Head of Education | Dallas, Texas

Texas Association of Museums; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza seeks a creative, collaborative Head of Education to shape the next phase of the Museum’s educational programs, resources and community engagement.

Reporting to the Chief Experience Officer, this role leads the Education team, expanding school partnerships, developing in-gallery learning resources and creating more opportunities for families, youth and adults to engage with the Museum across North Texas and beyond.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in history, anthropology, museum studies, education, American studies or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in museum education, informal learning, public programming, community engagement or a related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of supervisory or management experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing educational experiences for multiple audiences, including K-12 students and educators.
• Experience with adult, family, youth and community programming.
• Knowledge of current museum education practices and audience-centered approaches.
• Strong leadership, project management, communication and collaboration skills.
• Experience building productive relationships with schools and community partners.
• Experience with program evaluation, audience research or assessment.
• Commitment to accessibility and creating welcoming learning experiences.

Responsibilities

• Translate historical content, exhibitions and collections into meaningful educational experiences with Curatorial and Exhibitions teams.
• Develop new exhibitions and interpretation reflecting audience needs throughout planning.
• Collaborate with Marketing to raise awareness and participation in education programs.
• Track and evaluate participation and outcomes using surveys and other tools.
• Support grant-funded educational initiatives and report on program outcomes.
• Lead Education staff with mentorship and cross-team collaboration.
• Set departmental priorities and manage budgets and resources.
• Maintain knowledge of current museum education standards and trends.
• Represent the Museum in education and museum communities.
• Develop partnerships to extend educational reach and impact.
• Grow K-12 school programs, resources and educator materials.
• Create engaging in-gallery resources that foster critical thinking.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Communication

Collaboration

Audience engagement

Education

Master’s degree in history, anthropology, museum studies, education, American studies or related field

Job description

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is one of the nation’s leading history museums and the most visited historic site in North Texas. Located within the historic Texas School Book Depository, the Museum preserves and shared the story of President John F. Kennedy, the assassination of President Kennedy, and the enduring legacy of the 1960s through exhibitions, educational programming, collection and public engagement.

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, The Sixth Floor Museum welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world each year. Our team is united by a shared commitment to historical accuracy, meaningful visitor experiences and thoughtful storytelling that connects history with contemporary audiences.

As the Museum continues to grow, we are expanding the ways audiences of all ages engage with history through school programs, in-gallery learning, public programs and community partnerships. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the Museum’s next chapter of educational experiences and deepen our impact within North Texas and beyond.

The Opportunity

The Sixth Floor Museum seeks a creative, collaborative and experienced Head of Education to shape the next phase of the Museum’s educational programs, resources and community engagement.

This is an exciting time to join the Museum’s Education team. We are strengthening our work with schools, building a robust student program, developing new in-gallery learning resources and creating more opportunities for families, youth and adults to engage with the Museum. We are also growing our presence beyond the Museum through partnerships and outreach with libraries, community organizations, senior centers and other organizations throughout North Texas.

Reporting to the Chief Experience Officer, the Head of Education provides strategic leadership and hands-on direction for the Museum’s educational initiatives while managing and supporting the Education team. This position works collaboratively across the Museum to create meaningful experiences that connect audiences with our exhibitions, collections and stories.

The ideal candidate is an experienced museum or informal learning professional who understands that meaningful education can happen in many ways, from a student’s first Museum visit to a conversation in a gallery, a family activity, an educator workshop or a developed partnership with the community.

Key Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with Curatorial, Collections and Exhibitions staff to translate historical content, exhibitions and collections into meaningful educational experiences.
• Contribute to the development of new exhibitions and interpretation by representing audience and educational needs throughout the planning process.
• Collaborate with Marketing to build awareness and participation in educational and public programs.
• Track and evaluate participation, audience engagement and program outcomes using surveys, observation and other assessment tools.
• Support grant-funded educational initiatives and collaborate on grant proposals, reporting and program outcomes.

Leadership & Departmental Management

• Provide leadership, mentorship and direction for Education staff while fostering collaboration, creativity and professional growth.
• Establish departmental priorities and manage programs, schedules, budgets and resources.
• Maintain knowledge of current museum education standards, audience engagement practices and emerging trends in informal learning.
• Represent the Museum within local, regional and national education and museum communities.
• Develop relationships and partnerships that strengthen the Museum’s educational reach and impact.
• Lead the continued growth of the Museum’s K-12 school program, including facilitated and self-guided experiences, student resources and educator materials.
• Develop engaging, age-appropriate in-gallery resources that encourage exploration, critical thinking and meaningful connections to history.
• Ensure school programs and resources align with current educational standards and museum education best practices.
• Develop educator professional development opportunities and resources that extend the Museum’s educational impact beyond a single visit.
• Evaluate student and educator experience and use findings to continually strengthen programs and resources.

Public, Family & Community Programs

• Develop and expand educational programming for adult, family, youth and intergenerational audiences.
• Grow the Museum’s community outreach through partnerships with libraries, community and senior centers, schools and other organizations throughout North Texas.
• Identify opportunities to reach new audiences and extend Museum learning beyond the physical site.
• Develop programs and resources that support accessibility and create welcoming learning experiences for visitors with a range of needs.
• Build strong relationships with educators, community partners and peer organizations.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will bring:

• Master’s degree in history, anthropology, museum studies, education, American studies or related field.
• Minium of 5 years of experience in museum education, informal learning, public programming, community engagement or a related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of supervisory or management experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing educational experiences for multiple audiences, including K-12 students and educators.
• Experience with adult, family, youth and community programming.
• Knowledge of current museum education practices and audience-centered approaches.
• Strong leadership, project management, communication and collaboration skills.
• Experience building productive relationships with schools and community partners.
• Experience with program evaluation, audience research or assessment.
• Commitment to accessibility and creating welcoming learning experiences.

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where employees are treated with dignity and respect. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.