Director of Public Engagement

Reports To: President and CEO

Department: Public Engagement

Purpose: The Director of Public Engagement is responsible for developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating all aspects of programming and education for the Allentown Art Museum (AAM).  This position reports to the President and CEO of the Museum and is a critical member of the Museum’s senior management team.  The position is responsible for providing the leadership and support for achieving the AAM’s program and educational goals including efforts to build lifelong learning relationships with the diverse Museum audiences.  This position is also responsible for establishing and enhancing wide-ranging community partnerships, outreach programs, and educational initiatives including school districts and higher educational institutions that the Museum serves.

The position will establish and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with varied internal and external constituencies to ensure meeting the institutional goals.  The individual will lead and inspire staff to meet and exceed departmental expectations, as well as, enhance collaborative cross-departmental relationships.

Responsibilities:

Program Leadership

  • Create and implement short-term and long-range department operating plans, goals, objectives, and priorities for the Public Engagement Department
  • Oversee and collaborate with team and other Museum personnel to create programming and educational initiatives that:
    –Leverage the assets of the Museum
    –Create visibility and exposure of the Museum
    –Align with the Museum’s overall strategic vision and plan
    –Enhance themes in Museum exhibitions
    –Educate, inspire, and engage audiences, both members and non-members, through a variety of different formats and platform.
    –Grow attendance, strengthen visitor experience, and deepen connections to the community
  • Increase, develop and maintain partnerships with external stakeholders such as cultural institutions, educational professionals, community groups and leaders, and other agencies
  • Develop marketing strategies for programs in collaboration with the Marketing staff in order to help to achieve maximum reach and impact
  • Collaborate with Museum colleagues to create a consistent and shared learning experience for visitors
  • In collaboration with the development team, cultivate relationships with potential funders and donors and assist in targeting opportunities for grants, private funding, and non-traditional program support
  • Work closely with Museum volunteers and docents to ensure an overall dynamic experience for visitors
  • Collaborate with Marketing on the Seasonal Program Guide
  • Form alliances with faculty and administration at area K-12 school districts as well as higher education institutions to create professional development opportunities, shared projects and curriculum
  • Be in touch with ways to expand program offerings and widen audiences including but not limited to programs in health and art
  • Seek out partnerships and maintain existing partnerships with artists for both artist residencies and teaching artist opportunities
  • Project lead responsibility in the implementation of the Art Ways area for children and families with improved maker stations and oversee Art Ways Artist Residencies

Supervisory and Collaborative Responsibilities

  • Supervise the Public Engagement staff both individually and as a team
  • Establish goals, objectives, visions, mission, and priorities of the department through ongoing communications
  • Collaborate with the President and CEO, Development/Marketing, Curatorial, and Administration teams
  • Represent the department at Senior Staff meetings, and meetings with the Board, and other places in which representation of the department is required

Administration, Operations, and Other Responsibilities

  • Maintain the department budget and the resources needed for sustainability and growth
  • Manage the grants and awards of the department

Job Requirements

• The successful candidate will possess, preferably, a Master’s degree in a related field of study, preferably art and education, from an accredited university.
• Ten or more years of programmatic experience, preferably in an art-related field.
• Candidates should have a passion for community, arts, developing a team, and the visitor experience.
• Proven organizational skills, including the ability to lead and manage people effectively, and able to multitask.
• Knowledge and experience of program design, evaluation, curriculum development, and education in the arts and/or supporting fields.
• Able to work weekday evenings and weekends if programs or special events require.

To Apply:

Please submit a resume, letter of interest, and three job references to hr@allentown-art-museum.local .

The Allentown Art Museum is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, and disability.

About the Allentown Art Museum:

The Allentown Art Museum is an AAM-accredited museum with a permanent collection comprised of approximately 20,000 works of art. For more than 85 years, the Allentown Art Museum has been a vital arts and educational institution in the greater Lehigh Valley. The mission of the Museum is to enrich the lives of the widest possible audience of visitors by engaging, informing, and inspiring them through the activities of collecting, preserving, studying, exhibiting, and interpreting important works of visual art.