Education and Community Programs Manager

Job Summary: 

Under the general direction of the Associate Director of Learning and Engagement, the Education and Community Programs Manager is responsible for building relationships with HiDOE, educators, and community organizations across the state of Hawaii. They develop equitable, accessible, and inclusive educator resources and museum experiences utilizing the museum’s collections, galleries, and exhibitions. This includes the creation of Pre K-12 tour and workshop museum experiences, educator resources such as teacher-led guides and downloadable resources for education settings, and community organizations and educator workshops and professional development opportunities at the museum. 

The Education and Community Programs Manager is a key member of HoMA’s interpretive team comprised of Learning and Engagement professionals and HoMA’s curators, designers, and technology staff. Together, they are charged with developing a cohesive and complementary suite of interpretive materials and resources that support the vision and values of the museum. 

 About HoMA, the Honolulu Museum of Art:

Opened in 1927, the Honolulu Museum of Art is a home for art and education created for the benefit of the entire community. Originally established as the Honolulu Academy of Arts, founder Anna Rice Cooke envisioned a museum that would bring people together through the power of art and “the deep intuitions that are common to all.” The museum was conceived of as a place of meaningful exchange and dialogue, celebrating the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of Hawai‘i’s multi-ethnic population. From this founding intention grew the museum of today, with a world-class encyclopedic collection of more than 55,000 works of art, representing a stunning breadth of places and eras, from all corners of the globe and from the ancient past to the present day. Over the decades, the museum has become known for its strong tradition of art classes and community engagement, both inside the walls of the museum and beyond. In 2011 the Honolulu Academy of Arts merged with the dynamic and vibrant Contemporary Museum, reinvigorating the museum’s contemporary holdings and ushering in an opportunity for renewed commitment to the art of our time. The Honolulu Museum of Art was born.

 With a dynamic global art collection and a dedication to innovative exhibitions and engagement with contemporary artists, HoMA strives to create a broad range of meaningful art experiences that are inclusive and accessible. Over the past century, the museum’s permanent collection has grown from 500 works to more than 55,000 pieces spanning 5,000 years. The Museum has one of the largest single collections of Asian and Pan-Pacific art in the United States, including an unrivaled collection by artists of Hawaii. The collection also contains significant holdings in European and American paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts; 19th- and 20th-century art; an extensive collection of works on paper, textiles, decorative arts; and traditional works from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Other highlights include the Samuel H. Kress Collection of Italian Renaissance paintings and the James A. Michener Collection of Japanese ukiyo-e prints. Contemporary Art from around the world has an established and growing presence in the Museum’s permanent collection. 

 Education has been an integral part of HoMA since its founding, and the Learning & Engagement department supports the Museum vision by advancing knowledge and fostering a thirst for creative thought, agency, and artistic excellence. Programs, which range from classes and lectures to tours and workshops, are designed to inspire and spark wonder in people of all ages and skill levels. Through Learning & Engagement initiatives, HoMA strives to instill a love and appreciation for art in children at an early age, promote a culture of lifelong learning, and foster artistic excellence and support a healthy arts ecosystem in Hawaii. 

 As HoMA approaches its centennial in 2027, it is poised to embark on a new chapter guided by a renewed vision and Strategic Plan that focuses on HoMA’s core purpose: to be a home for art and education that exists for the benefit of the entire community, presented in a setting that prioritizes beauty, harmony, and promotes learning, self-awareness and connection. With acknowledgment of HoMA’s history and purpose at the forefront, the Strategic Plan charts a course for HoMA’s next chapter in a rapidly changing world. It will transform HoMA into a relevant and sustainable 21st century museum where people of all ages and from all walks of life will be invited in and reinforce HoMA’s ability to bring the art of the world to Hawaii and the art of Hawaii to the world.

 Essential Duties:

• Works closely with the Associate Director of Learning and Engagement to develop a strategic approach to creating educator programs, resources, and outreach.
• Develops reciprocal relationships with HiDOE, schools, colleges, educators, homeschool groups, and community organizations to create engaging educator workshops, museum student experiences, and educational resources. 
• Works closely with HoMA’s interpretive team to develop content that is aligned and complementary to the National Core Arts Standards. 
• Manages all facets of educational museum experiences from content creation, staff and docent training, registration processes, scheduling of schools or community organizations, website updates, and communications. Museum experiences include See Art Make Art field trips, Soundshop Workshops, teacher-led tours, and student self-guided visits.  
• Collaborates with the Tour Programs Manager to create content for See Art Make Art tours and art making workshops, and facilitates training and scheduling of docents and Studio Programs Teachers.
• Creates content and manages all aspects of educator resources, such as self-guided and downloadable resources, and manages their production across museum departments.
• Works with the Studio Programs Teachers and Studio Programs Coordinator to develop curriculum for digital education experiences and art packs and manages the production across museum departments.     
• Collaborates with the Interpretive Resource Manager to design and implement engaging educational resources for the lending collection and curated lending boxes as well as integrating the lending collection into student and teacher museum experiences. 
• Researches works of art, art history, and any relevant context when developing curriculum for educational experiences and resources.
• With visitor engagement, evaluates the impact of educational programs and shares learnings with the interpretive team. 
• Assists the Associate Director of Learning and Engagement with grant writing and reporting and monitoring of program budgets.
• Demonstrates a commitment to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion through respectful communication and cooperation with others at all times, continuous training and modeling inclusive behaviors.
• In partnership with HR, supports the leadership team in ensuring equitable experiences, strengthening inclusion acumen, and promoting a culture of inclusivity and belonging that embraces the contributions of all staff.
• Other duties as assigned.

 Working Conditions and Atmosphere:

The Educator and Community Programs Manager works with minimum supervision. Work will often be performed with short deadlines and situations sensitive to the Museum. Regular office hours are required. Due to the nature of the responsibilities, evening and weekend work is sometimes required, and at times may be on an emergency basis.

Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusivity:

HoMA welcomes people from all backgrounds and walks of life, and this is reflected in our diverse community of employees. We encourage applications from candidates across a wide variety of backgrounds, including, but not limited to, people of all races and ethnicities, people with disabilities, women, veterans, and all members of the LGBTQ community.  

Equal Employment Opportunity:

HoMA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants. HoMA recruits, hires, trains, promotes, compensates, and administers all personnel actions and benefit programs without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, including pregnancy and gender identity and expression, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, reproductive health decisions, marital status, arrest and court record, citizenship, credit history, military and veteran service, victim of domestic violence or sexual abuse victim status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

 The statements contained herein describe the scope of the responsibilities and essential functions of this position but should not be considered to be an all-inclusive listing of work duties and requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned including work in other areas to cover absences or relief to equalize peak work periods or otherwise balance the workload. 

 HoMA maintains a policy of nondiscrimination in all employment practices and decisions, ensuring equal employment opportunities for all qualified individuals. This applies to both HoMA employees and applicants for employment with the Museum. Any form of harassment of any employee because of any protected status is also prohibited.