AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

from Franklin Furnace

Dear Friends,

Brooklyn Children's Museum (BCM) is seeking a Director of Experience & Engagement to join our senior management team. Formerly a Director of Education position, BCM recently shifted this title to reflect a greater focus on co-creating program and exhibit content with our communities of families and educators. We would be grateful if you would pass this through your networks to anyone who might be interested.

This role will envision programs in the Museum, especially on our 20,000 square foot outdoor roof terrace; lead development for a new exhibit about the history of Brooklyn through the eyes of families in the borough; and consider community engagement beyond our walls. BCM prefers a candidate who has strong knowledge of Brooklyn, particularly the areas of Central and North Brooklyn that we serve most deeply.

Under normal circumstances, this is a full-time position, but currently BCM's programming and administrative staff are working a pro-rated 4-day workweek with full benefits. Specifics of our compensation package are outlined in the job description. We offer a flexible work environment that honors the needs of parents and caregivers.

Many thanks for sharing this with people you think would be great candidates!

Brooklyn Children's Museum
145 Brooklyn Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11213

BROOKLYN CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
JOB DESCRIPTION
POSITION/TITLE: Director of Experience & Engagement
STATUS: Non-Union, Exempt
SALARY: $65,000-$70,000, prorated to 80% ($52,000-$56,000)
DEPARTMENT: Executive Team
SUPERVISOR: Vice President of Exhibits and Education
Brooklyn Children's Museum (BCM) is the world's first children's museum and a pioneer in the
field of informal learning. Inspired by the energy and diversity of its borough, BCM’s programs
and exhibits engage children between the ages of 2 and 10, and their caregivers, through playbased learning at the intersection of culture, the arts, and science. The Museum serves 300,000
visitors annually and operates in 130,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space. Learn more
about BCM’s Theory of Change, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Plan, exhibits and programs at
www.brooklynkids.org.
BCM believes that its exhibits and programs are most effective when they start with mutually
generative engagement of Central Brooklyn communities. The Museum has identified
community-engaged planning of programs and exhibits as a key aspect of its 6-year strategic
plan, and currently has a series of grants to support this work. With that in mind, BCM is
seeking to hire a Director of Experience & Engagement to create a vision for integrating content
development and community engagement, building new models of service for Brooklyn
Children’s Museum and the field.
Currently, BCM is open to the public on weekends, and all administrative staff are working a 4-
day work week at 80% of their salaries, plus health benefits. The Director of Experience &
Engagement is required to work at least one weekend day from 9:30am to 5:30pm, plus three
weekend or weekdays (or combination or half and full days) determined by the employee in
conversation with their supervisor. BCM plans to incrementally add service days to the
Museum’s schedule over the next 12 months, and restore staff to 5-day workweeks and full
salary by July 2021.
Position Summary
Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM) seeks a Director of Experience & Engagement to lead
content development and delivery at BCM through exhibits, programs and activities beyond the
Museum’s walls. A key member of the senior management and exhibits planning teams, the
Director currently has one full-time direct report, and supervises a cohort of three to five part-
time educators. Specific projects in the Director’s portfolio include, but are not limited to:
• Overseeing weekly program development and delivery for BCM’s general admission visitors,
including compelling public programs, field trips and fee-based workshops. Initially, the
priority for this work is envisioning and planning activities in ColorLab, BCM’s art studio
highlighting Black art, artists and cultures.
• Stewarding the Museum’s monthly cultural festivals and special events to deliver excellent
experiences, build audience and generate revenue.
• Leading content development and community engagement for BK Voices, a new multifaceted exhibit highlighting the history of Brooklyn through the stories of families who lived
in the borough over a 400-year period.
• Developing and executing new models and platforms to engage diverse audiences in the
borough both as visitors and as content co-creators.
The Director is a highly collaborative position that requires effective leadership and
participation on cross-functional teams, as well as frequent inter-departmental communication
and cooperation. Successful candidates will be organized project managers; creative thinkers
and problem solvers; strong verbal and written communicators; and dynamic team leaders.
Ability to work with diverse audiences and willingness to interact with the public are essential.
Many of the activities connected with this position are grant-funded, and candidates with
experience managing people, budgeting and reporting, and/or overseeing contracts and grants
are preferred. BCM seeks candidates who share our commitment to creating a respectful,
collaborative, purpose-driven and joyful work culture.
Management Responsibilities
• Innovate and create programs based on community input, BCM’s collection and
interdisciplinary themes.
• Create vision for festivals and special events; identify and hire guest artists and curators;
and, coordinate execution of events to create meaningful and memorable experiences.
• Establish budgets, priorities and goals, track and monitor revenue and expenses on a
regular basis, and evaluate progress towards goals throughout the year.
• Set standards for program delivery, and oversee training, scheduling and floor management
for Education staff. Manage staff and conduct performance reviews.
• Create mutually generative community engagement strategies focused on building
relationships with families in Central Brooklyn.
• Manage fee-based programs in BCM’s art studio and in other areas as needed.
• Support delivery of in-person and online programming, resetting exhibits and participate in
all activities on BCM’s floor.
• Develop and deepen partnerships with community-based organizations and schools.
• Work with evaluation consultants to conduct assessments and generate reports.
• Participate as part of the senior management team in planning, budgeting and other
management-level decision-making.
• Participate in professional activities and forums to represent the Museum and to maintain
and deepen professional expertise and knowledge.
Qualifications
• Commitment to social justice, racial equity and inclusion as a lens for content development
and program planning.
• Master’s degree in education, art or museum studies or related field preferred.
• 6+ years of museum education, outreach or similar experience, with 2 years in a
management role.
• Experience delivering hands-on cultural, art and/or natural science programs for children
ages 2-10 and their caregivers. Informal education experience preferred.
• Experience creating written curriculum or content for intergenerational audiences.
• Demonstrated team and project management capabilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability and desire to work collaboratively as part of a team, and openness to constructive
feedback and exchange
• Familiarity with schools and community-based organizations in Brooklyn a plus.
• Proficient with Macs, PCs, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, and Dropbox.
• Must be willing to wear a mask and comply with COVID safety protocols, and to be present
in person in BCM’s offices and on the Museum floor.
Schedule
The Director of Experience & Engagement currently works 4 days per week, including at least
one weekend day from 9:30am to 5:30pm, plus three additional weekend or weekdays (or a
combination of half and full days) set by the employee in conversation with their supervisor.
Salary & Benefits
The annual salary for this role is $65,000 to $70,000. At least until July 2021, the salary will be
prorated to $52,000 to $56,000 for a 4-day workweek. Full-time staff at BCM receive family
health, individual dental and life insurance benefits at no charge to employees.
Apply
Please send a cover letter and resume as 1 PDF to careers@brooklynkids.org with “[Your Last
Name] –DirectorOfEngagement” in the subject header. Applications will be reviewed on a
rolling basis with priority given to those received on or before December 1, 2020. Only
candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls, please.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce
and an inclusive culture. BCM encourages applications from all qualified individuals without
regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age,
national origin, marital status, disability, and veteran status.