Museum Program Coordinator
Job Summary:
The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) is many things: a library, a museum, an educational institution, a research center. We oversee three historic sites and protect a treasure trove of documents and artifacts for the public. But at the heart of it all, we are a network of people dedicated to preserving and exploring Kentucky's rich and fascinating past and then using the power of history to improve life today.
KHS's mission is to educate and engage the public through Kentucky's history in order to meet the challenges of the future. As a team member at KHS, you play a significant role in supporting our success and the relevance of history.
The Museum Program Coordinator will work to fulfill the mission of the Kentucky Historical Society as well as work to help their colleagues throughout the organization succeed. Each organizational team at the KHS plays a significant role in supporting our success and the relevance of history. Learning Services is responsible for educational programs at the Kentucky History Center and Museums as well as off-site. The Museum Programs Coordinator, with a K-12 student focus, is to develop, facilitate, and evaluate educational experiences through Kentucky's history for our visitors and patrons. This energetic person will lead virtual and on-site field trips, coordinate outreach programs, and provide standards-based resources for the school audience.
For more information, please visit: https://history.ky.gov/about-the-kentucky-historical-society/careers/
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Coordinate quality field trip experiences for the K-12 student audience virtually and while they are visiting our three museum sites.
- Customize Learning Labs and grade-specific tours for the school audience to enhance their field trip experience by following the Kentucky Academic Standards for Social Studies and trends in Museum Education.
- Develop, refine, and conduct interpretive tours for school groups at the Old State Capitol, and assess the demand for similar tours at the History Center and Kentucky Military History Museum.
- Develop self-guided activities for gallery visits.
- Facilitate logistics for a positive, rewarding field trip experience: coordinate daily details with the Visitor Services team, perform museum introductions, and monitor students in the galleries.
Coordinate with teachers, librarians, and other community organizations to offer experiences for K-12 students in their classrooms.
- Integrate and understand the Kentucky Academic Standards for Social Studies and inquiry-based learning to promote student growth in visual literacy, historical literacy, and 21st-century skills.
- Prepare and inventory supplies for lessons, maintain the artifact collection used for teaching purposes, set up and takedown of programs, and drive to and from school/community sites.
- Train volunteers, interns, and staff on K-12 programming.
Other duties as assigned by the Teacher Programs Manager.
Qualifications:
- Education - Bachelor's degree in education, history, museum studies, or related field.
- Experience - Relevant work experience in an educational setting, with demonstrated experience facilitating learning experiences for a diverse audience.
- Communication - Ability to speak in front of a group of people and lead engaging, dynamic education programs.
- Technology Skills - Proficiency in word processing and online research, familiarity with Microsoft Suite. Knowledge of or ability to learn distance learning technology.
- Work Environment - Ability to organize projects and complete them in a timely manner. Ability to accompany groups around the KHS campus.
- Physical Demands - Must be able to lift materials of up to 25 lbs. Must be able to remain in a stationary position and move about the office and program venues for long periods.
- Special Requirements - Must have a valid driver's license.
- Schedule - 37.5 hours a week, Monday-Friday schedule with some weekends and evenings. Travel and occasional overnights are required.
Competencies/Behavior Dimensions:
- Passion for Kentucky history: Passion for the KHS mission and core values: service, discovery, excellence, authenticity, stewardship. Possess the ability to communicate this passion to others.
- Excellence: We value continuous improvement with the goal of excellence. To that end, we place a high value on adhering to and shaping professional standards.
- Service: We value our role in serving the public and work to ensure those services are exemplary.
- Discovery: We value dialogue, discussion, education, and scholarship. We value an organizational culture of discovery that inspires, engages, and motivates learners of all ages.
- Be innovative: Create new ways to ignite the public's curiosity about history. Maximize the latest appropriate resources to implement them.
- Authenticity: We value integrity, legitimacy, and the power of the authentic. We, therefore, value research, collections, and programs backed by fact.
- Embrace Diversity: Commitment to inclusiveness and empowerment. Demonstrates respect, equity, and empathy for a diverse community.
Professional Development: Actively participate in agency-approved internal and external professional development events, as needed or directed by the supervisor.