Early Childhood Education Assistant

DHRM•Richmond, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is seeking a motivated and action-oriented Early Childhood Education Assistant to support its Early Childhood Education (ECE) Programs and staff. This is a wage, non-exempt position working 20 hours weekly, with potential to increase to 29 hours during peak program months. The ECE Assistant will handle essential administrative and organizational tasks, support program execution, and assist with the maintenance of educational spaces. This role is crucial for the smooth operation of weekly classes, drop-off camps, field trips, and the Annual Early Childhood Student Exhibition. The VMFA offers benefits such as free admission to special exhibitions, previews, employee pricing for programs and classes, and discounts at museum cafes and shops.

Requirements

Strong customer service, oral and written communication skills.
Ability to work independently on various administrative and organizational tasks.
Ability to anticipate program needs and address them with minimal supervision.
Demonstrated use of sound judgment, decision-making, and knowledge regarding safety and security protocols for supervising student groups.
Related work experience in a teaching environment.
Knowledge of basic child development.
Experience using basic formulas in Microsoft Excel.
Driver's license is required.
Three professional references are required.
Must pass a criminal history background check.
Must complete an I-9 form and present documentation of identity and eligibility to work in the United States upon hiring.

Nice To Haves

Certification in Adult and Pediatric CPR/AED.
Knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies typically obtained through the completion of an academic curriculum or program in early childhood education, art education, art history, or a related field; or an equivalent level of practical experience.
Prior or related experience with a variety of platforms including Microsoft Excel, photoshop, registration software similar to Outbound, Asana, Docusign, Asset Essentials, and Formstack.
Prior professional experience in the art education or museum education field.
Demonstrated knowledge and teaching experience with Reggio-inspired and inquiry-based pedagogy.
Experience installing fine art exhibitions.

Responsibilities

Assist the Early Childhood Education Coordinator with the administration and execution of Early Childhood Education programs.
Support the general needs of all programs, including weekly classes, drop-off camps for 3-5 year olds, field trips, and the Annual Early Childhood Student Exhibition.
Handle expanded responsibilities with drop-off camps and the student exhibition during peak periods (May, June, July, September, and January), with increased work hours.
Assist with administrative projects such as maintaining enrollment and registration data, collecting web edits, and monitoring online offerings.
Maintain program statistics, scholarships, grant benchmarking, and exhibition data.
Assist with editing projects for registration brochures and resources.
Support the maintenance of educational spaces by organizing and cleaning studios.
Manage and compile supply inventory, including unpacking, labeling, sorting art materials, and organizing supplies in storage.
Support the Early Childhood's tours program (Group Visits) with data entry, calendar maintenance, and inputting reservations into VMFA’s registration software.
Reserve lunchroom spaces and support Educators with set-up and clean-up during peak periods.
Assist with the preparation for and facilitation of Curiosity Camps in June, including administrative and clerical tasks.
Support camp administration through set-up, wayfinding, check-in, in-class interactions, and clean-up.
Maintain documentation of camps, including iPad use and paperwork.
Assist with setting up and maintaining the outdoor classroom space.
Perform essential roles in support of the Annual Student Exhibition, including maintaining and updating documentation, corresponding with teachers, and tracking art acquisition.
Correspond with caregivers of student exhibitors regarding exhibition updates.
Collaborate with colleagues on exhibition design, label content and printing, didactic panel design, and preparation of frames for the framer.
Assist with exhibition installation (October) and de-installation (January).