Manager of Public Practice and Community Partnerships
At Auburn, our work changes lives. Ranked by U.S. News and World Report as a premier public institution, Auburn University is dedicated to shaping the future of the people of Alabama, the nation, and the world through forward-thinking education, life-enhancing research, scholarship and selfless service. Auburn is nationally recognized for its commitment to academic excellence, community outreach, positive work environment, student engagement, and thriving community.
2. In partnership with other arts, cultural, educational, non-profit, governmental, and civic organizations at the museum or off-site, builds innovative solutions especially for diverse, multilingual, multi-generational, and multicultural audiences in places such as libraries; hospitals and medical training facilities, health care and wellness centers, and mental health support organizations; judicial and other law enforcement agencies; military and veterans support organizations; and civic and governmental agencies connected to housing, parks, and recreation, and community gardens. Increases visual literacy and cultural competency that addresses shifting demographics, elevating civic dialogue, and encouraging deep reciprocal relationships with our museum objects.
3. Develops projects with artists whose work is situated in and activated by the public realm. Positions the museum for the public and artists together, especially by using its green space to create an alternative public park-a type of cultural commons with social interaction and creative participation as its guiding philosophies. Under the direction of the Director of Education, Engagement and Learning, oversees the year-round activities hosted by the museum, created and led by interested members of the general public alongside invited artists-in-residence and other activities. Further, increases the profile of public programs through community partnerships, such as the museum's extended hours program, artists' talks, screenings, performances, and readings.
4. Serves as a key member of the Education, Engagement, and Learning team, collaborating with colleagues and successfully working with advisory groups, consultants, and others to shape museum-generated projects. Contributes to the strategic vision and direction to guide the activities and ambitions of a public practice and community partnerships team, ensuring alignment with larger institutional goals. Supervises, motivates, mentors, and reviews activities for students and volunteers. Manages the creation and spending of related budgets, endowments, grant funds, and gifts in collaboration with leadership.
5. Participates in the continued shaping of museum plans, including strategic, collections, interpretive, Auburn University Job Description and DEAI, as well as fundraising, especially for public practice and community partnership projects. Contributes to the museum's communications and digital presence through the creation of content and recommendations for marketing language and approaches to expand awareness of the museum and programs. Represents the museum when needed and makes appropriate contributions to professional communities and wider publics, including local, regional, and/or statewide community organizations; museum and university committees; and national and international scholarly and professional organizations.
6. Initiates, facilitates, and participates in research projects and various forms of public engagement that meaningfully integrate works of art with education, civic engagement, community development, equity, and inclusion. Actively contributes to rethinking presentations and understandings of the museum's collection to incorporate community voices and perspectives.
7. Expands the museum's vital role as an active and trusted community member and center for scholarly, creative endeavors.
8. Serves as project lead for grant-funded activities and scholarship for public practice and other community-centered projects, by contributing to the development of ideas, research, authoring grant narratives, and supporting documents, and oversees the implementation of grant-funded projects.
9. Initiates, develops, and collaborates to deliver evaluations of projects for and with the public regularly to better understand and address community interests and goals and to make visible the Museum's impact to staff, stakeholders, and communities, collects and archives key outputs, and measures key outcomes of community engagement activity.
10. Performs other related duties as assigned.
Field of Study
Arts Education, Public Humanities, Cultural Studies, Museum Studies, Visual Studies,
or a related field.
Years of Experience 4 years
Area of Experience
Teaching with art, especially to connect with community, civic, health/wellness and
police/justice systems; and a record of making art accessible, such as a completed thesis, peer reviewed publications, projects or performances, and/or contributions to public practice or
community partnerships.
Minimum Skills and Abilities
Knowledge of art and history, museum teaching, public practice, and dialogue facilitation and object interpretation strategies.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills for a wide range of stakeholders and colleagues from different cultural and social backgrounds, varying ages, language skills, and physical abilities that utilize high-level emotional intelligence.
Desired Qualifications
Proactive, organized, empathetic, patient and creative. Dedication to broadening access and working collaboratively, Ability to travel regularly mainly within the state of Alabama. Eager to join a team and engage with a wide array of audiences.