Manager of Education at the Noguchi Museum

The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum seeks a full-time Manager of Education. The ideal candidate will be passionate about working with diverse audiences to make meaningful connections with Isamu Noguchi’s life and art. They will be someone who wants to grow as both an administrator and museum educator. They will be highly organized, competent at working with a team, and a confident communicator. They will truly care about community development and building relationships within and outside of the Museum. 

About The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum

Founded in 1985 by category-defying artist Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988), The Isamu Noguchi

Garden Museum (now known as The Noguchi Museum), was the first museum in the United States to be established, designed, and installed by a living artist to show their own work. Located in the vibrant neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens, the Museum itself is widely viewed as among the artist’s greatest achievements. Holding the world’s largest collection of his works, the Museum features open air and indoor galleries in a repurposed 1920s industrial building and a serene outdoor sculpture garden. Since its founding, it has served as an international hub for Noguchi research and appreciation. In addition to managing the artist’s archives and catalogue raisonné, the Museum exhibits a comprehensive selection of Noguchi’s material culture, from sculpture, models, and drawings to his personal possessions. Provocative installations drawn from the permanent collection, together with diverse special exhibitions and collaborations with contemporary practitioners across disciplines, offer a multifaceted view of Noguchi’s art and illuminate his enduring influence as an innovator. Through its rich collection, exhibitions, and programming, the Museum facilitates scholarship and learning for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

The Education Department supports visitors of all ages, identities, and abilities as they establish meaningful relationships with the art, life, and vision of Isamu Noguchi and others. Programs are inquiry-based; encourage openness, exploration, and experimentation; and emphasize the creative potential of the individual. The Education Department prioritizes a co-creation model of programming where culture is dynamic, it belongs to everyone, and cultural choices are shared between the community and the Museum. Programs are facilitated in multiple languages (currently English, Japanese, and Spanish) and designed to be welcoming and accessible to neighbors in Queens and beyond.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage registration, implementation, and participant evaluation of education programs for school, family, teen, access, and community audiences. 
• Manage administrative tasks for the Education department including ordering materials for on-site and off-site education programs, tracking expenses and revenue for the departmental budget, and processing invoices for external vendors. 
• Work closely with the Director of Education to co-create program goals and develop mutually supportive relationships with artists, community partners and local organizations. 
• Oversee scheduling and coordination of school tours and guided tours for the public. 
• Work with the Visitor Services and Facilities department to coordinate on-site logistics for all education programs. 
• Work with the Communications department to promote education programs on a monthly basis online and on social media channels.  
• Contribute to writing and editing educational curriculum, interpretive text, and marketing materials for education programs. 
• Manage the seasonal Education Intern, overseeing all aspects of the internship from hiring to offboarding, developing a successful 9-week intern project, and coordinating professional learning opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Director of Education to plan and facilitate quarterly professional development sessions for museum educators.
• Develop and teach inquiry-based and art-making programs in the galleries or art studio as assigned.

Experience, Skills, and Qualities

• Interest in the life and work of Isamu Noguchi.

• Desire to engage with the Museum’s diverse public; specifically youth audiences, teachers, artists, visitors with special needs, community groups, and families in Queens.

• A commitment to a culturally conscious pedagogy; and passion for integrating diversity, equity, access, and inclusion in programs and working procedures. 

• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and writing skills.

• Detail-oriented with the ability to manage scheduling systems, to document visitor statistics and evaluations, and to analyze information for reports. 

• Strong reflective practice and desire to work in a supportive environment with a collaborative team.

• Teaching experience is preferred. 

• Preferred language skills in addition to English: Spanish or Japanese.

• BFA or commensurate experience in art, education, or museum administration.

The Manager of Education position is full-time and located in The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, Queens. Hours are 5 days a week, 9 am–5 pm, Tuesday–Saturday, with flexibility to adjust to the seasonal program schedule. Currently, the Museum is operating on a hybrid work schedule at the Museum with three days per week on-site; Wednesdays and Thursdays mandatory. 

Hours outside of the scheduled times are an occasional requirement of the position. Work is often performed in an office environment; prolonged periods of sitting, use of computers and standard office equipment required to accomplish work objectives. Work is also performed in the art studio and outdoor events where the employee will be required to lift (up to 25 lbs.), bend, stoop, walk, speak, and stand for up to 7 hours in a day. 

This position is represented by the Technical, Office & Professional Union, Local 2110, UAW, AFL-CIO.

Please send a résumé and cover letter as a single PDF to jobs@noguchi.org with “Manager of Education” in the subject line.

This job was sourced via NYFA