Supervisor Indigenous Historical Interpretation

CW Talent; Rockville (VA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation seeks an Indigenous supervisor to oversee interpretative programming in the Historic Area. You will coach a team of interpreters, ensure training standards, and partner with managers to deliver engaging tours and programs while maintaining historic accuracy.

The role emphasizes inclusive leadership, collaboration with historians and curators, and strong guest-focused hospitality in a museum environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field with 2–5 years’ museum experience preferred.
• Experience supervising interpretative staff and training.
• Strong communication and guest-focused hospitality.

Responsibilities

• Provides supervision of Indigenous interpretative programming and staff and assists managers in oversight of exhibition buildings.
• Observes and evaluates presentations; provides feedback and coaching.
• Supervises a team of American Indian interpreters and conducts performance reviews.
• Supports interpreters in creating historically accurate interpretations.
• Coaches interpreters in diverse interpretive techniques.
• Collaborates to ensure preservation and conservation of historic buildings.
• Develops training materials and updates manuals with guidance.
• Works with supervisors, historians, curators, and other departments on coaching and materials.
• Maintains daily operational forms, monitors supplies, communicates needs.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and ability to adapt to new processes.
• Evaluates situations, communicates clearly, and uses good judgment.

Skills

Public history

Leadership

Coaching & training

Interpreting tours

Communication

Guest-focused hospitality

Multitasking

Microsoft Office Suite

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field

2–5 years museum experience

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Who We Are

Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.

Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 88 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.

Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.

About the Position

In collaboration with a team of lead-interpreters, supervisors ensure the execution of daily operations in the historical area. The Indigenous supervisor maintains the smooth, accurate, and engaging interpretation of tours, programming, and special interpretative events with a fundamental charge of creating a seamless guest experience across Colonial Williamsburg. The primary responsible is supervising and coaching interpretative staff, ensuring that training standards are implemented, evolving in engagement, and improved upon through continued coaching techniques and educational standards while working closely with mangers to facilitate best practices for cultivating an inclusive, learning, and high producing environment.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provides supervision of Indigenous interpretative programming and staff and assists managers in oversight of exhibition buildings in the Historical Area.
• Responsible for observing and evaluating professional presentations, provides constructive feedback, schedules coaching sessions, and works closely with team members to achieve successful results.
• Supervises a team of American Indian interpreters and conducts performance reviews.
• Supports interpreters in the creation of historically accurate interpretations that reflect the goals and objectives of the historic site and are supported by relevant documentation drawn from critically vetted sources.
• Consistently coaches interpreters to use a variety of interpretive techniques to promote engagement.
• Collaborates with colleagues across the organization to ensure the integrity of preservation and conservation of historic buildings.
• Assist in developing training materials and updating manuals with managers' guidance.
• Works with other supervisors, historians, curators, and other departments to conduct coaching sessions and/or implement new interpretative materials.
• Maintains accurate daily operational forms, monitors supplies, and communicates needs for daily operations. Reports building concerns and demonstrates good stewardship for all CW historic buildings.
• Demonstrate proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite with the ability to adapt to new processes implemented for better efficiency.
• Ability to evaluate situations, communicate, and use sound judgment to achieve a resolution in an impartial manner.

This is a non-exempt position, eligible to receive overtime in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This position may be subject to overtime during high peak times, etc. as directed and approved by the supervisor.

This job description reflects the general responsibilities of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Duties and responsibilities may evolve over time based on operational needs.

Required Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field working with 2-5 years’ experience or 5 years of relevant experience collaborating with teams in a museum environment are encouraged to apply.

Must possess a valid Commonwealth of Virginia driver’s license and have an acceptable driving record based on The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s criteria.

• Must be able to provide a 5-year Motor Vehicle Record prior to employment
• Must be at least 21 years of age
• May not have more than 1 moving violation or at fault accident within 12 months
• May not have more than 2 moving violations or at fault accidents within 36 months
• May not have any serious motor vehicle violations including but not limited to excessive speeding, reckless driving, DUI/DWI, suspended or revoked license, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree with 2-5 years’ experience and exceptional leadership skills in coaching and training development.

Key Skills / Competencies:

• Must be able to multi-task, effectively prioritize responsibilities and complete projects in a timely manner.
• Must understand historic context and be able to guide a team in conveying early America history to thepublic.
• Open-minded and excited by public history.
• Strong collaborative skills and willingness to work with teams in coaching and development of interpretative tours and programs.
• Ability to communicate effectively and inspire.
• Meticulous and guest focused on hospitality.
• Excellent presentation and team building skills.
• Skilled at presenting tours and programs to audiences of all ages with high engagement.
• Follows defined processes, procedures, and document situations for long-term resolutions.
• Willingness to dress in historical clothing, as museum operations require.
• Must be available to work holidays, weekends and/or evenings.
• Embracing an inclusive environment; ability and willingness to collaborate with individuals of diverse backgrounds.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Direct: 5 staff members in the Department of Historical Interpretation
• Indirect: 70-100

Physical and Environmental Demands:

Stand: Frequently (2-5 hrs/shift)

Walk: Frequently (2-5 hrs/shift)

Sit: Constantly (5-8 hrs/shift)

Use hands/fingers: Constantly (5-8 hrs/shift)

Climb or balance: Rarely (does not exist as regular part of the job)

Stoop/kneel/crouch/crawl: Rarely (does not exist as regular part of the job)

Reach with hands/arms: Occasionally (up to 2hrs/shift)

Talk or hear: Frequently (2-5 hrs/shift)

Lifting up to 10 lbs.: Occasionally (up to 2 hrs/shift)

Lifting up to 25 lbs.: Occasiodnly (up to 2 hrs/shift)

Lifting up to 50 lbs. (with assistance): Rarely (does not exist as regular part of the job)

Lifting up to 100 lbs. (with assistance): Rarely (does not exist as regular part of the job)

More than 100 lbs. (with assistance): Rarely (does not exist as regular part of the job)

Wet/humid conditions: Occasionally (up to 2 hrs/shift)

Work near moving mechanical parts: Rarely (does not exist as regular part of the job)

Fumes/airborne particles: Occasionally (up to 2 hrs/shift)

Extreme cold: Occasionally (up to 2 hrs/shift)

Extreme heat: Occasionally (up to 2 hrs/shift)

Risk of electrical shock: Rarely (does not exist as regular part of the job)

Typical Work Schedule:

Non-exempt | Expected Hours of Work Per Week: 40 hours/week

Compensation Disclaimer:

The compensation listed below for this position represents the anticipated hiring range and is provided in accordance with Virginia pay transparency requirements. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as the selected candidate’s skills, qualifications, experience, education, certifications, internal equity, and the specific requirements of the role.

Range: $19.47 to $29.28