. This position requires creativity, effective communication, positive energy, daily logistical coordination and organization, a demonstrated interest in place-based field trips, knowledge of museum education pedagogy, and a proven ability to manage short-and long-term projects.
Essential Duties:
- Direct the museum’s educational programs including Pre-K through 12th grade in-person, virtual, and outreach field trips, scout programs, senior and adult outreach events, Family Fun Days, and children’s summer programming
- Serve as an in-direct manager for the part-time museum educator staff, including creating and disseminating daily field trip schedules, leading training, and providing program support
- Coordinate the logistics for all field trips including staff management, field trip schedules, building-use, equipment inventory, and program evaluation
- Develop and supervise – and, when necessary, play a hands-on role (teach and/or lead) – in all aspects of the museum’s educational programs
- Oversee the Education & Outreach Coordinator and Scout Coordinator roles, serving as direct contact and additional support
- Manage and oversee the museum’s educational invoices and payments which may include but are not limited to W9 forms, quotes, payment tracking, etc.
- Act as the museum’s liaison to the school and museum education community, retaining strong contacts with area schools and local educational and museum conferences
- Coordinate the production of education program materials, including school brochures, pre, and post-visit materials, and staff training material related to educational programs
- Develop educational programming based on state-standards, using the museum’s collection
- Responsible for all hands-on items used in educational programs, including arts and crafts supplies, period clothing and reproduction items
- This position description is not intended to be all-inclusive, and the employee will perform other reasonably related tasks as assigned by the immediate supervisor and other management as required.
Preferred Skills/Ability:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, adaptable to a range of audiences
- Strong interpersonal, organizational, and multitasking abilities; effective in collaborative team settings, and in fast-paced environments
- Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively across departments and with outside contacts and vendors.
- Familiarity with small nonprofit or cultural organization operations
- Experience researching and writing grant proposals
- Bilingual in Spanish and English
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in museum studies, Museum Professions, Public History, or related field (Master’s degree preferred)
- 5+ years’ experience leading an education department at a small-to-mid-sized museum with demonstrated ability to plan and implement public programs
- Strong presentation, facilitation, and educational content development skills
- Experience teaching and engaging audiences of all ages across disciplines such as history, natural sciences, and art
- Ability to build rapport with diverse audiences and collaborators; demonstrated cultural awareness and commitment to inclusive, equitable programming
- Knowledge of learning styles, educational theory, and museum education best practices, with the ability to apply them creatively in informal learning environments
- Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events, as needed
Pay Range: $45,000 – $48,000
Interested in applying? Please send a resume, cover letter, and sample of a field trip program from a previous role (feel free to remove any identifying information) to Rachael Goldberg, Executive Director, at rachael.goldberg@kean.edu. No phone calls please.