Museum Educator- Milwaukee

The Jewish Federations of North America; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation days (15)

Personal days (7)

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401K plan

Paid parental leave

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

Jewish Museum Milwaukee is seeking an experienced Museum Educator to create and implement educational programming that enhances visitor experiences. The role includes tours, workshops, and managing the docent program, with collaboration across the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and JHub resources.

You will interpret exhibits, develop curricula aligned with state standards, and help engage diverse learners. Strong communication and public speaking skills are essential for success.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years museum education experience including curriculum development.
• Bachelor's degree in Jewish Studies, History or Education or comparable field; Master’s degree a plus.
• Experience applying museum education best practices to engage learners of all ages.
• Strong knowledge of Jewish history, culture and traditions.
• Knowledge of Wisconsin's Jewish history preferred.
• Familiarity with material culture and its use in educational interpretation.
• Knowledge of public-school curriculum standards; alignment with educational standards.
• Excellent written, verbal and public presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across programs or departments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications.

Responsibilities

• Develop short- and long-term plans for educational programming with budget/resource input.
• Oversee grant writing and fundraising data tracking for education programs.
• Develop assessment and evaluation strategies for programming and content.
• Interpret exhibit materials to create educational content for tours/workshops.
• Conduct group tours and workshops.
• Oversee docent program, recruit docents and coordinate across MJF resources.
• Manage group tour bookings and payments.
• Co-create and deliver educational resources for JHub aligned with state standards.
• Possibly supervise museum staff working on education programming.

Skills

Museum education

Curriculum development

Public speaking

Communication

Microsoft 365

Education

Bachelor's degree in Jewish Studies/History/Education

Master's degree (plus)

Tools

Microsoft 365 (Outlook/Word/Excel/PowerPoint/SharePoint)

Job description

Jewish Museum Milwaukee (JMM), a program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation (MJF), is dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of the Jewish people in Wisconsin and celebrating the continuum of Jewish heritage and culture. As the most vibrant Jewish cultural organization in the Midwest, we build bridges between diverse communities with shared histories; we explore contemporary issues through the lens of Jewish history, culture and values; and inspire artists, thinkers, educators, students and future leaders to engage with Jewish history, culture, and values as they pursue justice.

JMM is seeking an experienced Museum Educator to develop and implement educational programming that complements and enhances the visitor experience. Key responsibilities include:

• Development & coordination of the Museum’s educational programming, including tours and workshops
• Oversight of the Museum’s volunteer docent program
• Exhibit interpretation and educational content development
• Representing the Museum in the Federation’s JHub collaborative: co-creating & delivering educational resources for K-12 ecosystem alongside educators from other MJF programs

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop short- and long-term plans for educational programming, including budget and resource recommendations, in partnership with Education Committee members.
• Participate in grant writing and fund development in support of educational programming. Track and report on data for funding reports.
• Generate and deploy assessment and evaluation strategies for educational programming and content.
• Interpret exhibit materials to create educational content for tours and workshops.
• Conduct group tours and workshops.
• Oversee volunteer docent program, including recruiting docents and engaging appropriate resources from across MJF to provide docent training.
• Oversee group tour booking and payment process.
• As part of the JHub collaborative, co-create and deliver educational resources aligned with state standards, including curricula, lesson plans, tour scripts, workshops, etc.
• This position may supervise museum staff working on educational programming.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of museum education experience, including curriculum development.
• Bachelor's Degree in Jewish Studies, History or Education or comparable field required; Master’s degree a plus.
• Experience applying museum education best practices to engage learners of all ages, including school groups and adult audiences.
• Strong knowledge of Jewish history, culture, and traditions is required.
• Knowledge of Wisconsin's Jewish history is preferred.
• Familiarity with material culture and its use in educational interpretation is a plus. Ability to make connections between historical events and relevant issues of today.
• Knowledge of public-school curriculum standards; experience interpreting museum exhibits in alignment with educational standards is a plus.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills with diverse audiences.
• Excellent written, verbal, and public presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across programs or departments.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SharePoint.
• Familiarity with a variety of digital educational platforms.
• Demonstrated comfort with leading large group tours and speaking in public.

Hours and Benefits

This is primarily an onsite role, requiring a minimum of 38 working hours per week. The museum is open 10 am-5 pm Monday-Thursday, 10 am-3 pm on Fridays, and 12 pm -4 pm on Sundays. This position is typically present during all weekday museum opening hours and for monthly rotation of Sunday hours. Work may be done remotely during hours that museum is not open. Occasional evening hours will be required.

This position is eligible for 15 vacation days and 7 personal days annually. In addition, JMM observes federal holidays as well as Jewish holidays that prohibit work, typically adding between 11 -17 additional paid days off annually depending on the Hebrew calendar. Other benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance, employee assistance program, paid parental leave, health savings and flexible spending accounts, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, and 401K plan.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

This job operates in a professional environment with pleasant working conditions, good lighting and ventilation and moderate noise levels. There will be frequent computer usage which will require arm and hand dexterity as well as all vision abilities to be successful. The ability to speak English and hear is required. Must be able to lift and/or move up to 15-20 pounds, usually waist high.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required to perform the job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

JMM and MJF provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.