Website Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota
Are you interested in shaping the future of museum practice and fostering connections between young adults and the arts? Do you have experience in teaching, developing programming, and creating engaging educational experiences? If you’re eager to mentor and guide students, serve as an ambassador on the University of Minnesota Twin-Cities campus, and lead a visionary team of undergraduate students, this might be the perfect opportunity for you.
As part of the Public Engagement and Learning team, the Student Engagement and Learning Specialist will play a crucial role in designing and implementing innovative strategies to engage the 18-25-year-old campus demographic with the Weisman Art Museum. Responsibilities include creating and facilitating in-gallery arts experiences and managing programs that encourage active participation and connection with our collections and exhibitions. You will work closely with colleagues to anticipate and respond to emerging trends in arts and culture, ensuring our programming remains relevant and impactful. This is a full-time position with all the attendant University of Minnesota employee benefits.
***Please submit pdfs of your resume and a cover letter through the University of Minnesota’s HR portal. Job ID: 362180
Key Roles and Responsibilities:
Programming and Engagement (60%):
● Develops strategies that engage the 18-25 age demographic on campus; facilitates dialogue and implements pedagogical approaches for art museum learning;
● Manages all aspects of co-curricular WAM Collective campus life program including hiring and performance management of 6+ undergraduate students; develops and implements year-long syllabus and UMN campus focused programming calendar; Manages student assistant responsible for Student Service Fee applications and budget monitoring.
● Supports Department Director in the research and development of Public Programs and community-focused initiatives; Collaborates on the delivery of the Open Studio program and in-gallery learning initiatives;
● Implements strategies for accessibility;
● Develops, staffs, and manages a year-long tabling strategy for on-campus promotion and engagement; Amplifies WAM resources including the art rental collection, internships, art study, Open Studio, and student tours through tabling and community outreach;
● Co-creates training modules and delivers training for internal student staff;
● Maintains relationships with campus units; schedules meetings and e-invitations targeted at faculty and units on campus.
● Develops strategies for community input into museum planning and programming; supports facilitation of focus groups;
● Tracks program performance metrics and audience demographics; Participates in debriefing, preparing and delivering reports; manages data for COVES and Qualtrics evaluations, grant reporting.
Administrative Support (35%):
● Works with the PEL department to work through multi-year plans under the strategic plan for the museum and University.
● Provides administrative support for PEL department including preparing and collecting content for copy, maintaining calendars, scheduling, and communicating cross-departmentally;
● Prepares contracts and supporting documentation for speakers, presenters, and artists.
● Makes travel arrangements and prepares itineraries for contracted partners;
● Assists in the creation of interpretive materials and artist engagement opportunities with PEL colleagues; supports programmatic elements of Open Studio including ordering supplies, maintaining Open Studio gallery space, and developing digital and print materials;
● Other duties as assigned;
Professional Development (5%):
● The Student Engagement and Learning Specialist is expected to be actively participating in the museum field, developing and maintaining relationships with other museum professionals, and participating in professional activities,
● Attends and presents at national conferences and/or other professional development opportunities to stay abreast of trends in the field;
Essential Qualifications:
● BA / BS in related field
● Knowledge of object-based teaching and learning.
● Demonstrated interest in museology, the arts; nonprofit management, art history, programming, production, object-based teaching, visual literacy, or related fields;
● Strong research, writing, speaking, finance, and communication skills.
● Demonstrated commitment to student leadership development, community engagement, and intercultural competency;
● Strong communication and presentation skills;
● Ability to multitask and work on a range of projects and see them through to completion;
● Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of constituencies (student, staff, faculty) in a diverse community;
● Exceptional attention to detail, organizational skills, and record-keeping skills;
● Ability to collaborate with others and complete independent remote work;
● Familiarity with Mac computers, Excel spreadsheets, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Canvas, and Canva platforms; basic knowledge of digital design.
● Ability to work some nights and weekends, including monthly Wednesday night student-focused programs.
● Multilingual skills a plus.
Preferred Experience:
● Master’s Degree
● Three years of work experience in a museum setting, at least one of which is in an educational role.
● One year of teaching experience in a classroom or museum setting.
● Record of college or adult-level teaching.
Working Conditions and Atmosphere:
This is a full-time, hybrid position with a flexible schedule as required for implementation of responsibilities and related museum activities. Working hours may include some evenings and weekends. General mobility throughout museum properties required.
Benefits
● The University also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
○ Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
○ Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Scholarship
○ Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
○ Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
○ University HSA contributions
○ Disability and employer-paid life insurance
○ Employee wellbeing program
○ Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
○ Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
○ Financial counseling services
○ Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
To apply for this job please visit hr.umn.edu.