Association of Academic Museums and Galleries

The Spurlock Museum at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign seeks candidates for the position of Public Education and Volunteers Coordinator. Reporting to the Director of Education, the coordinator serves as one of the primary public faces of the Spurlock Museum by managing a volunteer corps, and overseeing and leading interactive museum tours and public education programs for schools and other organizations.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Create, build, and supervise extensive and varied volunteer activity for the museum, as the primary liaison for all museum volunteers. Recruit, assess, and place volunteers across the various sections of the museum by evaluating and balancing museum section needs and competing demands for volunteer time and skills and maintain volunteer relationships.

• Write curricula for and facilitate docent training, performance assessment, and volunteer recognition. Lead volunteer continuing education program, including training on museum best practices and gallery-based content
• Work with University units to coordinate group and individual volunteer projects for students (review requests, assign approved requests to appropriate museum sections)
• Represent Spurlock Museum at the Champaign County Museum Network volunteer group and other professional organizations
• Ensure that volunteers are sufficiently trained and vetted so that they can provide all education front-line services
• Plan, evaluate, redirect, and support volunteer learning and performance
• Mediate tensions that may arise among volunteers, visitors, staff, and other stakeholders
• Use visitor studies techniques and analytical tools to evaluate visitor feedback and implement change in programs and volunteer performance
• Some nights and weekends required

As a member of the Education Section, serve as the first point of contact for formally structured group visits to the Museum. Develop, plan, and lead tours, programs, and events for children and adults and audiences with a variety of backgrounds and needs.

• Evaluate and schedule all tour requests, with attention to current anthropological knowledge and accordance with local and state curriculum standards and goals
• Adapt language, conceptual framework, and teaching techniques to meet the needs of a specific audience
• Provide museum accessibility, volunteer opportunity, marketing, and mission-based programming and exhibition information to visitors as community and University fairs, festivals, and other outreach events
• Supervise hourly student staff charged with preparing materials and leading programs for the public
• Maintain and update internal and external tour, program, and event calendars, including staffing levels for all public programs
• Work with Special Events and Security staff to coordinate staffing, safety, and logistics of public events and tours
• Some nights and weekends required
• Participate in museum and section meetings and projects
• Maintain current knowledge of museum education theory and practice
• Participate in University and community initiatives as appropriate

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in museum studies, education, anthropology, or a related discipline. Individuals working toward a master’s degree may be considered, but the degree must be obtained by the starting date.
• 2 years experience in creating and leading informal public education in a museum or similar setting
• Demonstrated experience facilitating learning experiences for audiences of a range of ages and for mixed audiences
• Demonstrated experience working with people of diverse racial and ethnic identities, socio-economic backgrounds, gender and sexual identities, and abilities
• Experience working with volunteers
• Familiarity with best practices in volunteer management and training
• Knowledge of pedagogical theory in informal learning environments
• Ability to manage numerous, overlapping projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Basic knowledge of world history and cultures
• Basic office and computer skills
• Strong interpersonal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Coursework in education AND museum studies
• Bilingual proficiency in speaking and writing in Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, or French highly preferred
• Bilingual proficiency in any language or ASL preferred
• Experience working in collaboration with K-12 teachers
• Development of collaborative programming with multiple partners, including governmental and non-governmental organizations
• Experience running volunteer-based programs, including cultivating volunteer relations, highly preferred
• Curriculum writing for formal or informal environments
• Knowledge of writing for different audiences in a variety of public contexts
• Knowledge of the use of social media for informal education

This is a full-time, 12-month, benefits-eligible, Academic Professional position. Eligibility for benefits are contingent on your citizenship or work authorization. For full details on eligibility requirements, please reference http://www.ahr.illinois.edu/employees/current/other.html#Benefits.

Salary is commensurate with experience. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the closing date.

Application Procedures:

Create your candidate profile at http://jobs.illinois.edu and upload

• Cover letter,
• CV or resume addressing your qualifications as they align with the job description, and
• Names and contact information of three professional references.

To receive full consideration, all requested application materials must be submitted via the online system by the close date of 04/24/2017. All requested information must be submitted for your application to be considered. Review of applications may begin before the closing date; however, no hiring decision will be made until after the close date. A digital portfolio of museum work will be required of  Search Finalists. For further information regarding the position, contact Karen Flesher at kflesher@illinois.edu. For more information about the Spurlock Museum, visit our website: www.spurlock.illinois.edu. For technical assistance with the online application process, call 217-333-6747 or email jobs@illinois.edu.

The William R. and Clarice V. Spurlock Museum is the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s museum of world cultures. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 2009, the Spurlock Museum maintains collections of more than 50,000 artifacts from six continents and serves over 50,000 patrons each year, including school children from across the state of Illinois, adults and families from the surrounding area, and university students, staff and faculty.

The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer.

Illinois is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran,  status as a qualified individual with a disability, or criminal conviction history. Illinois welcomes individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas who embrace and value diversity and inclusivity. (www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu).