Director of Learning and Engagement
Reports to:Chief Curator and Director of Programs
Employment Status:Full-Time
Direct Reports:
Manager of School and Teacher Programs
Visitor Experience Manager
Manager of Public Engagement and Community Programs
FLSA Status:Exempt
Annual Salary:$110,000.00
The Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA), located on the Segerstrom Center for the Arts campus in Costa Mesa, California, seeks a collaborative Director of Learning and Engagement to develop an innovative vision and lead all programmatic activity both internal and external to engage diverse audiences, increase public involvement, and expand the Museum’s role in the community.
This position requires a self-motivated, experienced and enthusiastic professional grounded in serving diverse communities, learners of all ages, a network of artists, creatives, and educators, and a deep understanding of and commitment to visual art-making practices.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
●Oversee the development, alignment, and integration of learning, public programs, and partnerships.
●Collaborate across departments to design a welcoming community hub that invites accessible, engaging, and relevant contemporary art experiences.
●Support the Museum’s mission to explore the past and imagine our shared future through visionary programming.
●Develop and oversee a systematic and focused engagement strategy that identifies, prioritizes, and sustains the Museum’s relationships with various communities, groups, and neighborhoods, especially those which are underserved.
●Work closely with the Curatorial Department to cultivate inclusive contemporary practices that spark transformation and question traditional narratives.
●Envision and oversee a visitor experience that sets the standard for the Museum.
●Cultivate a positive organizational culture based on cross-departmental collaboration, iterative learning, and valuing individuals’ unique knowledge and experiences.
●Contribute to and support OCMA’s strategic plan, institutional initiatives, and commitment to equitable internal and public practices.
●Support the Museum’s mission to transform into an innovative Museum and dynamic public gathering space by centering intentional relationships and identifying opportunities, challenges, and areas for growth.
●Advance OCMA’s work in the Museum education field through presentations, scholarship, and cultivating relationships with local, national, and international peer networks.
●Undertake occasional travel for professional development and research to ensure learning pedagogies are informed by emerging trends and best practices.
●Serve as an Ambassador for Learning and Engagement Programs for donors, funders, and external stakeholders as requested.
●Develop a learning and public engagement program that fosters social belonging and builds trust with the diverse and intersectional communities in Orange County and beyond.
●In collaboration with the Chief Curator and Director of Programs, establish departmental priorities and timelines; identify focus areas for long-term planning for phased programmatic rollout.
●Lead departmental expansion, organization, and training to outline cohesive frameworks for training, visitor engagement, and public programs.
●Supervise, motivate, and provide ongoing feedback for direct reports; manage staff work plans; serve as a catalyst to crystalize individual and departmental goals.
●Manage annual budget; work with Development to identify potential funding sources.
●Supervise program evaluation and visitor research; report key learnings to colleagues to enhance institutional understanding of how people respond to new Museum space and pilot programs.
●Work with colleagues to develop consistent systems, protocols, and processes to bolster efficient operations, and develop a holistic suite of engagement strategies, public programs and learning resources designed to invite participation, reflection, and connection for all visitors.
●Support diverse learning styles and motivations by building opportunities for social-emotional learning, intellectual rigor, and whimsical experimentation in gallery spaces.
●In partnership with program managers, conceptualize goals and outcomes for visitor engagement, public programs, community partnerships, youth and school communities, family programs, and learning resources.
●Conceive, organize, and co-produce interdisciplinary public programs, in collaboration with curatorial department and in consultation with Chief Curator and Director of Programs.
●Provide guidance on exhibition interpretation strategies, in collaboration with the Chief Curator and Director of Programs, curatorial team; oversee Manager of Interpretation tasked with clearly communicating key exhibition ideas and connecting content to visitors’ everyday experiences.
●Integrate the department’s work within the broader Museum ecosystem to create deeper programmatic connections, community resonance, and lifelong learning pathways for staff, audiences, and partners.
●Build reciprocal relationships with artists, community groups, cultural institutions, schools, universities, Museum peers, and individuals to identity shared areas of interest and impact.
●Strengthen existing partnerships with the Segerstrom Center for the Arts resident companies to amplify missions, broaden audience scope, and nurture a thriving cultural arts campus.
●Oversee best practices to ensure that all visitors feel seen, respected, warmly welcomed, and comfortable in the Museum.
●Other projects as assigned by Supervisor.
Qualifications and Requirements
●Master’s Degree or Bachelor’s Degree in Museum Education, Museum Studies, Art History, or closely related field.
●Minimum 5 years’ experience in an art Museum or similar institution.
●Public program management, and experience in formal and informal learning experiences.
●Work may require weekend hours and extended periods of attendance at Museum events.
●Strong management and organizational skills.
●Attention to detail.
●Strategic Management, problem solve, anticipate project needs, discern work priorities, and meet deadlines and budgets with little supervision.
●Strong team building skills, with the ability to mentor and inspire others.
●Work collaboratively across all departments.
●Ability to prioritize high-level responsibilities, and multi-task simultaneous projects effectively in a high-interrupt environment.
●Strong acumen for setting and attaining revenue, expense and attendance goals and outcomes.
●Knowledge of current trends, issues, and best practices in Museum Education and Engagement, including experience with visitor services and community building.
●Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to represent the Museum with professionalism and enthusiasm.
●Strong interpersonal and leadership skills for building effective working relationships at all levels within the Museum and beyond and the ability to foster a collaborative team environment.
●Experience with diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion initiatives to make the Museum and its on-site, and off-site programs more inclusive and accessible to a wide range of audiences.
●Demonstrated experience building organizational partnerships and engaging new audiences through community outreach.
●Ability to competently handle competing needs in dynamic Museum and community environments.
●Experience with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Physical Demands
●Must be able to bend, lift, sit, and stand for long and varying period.
●Able to sit or stand while working at a computer for long periods of time.
●Ability to move around work area and Museum and remain onsite for extended periods attending Museum indoor and outdoor programs and events.
Apply
Please submit cover letter and resume to Vickie Byrd, Chief Human Resources Officer, vbyrd@ocma.art.
Disclaimer
This job description may not be inclusive of all assigned duties, responsibilities, or aspects of the job described above, and may be amended at any time at the sole discretion of the Employer.