Director of Learning, Experience and Programming

Oakland Museum of California

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The Director of Learning, Experience and Programming creates and executes the institution-wide strategy that brings together in-gallery and exhibition experiences and campus programming to support OMCA’s brand as a museum, garden and gathering place and to advance its social impact of building trust, understanding, and connection between people and communities. Working in close partnership with the Chief Content Officer, the Director of Content Development, and program, curatorial, and collections staff, the Director oversees programming and interpretive activities that are imbued with a unified theory of learning and clearly articulated impact and outcomes, and that advance OMCA’s vision to create personal, accessible, imaginative and relevant experiences for all visitors.

Responsibilities

Strategy and Leadership

  • Develop programming and learning models that foster deep community inclusion and incorporate community voice.

  • Define a clear strategic direction for OMCA’s learning and programming initiatives based on community listening and an analysis of the current educational and cultural landscape.

  • Work in close partnership with the Director of Content Development and in collaboration with other staff partners to fuse the Museum’s onsite and online content and programming into a cohesive experience for OMCA audiences.

  • Lead the Learning, Experience, and Programming Department that includes program, experience, and learning managers, developers and educators. In collaboration with staff, develop departmental work plans and lead recruiting, hiring, training and review of department staff.

  • Work as a manager, coach and catalyst to set department priorities and goals; support staff in achieving goals throughout the year.

  • Play a visible and active role in institutional fundraising. With development and advancement staff, build relationships with funders and assist in identifying and pursuing funding opportunities.

  • Build and deepen partnerships with external institutions, educational organizations, and community groups.

  • Represents the organization to partner agencies, organizations, and the general public.

  • Recruit, supervise, and evaluate staff, interns, and volunteers.

Program Development and Implementation

  • Create a vision for innovative, 21st century best practices for K-12 informal museum education, centered on OMCA’s educational philosophy and institution-wide social impact framework.

  • In partnership with Program Managers, oversees strategic direction of learning programs such as docent-led tours, hands-on workshops, curriculum, museum/school partnerships, educator professional development, and online resources.

  • Create and lead a vision for public programming that leverages and utilizes OMCA’s core galleries and collections, temporary exhibitions, and campus and garden spaces to foster learning, community engagement, and social cohesion.

  • In partnership with Program Managers, develop a schedule of time-based, in-gallery and campus-wide programming that engages and develops new audiences, supports and deepens learning for adults and families, and builds relationships with strategic partners and collaborators.

  • Ensure all OMCA gallery and exhibition projects incorporate substantial and meaningful community input and voice; act as part of content teams in establishing community engagement strategies and tactics.

  • In partnership with Program Managers and Developers oversee new models of participatory, visitor-centered gallery experiences and exhibitions based on research and evaluation of visitors’ diverse learning styles and motivations, including interpretation and labels, visitor interactives, and other platforms for gallery and exhibition activation.

  • Establish rigorous standards and practice for comprehensive interpretive plans across gallery and exhibitions projects.

  • Oversee label and interpretive writing at institutional standards.

Requirements

EXPERIENCE

  • Ability to display the competencies of strategic thinking, development of self and others and ability to deploy and align organizational strategies and objectives.

  • 10+ years of related experience.

  • 5 years of supervisory/lead experience.

  • B.A. degree in related field preferred.

  • English language proficiency in both spoken and written form.

  • Familiarity with multidisciplinary arts, history, natural sciences, education, community engagement and civic and audience development.

  • Understanding of the current educational landscape, including formal and informal institutional structures of learning.

  • Versed in learning theory, and its practical application with a particular understanding of inquiry-based learning.

  • Experience creating and/or directing the creation of implementation of effective learning programs, curricula and activities.

  • Understanding of fundraising techniques, grant application procedures, and funding sources.

  • Demonstrated cultural competence and a history of building equitable and inclusive programming.

  • Proficiency in employee management.

  • Works well in a deeply collaborative, highly fluid culture.

  • Knowledge of partnership and contract negotiations and management.