Museum Educator

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; 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.

About the role

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

Responsibilities

• 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
• 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.

Requirements

• 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

Benefits

• 15 vacation days and 7 personal days annually
• 11-17 additional paid days off for Jewish holidays depending on the Hebrew calendar
• Federal holidays observed
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Paid parental leave
• Health savings and flexible spending accounts
• Short- and long-term disability
• Life insurance
• 401K plan

Pay

USD 65k-70k / year

Schedule

• Primarily onsite role, minimum 38 working hours per week
• Museum hours: 10 am-5 pm Monday-Thursday, 10 am-3 pm Friday, 12 pm-4 pm Sunday
• Typically present during all weekday museum opening hours and for monthly rotation of Sunday hours
• Remote work allowed during hours the museum is not open
• Occasional evening hours required

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• Professional environment with pleasant working conditions, good lighting and ventilation, and moderate noise levels
• Frequent computer usage requiring arm and hand dexterity and all vision abilities
• Ability to speak English and hear is required
• Must be able to lift and/or move up to 15-20 pounds, usually waist high