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Job Description

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills, and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty

The Director of Education inspires, manages, and sets the strategic direction for the Burke Museum’s Education Department. This department is responsible for developing and delivering high-quality, outcomes-oriented educational programs for youth, educators, and families. These programs are a core function of the Burke Museum and presently serve 70,000+ participants each year. The Director of Education plays a critical role in advancing the Museum’s mission to care for and share Washington’s natural history and culture collections so all people can learn, be inspired, generate knowledge, feel joy, and heal. The Director of Education builds effective collaborations with other departments within the Museum, with informal learning institutions across WA, and with subject matter experts in the community, at the University of Washington and throughout the region.

The Burke is the Washington State Museum of Natural History and Culture, and its education programs are central to the institution’s core purpose of contributing to a better future for the state. The Director of Education will build and strengthen current programmatic offerings, seek opportunities to develop culturally responsive models and approaches, collaborate with new and diverse audiences, and uplift the profile of the Burke Museum, the Burke Education Department, and the communities they serve.

The Burke Museum’s Director of Education reports to the Executive Director and is part of a team that includes dedicated and enthusiastic museum educators and collaborative colleagues throughout the Museum. And, as part of the University of Washington and a rich cultural community, the Burke has access to expertise and resources across a wide range of disciplines and cultures.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy (25%)

+ Create and implement a successful strategic business plan for the Burke Education Department that continues to build off a strong foundation of programmatic offerings that have state-wide participation and impact.

+ Grow and maintain collaborations and partnerships that support the museum’s broader goals of reaching new audiences and expanding community engagement

+ Build reciprocal relationships with diverse communities to ensure representation of multiple cultural perspectives

Supervision (30%)

+ Effectively lead a group of experienced museum educators.

+ Provide strategic leadership to enhance departmental effectiveness by setting clear vision for the department, establishing annual goals, providing ongoing professional development, and ensuring the team is fulfilling the Museum’s strategic goals

+ Recruit and train new employees as needed

+ Regularly assess staff performance and the department’s progress in meeting short-term and long-range objectives

+ Creatively utilize personnel to ensure the activities of the department are in line with the Museum mission, achieve goals, and mesh with the operations of the Museum

+ Empower staff to act independently and delegate appropriately so that staff feel ownership and fulfillment in their work.

Institutional Outreach (5%)

+ Serve as a key liaison for representing the Burke Museum’s educational efforts at community meetings and professional associations, both in the local community and across the state.

+ Ensure the Burke Education Department more broadly attends and presents at local, regional, and national museum and education meetings and conferences to build connections and contribute to the field.

Collaboration (10%):

+ Advocate for innovative learning and engagement initiatives across departments within the Burke.

+ Work with collections staff to integrate current research topics into education programs

+ Collaborate closely with exhibits, public programs, and visitor services departments to ensure a cohesive visitor experience

+ Champion efforts to amplify and extend current best practices of child, family, and adult learning into the work of the Museum.

Innovation (5%):

+ Maintain knowledge of current best practices of informal learning and museum education and ensure these are embodied in all educational offerings.

+ Ensure that the Burke Museum programs are not only relevant, but also serve as a model of creative, unique informal learning occasions.

+ Champion program development models and approaches that are inclusive, culturally responsive and foster reciprocal relationships with communities.

Relevance (5%):

+ Ensure that Washington State and National standards are considered in all educational programming.

+ Serve as a resource, statewide, to teachers and schools for producing and delivering relevant, culturally responsive, and appealing curriculum.

Financial Management (10%):

+ In collaboration with members of the Burke Education Department, develop annual budgets and ensure that income targets are met and expenses are kept within budget.

+ Prepare budget revisions and a variety of financial reports

+ Identify and enact opportunities for revenue generation in support of educational activities.

Development Support (5%):

+ In collaboration with the Development department, steward prospective donors interested in supporting Education; support and participate in fundraising events; actively pursue grant and fundraising opportunities on behalf of the Education Department.

Program Evaluation (5%):

+ Consistently assess all program offerings to ensure they are of the highest quality, meeting goals, reaching desired audiences, and relevant to participants and other stakeholders.

+ Offer a balance of changing and ongoing programs that continue to pique the interest of visitors and education professionals; establish an effective system of regularly evaluating programs, and discontinuing or modifying those programs that are not meeting established expectations

+ **Other:** Uphold the institution’s commitment to equitable and inclusive practice

Minimum Requirements:

+ Bachelor’s degree in a field related to museum education, science education, cultural education, or informal learning.

+ Four to five years of demonstrated success in leading the development of educational programs that achieve broad-reaching community engagement while maintaining awareness of participant and community needs, including two to three years of supervising several staff members and managing complex budgets

Additional Requirements

+ Significant engagement in the field of informal learning, with knowledge of best practices from across various disciplines, with specialization in one or more subjects related to natural history and culture.

+ Exceptional written and oral communication skills.

+ Established network and working relationships in the informal education sector.

+ Successful track record of leading a team of creative educators, promoting cross-departmental working relationships, and fostering professionalism

Desired Qualifications:

+ Understanding of decolonization in museums, and experience fostering inclusive practice.

+ Graduate degree in a field related to museum education, science education, or informal learning.

+ Five or more years of demonstrated success in leading the development of educational programs that achieve broad-reaching community engagement while maintaining awareness of participant and community needs.

Conditions of Employment:

+ Able to work a flexible schedule that occasionally involves work on weekends and holidays

+ Able to work in an environment visible to the public with visual and audible distractions

+ Wear required credentials at all times and work attire/uniforms and name tags as required by position

Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum:

$90,000.00 annual

Pay Range Maximum:

$103,200.00 annual

Other Compensation:

-

Benefits:

For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/

Shift:

First Shift (United States of America)

Temporary or Regular?

This is a regular position

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent):

100.00%

Union/Bargaining Unit:

Not Applicable

About the UW

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

Our Commitment

The University of Washington is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer (https://hr.uw.edu/eoaa/) . All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or [email protected] .

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law (https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=28B.112.080) .

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.