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CAREER

Humanities Coordinator

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Position Summary:

The Humanities Coordinator is an enthusiastic and innovative educator who will coordinate the development and implementation of humanities programming. The Humanities Coordinator will guide and facilitate humanities and civics programs, including, but not limited to, a full roster of programs and experiences rooted in the museum’s exhibit, Centennial Innovations.

Museum Learning staff creates and facilitates programs, coordinates events, and guides experiences that encourage families, to discover, imagine, get curious, and learn through play. Our work contributes to unparalleled experiences for every visitor. Through our interactions with visitors, we embrace diversity and encourage our visitors to think differently and open their minds to the world around them. Museum Learning is committed to excellence in developing programs, events, and experiences to further Please Touch Museum as a leader in early childhood learning and development. The Museum Learning department creates programming for routine daily visitors, special events, and school groups.

This position is part of the AFSCME Local 397 bargaining unit.

Essential Functions:

  • Develops and facilitates play-based humanities, civics, history, and literacy programs for children, families, and schools that utilize the Museum’s exhibits and build early-childhood education skills.
  • Create specialized programming for events in the Museum’s strategic plan, including but not limited to cultural celebrations, museum events, and selected holidays.
  • Develop and implement play-based humanities field trip experiences for elementary school students.
  • Ensures Museum programming, events, and experiences are inclusive and accessible.
  • Supports efforts to create programs and spaces conducive to play. Observes the play environment and thoughtfully considers what modifications, if any, are necessary to allow the child and family to play.
  • Reimagines humanities and Centennial Innovations programing in the museum and will be assigned additional responsibilities as a full roster of humanities programs are integrated into Museum Learning’s daily program offerings.
  • Works collaboratively with other coordinators to create interdisciplinary programming.
  • Works with Senior Director, Research & Impact to track performance metrics and facilitate evaluation efforts.
  • Contributes to the facilitation of all departmental initiatives (programs, workshops, events, experiences, and spaces) across all learning disciplines offered.
  • Actively maintains an interest in and contributes to professional learning conversations on current practices, topics, and discussions in Early Childhood Development and Education, Museum Education and content that is relevant to Please Touch Museum.
  • Assists Museum Learning management team with training, developing, and updating facilitation and program development standard operating procedures as needed.
  • Assists Museum Learning management team to oversee professional development projects carried out by Museum Educators that are specific to programming content area.
  • Coordinates and maintains usage and inventory of content programming supplies.
  • Takes necessary initiatives to ensure work exemplifies and aligns with best practices in Early Childhood and Museum Education.
  • Assists with the development of print resources, including marketing materials, curriculum, self-guided resources, and lesson plans.
  • Conducts administrative duties including maintaining and responding to emails, calendar, and other departmental communications, preparing for facilitation and engagement, routine cleaning of department materials and spaces, tracking program metrics, and other duties as assigned or delegated by a Museum Learning Manager.
  • Provides a regular presence on the gallery floor. Approximately 60% of work hours will be spent on the museum floor with visitors, with the other 40% of the time spent in an office environment on program and curriculum development and administrative tasks.
  • Ensures spaces are cleaned and reset utilizing department standard operating procedures. Actively maintains the Food and Family exhibit, including restocking the exhibit during the day.
  • Supports Admissions, Membership, and Visitor Experience teams as needed, including Carousel operations, informing visitors of ticketing and membership opportunities, and assisting in the admissions process.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Master’s degree or 4-6 years’ experience teaching in a classroom highly preferred.
  • Master’s or bachelor’s degree must be in: Education, Museum Studies, Early Childhood Education, Humanities, Civics, Urban Studies, Anthropology, Youth Development, Social Work, or related field.
  • Experience teaching children and their families aged 0-8 in a formal and/or informal setting required, museum education experience strongly preferred.
  • Demonstrates proficiency in curriculum development.
  • Must be available to work weekends.
  • Knowledge of early childhood education, play-based learning principles, and humanities, history, civics, and literacy education commonly used in preschool and elementary education programs.
  • Must be able to interact with all Museum visitors and colleagues effectively and politely and show a willingness to problem-solve in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a professional attitude.
  • Openness to learning new content and skills outside area of experience and comfort zone.
  • Motivated, reflective, self-starter who proactively and frequently debriefs and communicates frequently with colleagues and supervisors about exhibit engagement and facilitation experiences.
  • Must prioritize cultural competency and promote a culture of inclusion, belonging, and accessibility when planning programming and interacting with museum visitors and colleagues and show an openness to learning about communities different than your own.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Qualified applicants must submit a sample of work pertaining to their experience in, Humanities, Civics, Early Childhood and/or Museum education with their cover letter, resume, and job application.
  • Adheres to all Museum mission, values, protocols, procedures, rules, and policies.
  • Must have PA Act 153 clearances (PA criminal history, FBI fingerprints, and PA Child Abuse) completed prior to hire.
  • All employees are required to have COVID-19 vaccination, COVID-19 booster, and flu vaccination, as a term and condition of employment.

Physical Requirements & Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • Is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel.
  • Must be able to reach with hands and arms.
  • Must be able to use hands and fingers continuously.
  • Is frequently required to stand and walk; will frequently be required to move from one position to another.
  • Ability to perform the physical requirements of the position, i.e., pushing, pulling, reaching, bending, squatting, kneeling, climbing.
  • This job is performed in an office environment. The employee must be able to focus on assigned tasks where activity and interruptions are constant and demanding.
  • The noise level in the work environment is typically moderate but ongoing, noise level may be overstimulating at times.
  • The individual performing this job must be comfortable in an environment where people are coming and going regularly.
  • Ability to walk up and down flights of stairs; and stand for periods of time every day.

The statements in this job description are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being executed by the employee assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of the position or individual and may change at any time with or without notice.

Please Touch Museum offers an excellent work environment, benefit, generous time off package and competitive salary. To apply for this opportunity, please fill out our online application. Should you have questions on the application process or require assistance in completing our application, please email employment@pleasetouchmuseum.org.

It is the policy of Please Touch Museum to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on account of a person’s race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, family status, veteran status, genetic information, disability or any other protected group or status.

Equal opportunity is applied in all aspects of the employment relationship and personnel actions, including but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, orientation, assignment, employee development, discipline, promotion, demotion, transfer, assignment, separation, pay and compensation, benefits, layoff and recall, granting of and return from leave of absence, training and education, employee facilities, and social programs. Furthermore, all employment decisions, policies, and practices are in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws.

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