Job Listing: Director of Education & Visitor Services

Company: Virginia Association of Museums
Location: Washington
Posted on: November 8, 2024

Job Description:

Job Listing: Director of Education & Visitor ServicesDate posted: September 25, 2023Location: Tudor Place - Washington, D.C.Closes: Open until filledPosition Title: Director of Education & Visitor ServicesCompensation: Based on experience. Salary range starts: $65K. Tudor Place provides excellent benefits to eligible employees, including paid leave, paid holidays, life insurance, medical benefits, free on-site parking, and a staff Museum Shop discount.Job Type: Full-time; exempt; work schedule is Monday-Friday with some weekends and evenings.Apply: Email Director of Finance & Administration Helen Hubbard-Davis at with cover letter and resume. Please include "Director of Education & Visitor Services" in the subject line. No phone calls please.Summary: Tudor Place Historic House & Garden seeks a creative and energetic individual with a passion for serving the public in mission-driven work to serve as Director of Education & Visitor Services. This leadership role advances the Tudor Place mission by coordinating all offerings to the public and supervising the team that delivers a variety of memory-making visitor experiences. The ideal candidate will be a consensus-builder with a demonstrated ability to think strategically about programming and audience development, a passion for customer service, and a keen appreciation of intersectionality to interpret and share history.ResponsibilitiesEducation

• Research tour and program content on all aspects of the historic house, collection and archive, garden, and the people who lived, worked, and were enslaved at Tudor Place; develop tours and programs that interpret difficult and complex topics with sensitivity and understanding, working closely with Curator and Collections Department.
• Deliver engaging tours and programs; engage diverse audiences throughout the year with varied types of offerings.
• Develop and implement educational school programs that focus on local curriculum standards.
• Work with other staff members to produce informative and high-quality brochures, signage, and interpretive materials.
• Develop methods for regular evaluation of programming.Visitor Services
  • Ensure the visitor experience is of outstanding quality by providing excellent customer service and exceptional interpretation.
  • Manage all aspects of Visitor Center/Museum Shop operations, including staffing, purchasing, and visual merchandising.
  • Schedule volunteers and staff to meet visitor needs; recruit, train, manage, and evaluate staff and volunteer docents to ensure the delivery of dynamic and informative tours.
  • Provide ongoing training and resources to staff and volunteers.
  • Ensure all public areas are clean, safe, and ready to welcome visitors, program participants, or clients.
  • Supervise all private events and group tour contracting, including review of liability issues, pricing structure, and guidelines.
  • Develop methods for acquiring, monitoring, and tracking visitor feedback.
  • Coordinate closely with communications staff to promote the site, the Museum Shop, and private events.Departmental Administration
    • Supervise activities and projects of departmental staff, including time reporting, performance evaluation, and coordination of professional development.
    • Track department spending and create annual budget.
    • Prepare quarterly progress reports for Trustee and Committee meetings.
    • Serve as a member of the leadership team, participating in meetings and forums, as requested by the Executive Director.
    • Serve on the design review team to promote Style Guide adherence.
    • Serve as one of the administrators for the Altru database.QualificationsExperience & Education Requirements
      • Advanced degree in museum education, education, museum studies, public history, American history, American studies, or related field.
      • Five or more years of museum, education, or visitor services experience with increasing levels of responsibility at a museum or historic site.
      • Supervisory experience required.Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
        • Desire to work in a historic setting and respect for the preservation of a historic estate and its collections.
        • Enthusiasm for working collaboratively with a diverse group of colleagues and volunteers, including members of the Board of Trustees.
        • Knowledge of learning styles, museum education theory and practice, and the ability to apply them creatively to programming and interpretation.
        • Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and with the public; public speaking experience desired.
        • Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
        • Knowledge of American history, architecture, decorative arts, horticulture, or Washington, DC history desired.
        • Understanding of retail in a museum setting.
        • Excellent organizational and time management skills.
        • Knowledge of Blackbaud software, specifically Altru, a plus.
        • The physical requirements of this position are classified as medium work (exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects).
        • This position requires climbing (stairs, ladders), stooping, kneeling, reaching, standing or walking for extended periods, lifting, grasping, visual acuity, keen spatial awareness, and the ability to move within constricted spaces.
        • Ability to work in a range of environmental conditions.
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Keywords: Virginia Association of Museums, Potomac , Job Listing: Director of Education & Visitor Services, Education / Teaching , Washington, Maryland