Director of Museum Learning

Our client - Port Discovery Children's Museum - is seeking a Director of Museum Learning.

Position Summary:

Port Discovery is seeking a passionate member of the educational programming workforce with extensive experience working with children from birth through ten years old to join our museum as our Director of Museum Learning. The Director will work closely with the Senior Director of Learning and Visitor Experience to design, develop, implement, and evaluate the museum's educational programs and serves as the primary supervisor for all Learning Team staff. In collaboration with the Senior Director and other leaders in the Learning and Visitor Experience Department, the Director establishes and maintains standards of performance and provides ongoing coaching, mentorship, and evaluation of Learning team staff.

The Director will lead the development of high-quality, evidence-based, and child-centered learning experiences for the museum's visitors, including public programs, school and field trip programs, homeschool offerings, summer camp, overnight programs, community-based initiatives, and Sensory Friendly Sundays. As a visible leader on the museum floor, the Director champions playful learning and informal education best practices, engaging directly with children and families while modeling exemplary facilitation techniques for staff.

The Director is responsible for ensuring learning experiences are welcoming, accessible, and inclusive for all visitors. Through thoughtful program design, staff training, and ongoing evaluation, the Director works to reduce barriers to participation and create experiences that support diverse learning styles, communication needs, sensory preferences, cultural backgrounds, and physical abilities. This includes considering the needs of children and families with disabilities, neurodivergent visitors, English language learners, ASL users, and other historically underserved audiences.

Through observation, coaching, training, and collaborative planning, the Director supports the continued growth and development of the Learning Team and fosters a culture of reflective practice, curiosity, and continuous improvement. In partnership with the Senior Director, the Director ensures all learning experiences align with Port Discovery's mission, PLAY Framework, and commitment to creating meaningful learning through play.

Schedule:

To support the Museum's commitment to exceptional visitor experiences, all full-time employees within the Learning & Visitor Experience Department are expected to work a minimum of three weekend days per month. Evening, holiday, and special event work is a regular expectation of this position and will be scheduled based on departmental and organizational needs. The Director plays a large role in overnight workshops, which occur on occasional Saturday nights throughout the year.

Compensation:

Salary range is $72k to $80k annually, depending on relevant experience.

Qualifications:

Port Discovery is seeking individuals who are:

• Passionate about playful learning and its impact on families and communities;
• Adept at developing and evaluating evidence-based and child-centered programs for children between the ages of birth to ten and their families;
• Skilled in coaching and training to support the growth and development of assigned staff.

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in education, museum studies, arts education or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years working with children 0-10 years old.
• Minimum of 3 years managing the development, implementation, and evaluation of educational programming and partnerships.
• Minimum of 3 years training, coaching, mentoring experience preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work well with diverse, intergenerational audiences, in an energetic, friendly, outgoing, and professional manner.
• Comfortable engaging with young children and their families one-on-one and in large groups.
• A passion for learning, play, and fun.
• Excellent writing, organizational, and scheduling skills.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in education or related field;
• Experience working with diverse communities.

Benefits:

Port Discovery provides you with the opportunity to make a difference in the community and in the lives of children. Additional benefits include: free parking; free admission to the Museum for your family; group medical, dental and/or vision insurance options; generous paid vacation, personal & sick leave; retirement savings with Museum match after 6 months; and Museum provided life and disability insurance, as well as EAP, travel assistance and grief counseling support.

Physical Demands & Work Environment:

Must be able to meet physical demands of the job to include walking, standing, climbing, bending, kneeling. This role requires frequent movement throughout the Museum, including extended periods of standing while facilitating educational programs, engaging with guests, and supporting team members. The employee will also spend time seated while completing administrative responsibilities. Occasional lifting, carrying, and moving of materials weighing up to 50 pounds may be required. Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. When facilitating educational programs, the employee must be comfortable working amongst large crowds of children and families. The working hours will vary depending on the need and will require weekend and evening work. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.

To learn more about Port Discovery Children's Museum, visit https://www.portdiscovery.org/. Port Discovery is an Equal Opportunity Employer.