Senior Director, Interpretation and Engagement at The Mütter Museum and Historical Medical Library
Job Title: Senior Director, Interpretation and Engagement
Job Status: Full-time
Location: Philadelphia, PA
About the College of Physicians of Philadelphia
The College of Physicians of Philadelphia (the “College”) is a key convener for medical
and public health professionals in the Greater Philadelphia region. Founded in 1787 to
“lessen human misery,” it is one of the oldest professional organizations in the country, with over 1,100 active Fellows. The College is home to the Mütter Museum, the Historical Medical Library, and the Centers for Public Health and Education. Today, we improve the lives of individuals, communities, and society by challenging our understanding of health and well-being. With support from our distinguished Fellows, the College inspires action through education and public engagement.
Through the Mütter Museum, Historical Medical Library, and Benjamin Rush Medicinal
Plant Garden, we serve the Greater Philadelphia region and beyond, sharing
complicated and inspiring stories of medicine and public health through robust
collections of rare books, archives, historical objects, and biological specimens. Explore the complex histories of medicine, engage in dialogue about well-being, and expand your understanding of the human body with us.
Position Summary
The Senior Director of Interpretation and Engagement (the “Senior Director”) leads the team in providing a variety of services to enhance the experience of the Mütter Museum & Historical Medical Library as a critical center for the understanding of medicine and public health, accomplished through engaging audiences with dynamic interpretation of its collections and utilizing the expertise of College Fellows and staff. The position provides management and strategic oversight to ensure that galleries, special exhibitions, and displays, as well as educational and community programs, fulfill the College’s mission and strategic goals , including the Mütter Museum, Historical Medical Library, and Benjamin Rush Medicinal Plant Garden. A strategic and collaborative leader, this position will build academic opportunities, artist partnerships and student and community engagement experiences to motivate learning for visitors of all ages.
Reporting to the Executive Director, Mütter Museum and Historical Medical Library (the “Executive Director”), the Senior Director structures and manages all interpretation and community engagement initiatives related to the physical and intellectual collections of the College, and works collaboratively with staff, stakeholders, and College Fellows.
The Senor Director is a key member of the Museum & Library’s senior management
team, promoting the core values and priorities of the College. This position executes
strategy and guides pedagogy across all areas of public education, community
engagement, interpretation and programming, artistic collaboration, and visitor
experience. This work unfolds across multiple physical locations on campus, including
spaces at 19 S. 22nd Street and 2129 Chestnut Street, as well as off-site and online
program development.
The Senior Director communicates the value of informal learning as fundamental to the College’s vision to “advance the cause of health while upholding the ideals and heritage of medicine.” The position promotes the access and understanding of the College, Museum, Library, and Garden collections and fosters trust in with its local and regional communities (including pre-K-12 schools) in the Greater Philadelphia region.
Leveraging the expertise and Collections and Research Department, as well as the
knowledge of College Fellows, the Senior Director expands the narratives of public
health and medicine into exhibition and program experiences that center belonging and allow for multiple perspectives and outcomes. The position proactively contributes to the College’s efforts to create a thriving and well-resourced institutional culture that supports people, with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
The Senior Director develops the long-range scope and creative plan of dynamic
exhibitions, community and educational programs including group and school tours,
develops and implements strategic policies and procedures, establishes and manages
departmental workloads, guides the development and design processes for special
exhibitions and community programs, manages divisional and individual exhibition and program budgets, collaborates on grant proposals, and represents the Museum and Library’s interpretation and engagement activities nationally and internationally.
Primary Responsibilities
• With the Executive Director, lead the development of a dynamic and ambitious
interpretation and engagement strategy to serve key audiences utilizing the
collections of the Museum, Library, and Garden, as well as the expertise of the
1000+ College Fellows, staff, and community.
• Provide thought leadership in object and inquiry-based learning in all exhibitions
and programming.
• Be primarily responsible for developing and implementing compelling and strategic
exhibitions and a public engagement strategy integrating seasonal and ongoing
programming with audience development.
• Work in an interdisciplinary manner with young adults, scholars and academics,
stakeholders, practitioners in arts and sciences, and College colleagues to ensure
that programming seasons reflect issues and questions relevant and exciting to
wide audiences, and especially young people.
• Foster innovation and experimentation in developing and enhancing interpretive
strategies and new technologies, encouraging open-mindedness amongst
colleagues.
• Provide financial oversight for programs, including the establishment of project
budgets and accurate reporting and forecasting.
• Develop, manage, and deliver a highly collaborative exhibition and public program
process using contemporary museological practices such as open call process, as
well as co-production and collaborative research and development.
• Recruit and manage freelance curators and producers to deliver particular
activities, programs, exhibitions, and events of the highest caliber.
• Assist with fundraising and external funding grants, and cultivate active
sponsorship and supplier partnerships and joint ventures with external agencies
and organizations.
• Provide direction, guidance, and support to staff while participating in an
environment that supports diversity, attracts, motivates, rewards, and retains the
best talent, and enables the team to contribute toward achieving shared outcomes
and purpose.
• Encourage evaluations (internal and external) in order to benefit from past
experience and shape future directions.
• Lead by example and encourage active collaboration among community
participants and staff.
• Continuously collect and analyze audience and attendance data to inform
programming.
• Work with Communications colleagues to ensure successful promotion of
individual programs and exhibitions, as well as the exhibitions program as a whole.
• Work with Executive Director and Vice President of Development to secure
sponsorship for exhibitions, programs, and installations.
• Leverage the full impact of the College and Museum network in choosing and
negotiating with partners, lenders, and outside consultants.
• Articulate and advocate for Museum and Library exhibitions and programs
priorities clearly and effectively to all constituencies.
• Maintain an active presence within local and international and internal peer
associations and the generous sharing of information to colleagues worldwide.
• Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Skills
• A successful track record in the development and leadership of a gallery/ museum/
science center or festival from idea to operation as a successful, sustainable
enterprise is desired.
• The successful candidate will have a strong background in programming
leadership and team management with prior success in the design and delivery of
innovative exhibitions and events.
• The ideal candidate will combine scientific, cultural, and business/financial
qualifications, with experience in and curiosity for teaching about the science of
medicine and public health
• A capacity for leadership, innovation and strategic planning is essential.
• Proven record in building and managing collaborative teams toward common
goals, on-time and on-budget.
• Bachelor’s degree in museum studies, theater, the history of science or medicine,
or a related field is required, with six–ten (6-10) years’ experience delivering
successful exhibitions and programs in a museum, science center, or gallery
required.
• Experience working with museum collections is required.
• Familiarity with the ethics and legalities of collecting human remains over the last
150+ years and related subject matter expertise.
• Interest in furthering a commitment to ethical, respectful, and dignified
interpretation and display of culturally sensitive materials and human remains.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability always to maintain discretion and confidentiality.
Physical Demands / Work Environment
• General open office environment with some time spent in on the floor in the (both
on-site and off-site) Museum galleries.
• Position requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, carrying, using hands to
handle and feel, reaching with hands and arms, talking and hearing.
• Position requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision, as well
as the ability to focus.
• Must be able to climb ladders, lift up to forty (40) lbs., bend, stoop, kneel, crawl
and/or crouch.
• Computer usage involving repetitive hand/wrist motion is also necessary.
Special Requirements
Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the
background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.
Job Classification and Schedule
• This is a full-time, exempt position with a generous benefits package. Salary
range is commensurate with experience.
• The schedule is typically Monday through Friday, with a requirement to work
evenings and weekends when programs are taking place.
• The employee is expected to contribute thirty-five (35) hours per week, with an
unpaid 60-minute lunch break each day.
• There will be a probationary period of three (3) months after the start date.
To Apply:
Please email cover letter and résumé to: kquinn@collegeofphysicians.org
Required Subject Line: Senior Director, Interpretation and Engagement
See full job listing in PDF form here.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
The College of Physicians of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are
committed to treating all applicants and employees fairly based on their abilities,
achievements, and experience, without regard to sex race, age, disability, religion,
national origin, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification
protected by law. College Staff are expected to maintain a genuine and deep
commitment to diversity and inclusion.
We recognize that candidates may not meet all of the listed qualifications for a given
role. If you believe that much of this job description describes you and your capabilities, then please apply for this position. Factors such as demonstrated hard and soft skills, level of education, history in the nonprofit sector, and relevant work experience will all be evaluated. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Successful applicants for employment must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by
the date of hire as a condition of employment, subject to requests for accommodation.
This job was sourced via MuseWeekly Newsletter.