Director, Learning & Engagement

National Urban League•New York, NY

56d

About The Position

In 2026, the National Urban League will open the Urban Civil Rights Museum in Harlem (UCRM) as New York’s first museum dedicated to civil rights – and one of the first in the nation to focus on the history of civil rights in the North. The Urban Civil Rights Museum will tell the story of the struggle for civil and human rights in urban environments across America. It will empower people to continue to struggle to improve their lives and the lives of all Americans. It will be a place where you can see and feel the work of the many people who fought for justice in urban centers in the North, a place to reﬂect on past civil rights efforts, to imagine new possibilities of collective work and to inspire future action. The Urban Civil Rights Museum in Harlem seeks a visionary and experienced Director, Learning and Engagement to oversee the museum’s education programs. The Director of Learning and Engagement supervises all educational activities of the museum, including tours, and ensures high caliber and consistent education content for youth, families and adults. They will work with the education team to create customized tours, family days, and K-12 school programs. The Director’s responsibility is to serve diverse communities and learners of all ages, and to build a network of artists, creatives, and educators. The Director of Learning and Engagement is responsible for developing a long-term education plan to guide educational programming, curricula, and long-term partnerships with schools, teachers, youth organizations and community centers. They will lead the learning and engagement team to create innovative and accessible intergenerational educational tours, workshops and materials, including digital and online learning resources. They will develop professional development programs for teachers and educators and cultivate parent engagement. The Director of Learning and Engagement will supervise and train all tour guides and education staff and systematically evaluate all educational programming. They will be the point person for all higher-level communication with schools and other educational centers outside the museum.

Requirements

Master’s degree in museum education, Art History, History, Education, Black Studies, or a related field, or the equivalent education and experience.
7-10 years of demonstrated success developing, managing or teaching education programs in museums, education institutions, or other non-profit cultural organizations.
5+ years of experience developing and implementing innovative outreach for learning and engagement programs for diverse audiences
3+years of supervision of multiple staff members and complex budget management. Ability to effectively supervise staff while contributing to a positive, collaborative, and healthy work environment
3+years of leading or supervising museum tours
3-5 years developing curricula and lesson plans
Appropriate knowledge and skill set necessary to represent the museum at high levels and to lead a team of creative individuals.
Knowledge of current theories and best practices within the field of museum learning and engagement
Knowledge of African American history and culture
Strong written and oral communication skills.
Must have strong interpersonal skills to handle confidential situations.
Must be able to plan, prioritize, organize and execute multiple initiatives simultaneously and independently.
Must demonstrate maturity, professionalism, and solid judgment.
Excellent communication skills to interact with a wide range of people, inside and outside of the organization.
Self-starter and act independently.
Solid computer skills using Microsoft Office Suite

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Vision:
Lead the vision for all learning and engagement programs.
Implement a new comprehensive strategy that aligns with the museum’s mission and commitment to social justice values, current pedagogy, and best practices in the field.
Create and implement innovative pedagogical frameworks for each exhibition and program and ensure they are adaptable for varying levels of understanding, experiences, and learning styles, facilitating deeper and more inclusive learning experiences
Create a 3-5- year education plan for the museum.
Program Development and Management
Research, explore, and produce ideas for new education opportunities, curricula, partnerships and programs.
Introduce new and relevant scholarship on museum education and teaching and learning theories and practices.
Oversee all learning and engagement programs, including school tours, in-school and after-school programs, all K-12 activities, summer camps, family and parent programs and professional development programs for teachers and educators.
Manage the planning, preparation, and execution of all tours.
Staff Management and Development
Build and lead a group of talented educators and tour guides by setting clear vision for programs and annual goals, solving problems as they arise, providing on-going professional development and ensuring team is fulfilling the institution’s strategic plan.
Recruit and train staff as needed.
Regularly assess staff performance and the department’s progress in meeting short-term and long-range objectives.
Budget and Resources Management
Develop and manage an education budget, including revenue and expense projections, for learning and engagement programs to ensure the financial sustainability of the department and larger organization.
Ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget.
Program Evaluation and Improvement:
Implement an evaluation process to systematically review all tours, programs, publications, and materials generated by the department to insure that they are of the highest quality in terms of approach, content, and presentation.
Collaboration and Fundraising Support:
Lead and facilitate cross-departmental teams to support exhibition, collections and public programs staff in developing the educational content for programs, events, materials, and online resources.
Work closely as needed with any Partnerships and Advancement efforts to secure funding and support for education programs, promote program visibility through marketing efforts, and drive revenue generation.
Community and Stakeholder Engagement:
Design and implement the museum's educational outreach efforts
Cultivate and establish relationships and partnerships with the New York Department of Education, schools and other local educational organizations.