Educations Programs Assistant at El Museo Del Barrio – Museum Studies

Job Title: Programs Assistant

Job Status: Full-time

Description:

El Museo del Barrio, founded by a coalition of Puerto Rican educators, artists, and activists, is the nation’s leading Latino and Latin American cultural institution. The Museum welcomes visitors of all backgrounds to discover the artistic landscape of these communities through its extensive Permanent Collection, varied exhibitions and publications, bilingual public programs, educational activities, festivals, and special events.

SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF ROLE

The Education Programs Assistant is responsible for all aspects of booking and scheduling virtual and on-site group visits to the museum for schools, youth groups, colleges, universities, adult, and senior groups; and promoting virtual and on-site group visit programs to current and new audiences. The Education Programs Assistant will work closely with the Manager of Education and the Coordinator of School Programs to coordinate on-site education programs including virtual and on-site guided visits, hands-on art making workshops, storytelling workshops, cultural celebrations, and other education programs. S/he will manage the Education Programs calendar and museum educator schedules; maintain files and documentation pertaining to all group visits; maintain the reservation database, invoice, and process payments; serve as the main point of contact for school groups and community organizations visiting the museum and assist with scheduling the appropriate museum educators to facilitate each program. As a member of the Education team, the Education Programs Assistant will have the opportunity to attend exhibition training, participate in brainstorming meetings to discuss themes, curricular connections, and activities related to the exhibitions on view, support the development of educator resources, and participate in cultural celebrations, family programs, and community events. This position is a great opportunity for individuals interested in developing their communication and customer service skills, and for those interested in learning about museum education in New York City.

RESPONSIBILTIES:

· Book groups for guided visits and onsite education programs, maintain the group visits database and calendar; field and respond to all group visit inquiries on phone, email, and online forms.

· Maintain an up-to-date confirmation and invoicing system, process payments, maintain payment records and receipts, follow up on outstanding invoices, and communicate regularly with the Finance Department to update on bookings and attendance.

· Communicate with potential tour group leaders to provide concise and accurate information regarding exhibition/program content and visitor guidelines; encouraging inquiries to convert to bookings through warm, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable interactions.

· Serve as primary contact for teachers and group tour organizers; follow up with groups with details of their visit and ensure that Museum Educators receive accurate information regarding details such as age/grade, special needs, language preference, and potential connections with the classroom’s curriculum.

· Assist with scheduling Museum Educators to lead guided visits, hands-on workshops, and related education programs.

· Be the on-site point person for all arriving groups and museum educators on the day of their visit. Assist educators in coordinating large groups.

· Lead tours and workshops as needed, support as co-host for virtual programs.

· Book self-guided visits and work closely with the Visitor Services

· Collaborate with the Manager of Education, Education staff and museum educators to ensure a smooth facilitation of programs.

· Collect evaluation materials from museum educators and group organizers; compile a seasonal report that includes a summary of visitor feedback.

· Compile attendance data for grant and government reporting.

· Assist with the collection and dissemination of updated information from the NYC Department of Education, including the academic calendar.

· Oversee and assist with the setup of the Talleres (the art studio), making sure the spaces and materials are ready before each program, maintaining an inventory of materials.

· Review and process educators’ timesheets and invoices in accordance with their contract agreements; follow financial coding procedures.

· Help evaluate and recruit new museum educators’ applicants as needed.

· Schedule shadowing/training sessions and serve as the main contact for them to communicate with the department.

· Support the Marketing department’s efforts to promote group visits and other education programs.

· Create accurate financial and attendance projections, track and report on progress toward stated goals throughout the year.

Program planning, Training and General Education Program Responsibilities

· Work with the Education Department staff to prepare for and participate in all mandatory program meetings regarding on-site/virtual programs.

Attend all walk-throughs and lectures in conjunction with the Permanent Collection, temporary exhibitions, and cultural celebrations.

· Participate in the Education Department brainstorming meetings to discuss themes, concepts, curricular connections, and activities related to the exhibitions on view.

· Review and provide feedback on museum educator lesson plans.

· In collaboration with the Manager of Education, observe tours and workshops as needed for evaluation purposes.

· Support the development of age-appropriate educator resources that make connections with El Museo del Barrio’s collection and classroom curricula.

· As a member of the Education Team, support the development and implementation of family programs and institutional events, including Coquí Club, Art-making workshops for Super Sábado, the Three Kings Day Parade, Museum Mile and Uptown Bounce; Work collaboratively with Public Programs.

· Coordinate general education department needs; order office supplies, assist with maintenance of departmental administrative files, liaise with other departments as needed

· Work collaboratively with El Museo staff as appropriate and needed, to ensure goals of offering engaging, informative, and accessible visitor experiences

QUALIFICATIONS

· B.A in Art, Art Education, Art History, Education, Administration or similar; prior group sales booking in the arts, education, tourism, or entertainment industry preferred.

· Detail-oriented, flexible, punctual, and ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.

· Excellent communication skills (oral and written) organization, and interpersonal skills.

· Proficient in MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, Access, and the Internet. Database management and graphic/web design skills desirable.

· Experience leading gallery tours and working with teachers and museum educators preferred.

· Knowledge of child development, museum/arts education theory, evaluation methods and experience with developing lessons, educational materials, and public programs preferred.

· Knowledge of NYC cultural community, familiarity with the DOE and interest and/or background in art or museum education preferred.

· Spanish and English bilingual written and oral proficiency preferable.

TO APPLY:

Application Instructions Please send a cover letter, resume, to jobs@elmuseo.org, with Education Programs Assistant in the subject line.

No phone calls, please.

El Museo del Barrio is an equal opportunity employer who does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status or any other legally protected status.