Museum Program Specialist

The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission•Riverdale, MD

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a leader in historic preservation and manages a number of museums, historic sites, and programs that celebrate Prince George's County's rich history. Coordinated by the Natural and Historic Resources Division (NHRD), there are 5, M-NCPPC historic house museums that are open to the public, including the Riversdale House Museum. Riversdale, a National Historic Landmark and designated NPS Network to Freedom Site, seeks a dynamic and organized Museum Specialist/Operations Manager to join our team. Constructed between 1801-1807, Riversdale interprets life in 19th Century Maryland, inclusive of the shared history of the Stier, Calvert and Plummer families. Rich in primary source material, the Museum is undergoing a transformation by expanding its interpretation to be more inclusive of the lives and labor of the enslaved, indentured, and free black community at this historic site and creating a more descendant driven and visitor centered experience. Responsibilities are separated into two primary categories – educational and administrative. Riversdale House Museum employs a small team with many projects and responsibilities that are team-based, the candidate will often be delegated individual tasks. The successful candidate will be responsible for researching, creating, coordinating, implementing, and providing support for public programs, activities, special events, and exhibitions. The candidate will be able to work independently and satisfactorily complete these tasks and meet deadlines. This candidate will be able to support the Riversdale House Museum in upholding the four strategic pillars of the Natural and Historic Resources Division (NHRD). Enhance the Visitor Experience: Quality and Quantity Leave a Legacy: Transforming Education into Activism Strengthen Inclusivity, Diversity, and Belonging Act with Honesty, Integrity, Respect, and Trust

Requirements

Be a self-starter and able to multi-task.
Possess excellent organizational and communication skills.
Learn the basic history of the site and complete formal docent training.
Be comfortable interacting with the public while serving as front line staff during open hours and special events.
Be willing to perform other duties as assigned.
Must be at least 21 years old with a valid government issued driver’s license.
Completed or be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Clear and open communication required.
Ability to lift 25 pounds and comfortably navigate stairs.
Ability to work outdoor events in a variety of weather conditions.

Nice To Haves

A major in history, education, museum education, museum studies, or a related field preferred.
Specialized knowledge and experience in 19th century U.S. History, African American History, African American Studies or Ethnic Studies desirable.
Familiarity with current federal and state curriculum guidelines, elementary education teaching methodologies, and ability to develop curriculum for education programming and conducting school field trips and other education-focused tours and workshops.
Spanish Speaker preferred.

Responsibilities

Research, create, coordinate, implement, and provide support for history-based public programs, activities, special events, and exhibits.
Develop, write, and implement educational lesson plans for K-12 classrooms.
Develop and run workshops for educators, including teachers, professors, principals, and homeschool associations.
Provide support to volunteer coordinator to run appropriate trainings for corps.
Develop and implement Scout programming aligned with current badge requirements.
Serve as front-line staff during museum open hours and special tours, providing tour introductions and guided tours on an as-needed basis.
Create interpretive and promotional materials, including flyers, press releases, website marketing and print materials, and maintain updated online and print calendars.
Sell tickets, process payments and registrations, and take required training for point-of-sale software.
Schedule programs, meetings, field trips, and tours and communicate with various types of guests (renters, donors, visitors, families, colleagues, etc.) in a professional manner.
With staff, maintain administrative calendars and spreadsheets, schedule rental setups, and associated tasks.