Director, Learning and Community Engagement

National Gallery of Canada•Ottawa, ON

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Learning and Community Engagement provides strategic leadership for developing an integrated, visitor‑centered experience across the National Gallery of Canada (NGC). The role oversees a department responsible for shaping and delivering a cohesive approach to learning and engagement at the Gallery, online and in communities, ensuring that these activities reflect and advance the Gallery’s priorities, values, and commitments. Working collaboratively across departments—including Curatorial, Indigenous Ways and Decolonization, Digital and Web, Visitor Services, Membership, and Operations—the Director ensures that learning is embedded throughout artistic and public programs and that engagement meaningfully involves diverse communities to deepen and expand their relationships with the Gallery. The position champions a culture that centres the visitor, embraces creative learning, and advances inclusive practices throughout the organization. The Director guides the department in delivering high‑quality programming, contributing to integrated project planning, and ensuring that department activities align with institutional goals. The role requires articulate advocacy for the importance of learning and engagement and ensures that departmental resources and capacities support the advancement of the Gallery’s mandate.

Requirements

Thorough knowledge of Arts Education and Interpretation.
Knowledge and skills similar or equivalent to what is gained through the completion of an Undergraduate degree in Art History, Arts & Sciences, Education, Museum Studies, or related field.
Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in leading the development of learning programs in a not-for-profit environment.
Specialized knowledge of accepted methods and policies in arts education, creative learning strategies, and methods to engage diverse audiences.
Extensive strategic thinking, analytical and reasoning skills.
Knowledge of and experience in building relationships and engaging with diverse publics.
Project management expertise.
Knowledge of supervision and management principles and practices.
Ability to lead a team effectively, managing within a complex unionized and multidisciplinary environment.
Strong communicator, goal-oriented, decisive, collaborative, and strategic in managing systems and resources.
Ability to identify media, techniques, and trends.
The ability to understand, express and apply extremely complex concepts and instructions of a general nature as well as extremely complex technical, artistic and administrative precepts, concepts, methods, and procedures.
Ability to establish the Gallery as a leader in innovative and inclusive public programming, both nationally and internationally.
Strong initiative, motivational and leadership skills in managing systems and resources.
Must meet the bilingual requirement to be invited to the interview process.
Reliability Status

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Provides strategic leadership for developing an integrated, visitor‑centered experience across the National Gallery of Canada (NGC).
Oversees a department responsible for shaping and delivering a cohesive approach to learning and engagement at the Gallery, online and in communities.
Ensures that learning activities reflect and advance the Gallery’s priorities, values, and commitments.
Works collaboratively across departments to ensure learning is embedded throughout artistic and public programs.
Ensures engagement meaningfully involves diverse communities to deepen and expand their relationships with the Gallery.
Champions a culture that centres the visitor, embraces creative learning, and advances inclusive practices throughout the organization.
Guides the department in delivering high‑quality programming.
Contributes to integrated project planning.
Ensures that department activities align with institutional goals.
Provides articulate advocacy for the importance of learning and engagement.
Ensures that departmental resources and capacities support the advancement of the Gallery’s mandate.