Director of Learning and Community Engagement

Director of Learning and Community Engagement

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America's Best Employers By State in 2021.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title
Director of Learning and Community Engagement

Job Profile Title
Director B

Job Description Summary
Reporting to the Director of the Museum, the Director of Learning and Community Engagement (DLCE) champions community engagement programming and strategies for the Penn Museum. The DLCE leads all the Museum's externally facing programs, including those that focus on K-12 groups, adult groups, and community outreach programs, as well as engagement programs for the general public and strategic audiences. The DLCE and the LCE Department play a critical role in advancing the Museum's diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives (DEI). The DLCE sits on the Executive Team of the Museum and provides oversight for high-level Museum initiatives, particularly those pertaining to education, interpretation, and community outreach. The DLCE represents the Museum and its leadership at events, in University partnerships/collaborations, at board meetings, and in media interviews.

Job Description

Responsibilities:

The Director of Learning and Community Engagement oversees the budgets, attendance, and revenue tracking for the department. This position works closely with the Development Department to identify and pursue funding opportunities for educational and public programming, assists with proposal writing and related budgeting, and meets with donors and corporate sponsors. The LCE Department receives over one million dollars of gift and grant funding to support programs and initiatives and earns about $750K in revenue each year. This role also closely collaborates with the Director of Marketing and Communications to develop strategic positioning of various Museum programs in context with growing, diversifying, and understanding audiences.

The DLCE directs and supervises the implementation of the highest quality educational programs, including K-12 school programs, adult programs, accessibility programs, and oversees staff conducting related programming, including five direct reports. Programs are divided into three main groups by audience:

  • Community Engagement programs, which support and drive general attendance, membership, and provide access points for many types of audiences. The DLCE works with anchored community partners, as well as staff across the Museum to better reach and engage the Philadelphia region's diverse communities. They are responsible for creating and implementing the Museum's community engagement strategy prioritizing diverse community participation and inclusive, interactive community programming. A significant component of the strategy will be to update benchmarks and metrics to assess community program performance. Based on this data, the Director will make recommendations regarding the continuation, cessation, or changes to programming, as well as best approaches in general to community outreach. The DLCE also collaborates deeply with the Museum's Chief Diversity and People Officer, the Penn Museum Diversity Committee, and Penn's Office of Government and Community Affairs to determine the programming that can be created with community partners and offered to the general public. The DLCE will work with a new Penn Museum Community Advisory Board and its agency in creating community-centric programs with direct community input. The DLCE also collaborates with Museum colleagues to welcome community partners at onsite events. This Community Engagement segment of the LCE department is also responsible for the core engagement programs such as Culturefest!, Great Lecture Series, Cartifacts, Summer Camp, and more. They also create special programs to highlight new exhibitions, holidays, traditions, and community opportunities. Many programs are created in partnership with other community organizations, making the department a true connector between the Museum and its surrounding neighborhoods and local talent. The DLCE also works closely with the new Resident Artist Program. The Associate Director of Community Engagement reports directly to the DLCE. The DLCE and team work closely with Marketing and Communications to create strategies to promote programs and analyze and build audience data.
  • K-12 education programs, serving over 60,000 students, parents, and faculty annually (pre-pandemic). The DLCE manages the Associate Director of Interpretive Programs, who develops new K-12 and tour programs for the department and manages the Global Guides program, volunteer Docents, School Visit Coordinators, and Global Education Manager. The DLCE oversees the Associate Director for School Programs, who manages Unpacking the Past, a multi-faceted, grant/gift-supported program that serves more than 10,000 middle school students, chaperones, and teachers in the City of Philadelphia annually (pre-pandemic). This department also serves people with various disabilities throughout the year.
  • Group Sales, which services grow the adult and non-Penn college groups that visit the Museum. These related duties involve working with the Group Sales Manager to develop and refine opportunities for tours and programs, creating web and print materials to market programs and drive attendance, and establishing sales goals and attendance figures. This department has grown exponentially as awareness raises and there are greater programmatic opportunities and amenities to attract groups.


Overall, this person drives interest and visibility for members of the public to visit the Museum through fun educational opportunities for visitors of all ages, cultural backgrounds, and walks of life. Working with other leadership, the DLCE ensures a welcoming experience for all.

Qualifications:

Master's Degree required, preferably in K-12 Education, Museum Education and/or a related field, with 8-10 years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. A strong track record in DEI work and experience working with diverse audiences, schools, and community-based organizations is essential, ideally in the Philadelphia region. Relevant hands-on experience with museum education programs or similar formal education programs strongly preferred. Knowledge of current educational and programmatic methods, including web-based applications and other e-learning tools, and current knowledge of providing digital materials is desired. Demonstrated leadership skills, ability to collaborate and think strategically, as well as a strong knowledge of and commitment to customer service is necessary. Must be able to work independently, show considerable initiative and be a self-starter. Outstanding interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills are required. Ability to work well and communicate effectively with faculty, staff and members of the Museum's audiences, ability to motive and work with diverse constituencies is desired. Occasional evening and weekend work is required.

Application Requirement:

A Cover Letter and Resume/CV are required to be considered for this position. Please upload your Cover Letter where it asks you to upload your Resume/CV; multiple documents are allowed.

Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School
University Museum

Pay Range
$59,703.00 - $113,435.00

Affirmative Action Statement
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.

Special Requirements
Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits
  • Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
  • Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
  • Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
  • Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family-whatever your personal needs may be.
  • Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, you won't have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
  • Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
  • Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
  • University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on at Penn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you're right in the middle of the excitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
  • Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
  • Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
  • Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
  • Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.



To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay

To apply, visit https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/upenn/careers-at-penn/job/University-Museum/Director-of-Learning-and-Community-Engagement_JR00040938

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