Coordinator of Community and Visitor Engagement

Description

Department:

Museum Learning and Engagement

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

Employee Type:

Job Summary:

The Coordinator of Community and Visitor Engagement facilitates visitor engagement and coordinates community programs for the Colby College Museum of Art, advancing a key museum goal of opening access and empowering people to explore and enjoy art. Primary responsibilities for this role are supervising and coordinating a team of part-time staff and student workers at the museum’s Joan Dignam Schmaltz Gallery of Art, located in the Paul J. Schupf Art Center in downtown Waterville, as well as collaborating with engagement colleagues and community partners on development and execution of select programs at the museum’s downtown and campus sites. The coordinator is responsible for visitor welcome to the downtown gallery, ensuring smooth logistical and administrative operations as well as effective adherence to security and safety protocols in the space. The coordinator also develops a variety of engagement programs and creates systems and processes to manage program planning details. Reporting to the Museum’s Mirken director of learning and engagement, they also work closely with the Linde Family Foundation curator of academic engagement and all members of the engagement team. This position requires work on weekends and evenings. The ideal candidate is passionate about building community through the arts; friendly and skilled at engaging with people of different backgrounds and ages; organized, punctual, detail-oriented, and adaptable to changing situations. This person should feel comfortable asking questions in order to prioritize a wide variety of tasks.

THE MUSEUM AND ITS MISSION
Located in Waterville, Maine, the Colby College Museum of Art opens access to art and artists, creating a forum for experimentation, research, dialogue, and joyful connection. Through teaching, exhibition-making, publications, programs, and community engagement, we inspire students and those who engage with the museum to value art in their lives and to embrace the complexity of the American experience within a contemporary, globalized world. We are committed to our audiences, including the Colby College community, residents of Waterville and the broader Maine region, national and international visitors, and the artists, scholars, and partners with whom we collaborate.

A COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Working to advance equity and inclusion in the field of American art—and, by doing so, in the wider world—is core to our mission. We feel the urgency of national and campus conversations on inequality and are keenly aware of the unique responsibility that we have as an academic art museum—as a place where we can listen, ask questions, and challenge assumptions—to engage in this dialogue, and to act. We affirm the Colby Museum’s commitment to multidisciplinary teaching and learning and our potential for deep engagement with students will be leveraged in this effort toward fighting racialized violence, injustice, and inequality; and we encourage inquiries from candidates who will contribute to the diversity of our College, including its cultural and ethnic diversity.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Program Coordination and Development (30%)

With museum staff, community and campus partners develop, implement, and evaluate arts programming. This includes sustained partnerships, recurring programs, as well as one-time events that connect multi-generational community audiences with art at the museum and downtown spaces. The coordinator identifies, builds, and stewards relationships in ways that surface needs, opportunities, and shared goals.

In collaboration with Lunder Institute staff, coordinate and support art-based programming that connects local and regional communities with the Lunder Institute’s fellows, including artists.

Supervise and collaborate with teaching artists, guest artists, student interns, and staff at community partner organizations to develop and implement multi-generational programs downtown, on campus, and in the community.

Work with engagement leadership on special projects related to community engagement programs, as needed; work could include data compilation and preparation for grant reports, presentations, and updating documents for internal stakeholders.

Work with the Mirken director of learning and engagement to advance visitor and program evaluation initiatives for the museum by administering surveys, tracking data, and organizing information.

Visitor Experience (30%)

Offer a positive and welcoming presence for visitors of all ages at the museum’s Joan Dignam Schmaltz Gallery of Art. 

Supervise and train part-time staff to provide excellent customer service and informational assistance related to exhibitions and programs in the museum’s gallery and the Schupf Art Center, working closely with the museum’s engagement assistant to ensure consistent best practices and goals for visitor welcome and engagement on campus and downtown.

Schedule part-time staff at the Schmaltz Gallery. 

With the engagement assistant, cross-train downtown gallery staff to provide coverage and back-up for each other; serve as first back-up when part-time staff is not available. Manage a system for soliciting other museum staff back-up coverage as needed, to ensure consistent staffing.

Train and supervise staff to monitor activity in the downtown gallery and ensure that all visitors adhere to museum security protocols and policies. 

Program Communications and Operations (30%)

Coordinate program administration: Cross-check event calendars to avoid conflicts with other programs being offered across campus and Waterville. Prepare contracts for community and downtown programs, make travel arrangements, and request event catering and set-ups, as needed. Track community/downtown program budgets, provide guidance on budget tracking to the engagement team as needed with the Director. Assist other members of the engagement team with administrative questions related to budget or contracts, as needed.

Communicate program information related to community and downtown programs with internal and external stakeholders. Work closely with Communications to market community and downtown program offerings and expand their visibility and reach.

Serve as liaison and primary point of contact for engagement staff who are coordinating class visits, K-12 activities, and public programs in the downtown gallery. This involves being part of planning meetings, delivering art activities, set-up, event management, and communication with guests, visitors and colleagues.

Work with museum colleagues, building staff, and Waterville Creates partners to maintain effective communication and coordination of operations and events at the Schupf Art Center.Serve as a liaison and primary contact to the Schupf Art Center’s building manager and the museum’s Assistant Manager of Facilities and Operations to ensure smooth operation of the gallery space; report facility-related needs or emergencies, keeping the museum’s security manager and deputy director informed and/or seeking additional guidance when issues arise.

Work closely with the Curatorial team on interpretive materials, self-guided gallery experiences, and didactics.

Additional Responsibilities (10%)

Participate in museum-wide meetings and in professional learning opportunities.

Contribute to the field, developing and sustaining a network of relationships with peers, mentors, and mentees, and remaining knowledgeable of trends in the field and best and next practices in the arts and culture sector.

On occasion, represent the museum in professional and academic forums locally, regionally, and nationally.

Perform additional duties as assigned; duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent in education and experience

Minimum 1-2 years of relevant professional work experience 

Experience with visitor experience, audience engagement, or community and/or public programming development in the cultural sector; experience working with artists and/or arts-based programming preferred

Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including strong relationship skills and ability to work with people across a wide range of levels of power and influence

Demonstrated ability to synthesize information and communicate key points

Demonstrated ability to coordinate projects and track budgets

Excellent organizational skills, punctuality, ability to consistently meet deadlines and follow-through on tasks

Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills

Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion in representing the museum and Colby College 

Proficiency with Microsoft Office software and Google applications

Strong, self-motivated work ethic, flexibility, and proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively as a member of a diverse community

Ability to work collaboratively with staff, students, faculty, and other campus and community partners

Appreciation for the value of a liberal arts education and commitment to fostering an equitable educational and work environment supportive of people from different cultures, backgrounds, and life paths

Valid driver’s license required and must meet the College’s Fleet Safety Policy requirements; willingness and ability to travel locally, regionally, and within the US as needed

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

This position reports to the Mirken curator of education and engagement and is a member of the museum’s engagement team. They also work closely with Lunder Institute programming colleagues, the museum’s communications, curatorial, and collections teams, Colby Arts and other campus colleagues, faculty, students, and colleagues and peers from local arts and community organizations in Waterville and Central Maine.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

General open office and campus environment. Position involves sitting, although frequent movement is necessary. Occasional lifting is required. Computer usage involving repetitive hand/wrist motion is also necessary. Some night and weekend work required based on museum events.

TO APPLY

Interested candidates should apply electronically by clicking the "Apply" button on the Colby Careers website.
 

A review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

---