Director of Education
About The Position
The Rockwell Museum in Corning, New York, seeks a Director of Education to provide strategic direction for educational programs, interpretation, and visitor engagement. Reporting to the Executive Director and serving on the Museum’s leadership team, the Director will lead education professionals and shape how audiences of all ages and backgrounds experience American art. The role oversees a broad portfolio that includes school and teacher programs, public and family programming, visitor engagement, volunteer development, and community partnerships. The Director will establish educational and interpretive priorities, foster innovative and inclusive museum learning, connect audiences with American art and its contexts, and use research and evaluation to strengthen programs and demonstrate their impact. The Director leads departmental planning, budgeting, staffing, and resource allocation; collaborates across the Museum; supports fundraising, grant development, and communication of program outcomes; and guides the Board’s Education Committee. The position is full-time, exempt, and scheduled for 40 hours per week. Employees assigned to work at The Rockwell Museum are employed by The Corning Museum of Glass.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in museum education, art education, art history, museum studies, or a closely related field.
- At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in museum education, interpretation, or related cultural and educational programming.
- At least five years of direct professional staff supervision and management experience, including performance management, mentoring, and professional development.
- Demonstrated experience overseeing the development, management, and evaluation of educational programs within an art museum or comparable cultural institution.
- Strong knowledge of art museum education, audience engagement, interpretive practices, and museum learning strategies.
- Ability to build collaborative relationships, lead cross-departmental initiatives, and translate institutional priorities into impactful educational experiences.
- Strong leadership, supervisory, team-building, written, verbal, presentation, organizational, planning, and budget management skills.
- Collaborative, inclusive, and forward-thinking approach to leadership, with an appreciation for the arts, museums, and their role in building stronger communities.
- Flexibility to work occasional evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Nice To Haves
- Familiarity with American art and its historical, cultural, and contemporary contexts.
Responsibilities
- Develop and lead an education and audience engagement strategy aligned with the Museum’s mission and strategic priorities.
- Lead, mentor, and develop education staff, supporting a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative department.
- Establish educational and interpretive priorities connecting the permanent collection, exhibitions, and visitor experiences.
- Promote museum learning that encourages curiosity, dialogue, and critical thinking.
- Collaborate across departments to integrate education into exhibition planning, collection installations, and the visitor experience.
- Oversee educational experiences for K–12 students, teachers, families, adults, and lifelong learners.
- Guide initiatives including the Art Lab and Great Circle Artist-in-Residence program.
- Advance teacher professional development, curriculum-aligned school programming, and educational resources, including Learning Trunks for secondary schools.
- Support the growth of public programs, family learning, gallery experiences, and volunteer engagement.
- Cultivate partnerships with educational institutions, artists, cultural organizations, and community groups.
- Expand opportunities for audiences to engage with art, particularly people who have historically experienced barriers to participation.
- Represent the Museum in local, regional, and national educational and cultural networks.
- Lead departmental planning, budgeting, staffing, and resource allocation.
- Partner with Curatorial, Development, Marketing and Communications, Finance, and Visitor Services to advance institutional goals.
- Support fundraising, grant development, and communication of program outcomes and impact.
- Guide the work of the Board’s Education Committee.
- Use audience research, evaluation, and outcomes to strengthen programs and demonstrate educational impact.
- Comply with Museum safety policies and procedures and maintain confidentiality of Museum and employee information.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
