Manager of Public Practice and Community Partnerships – Jule Collins Smith Museum, Auburn University

Requisition Number    S1554P

Home Org Name         JCSM EducationEngagementandLearning

Division Name             Jule Collins Smith Museum

Position Title               Manager of Public Practice and Community Partnerships

Job Class Code           AB21

Appointment Status    Full-time

Limited Term               No

Job Summary    

Reporting to the Director of Education, Engagement, and Learning of the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, the Public Practice and Community Partnerships Manager provides leadership in the design and delivery of exceptional and innovative learning opportunities that expand the understanding of art’s impact on the public sphere, and that grow and enrich the relationship of the museum with its surrounding communities, the region, and the state. The manager centers broad audience engagement and impactful programs for the communities the museum is committed to serving for the betterment of civic life in the region, and explores philosophical, cultural, and ethical ideas in how the public sphere can be a space of practice and engagement for artists and communities.

At Auburn, our work changes lives. Ranked by U.S. News and World Report as a premier public institution, Auburn University is dedicated to shaping the future of the people of Alabama, the nation, and the world through forward-thinking education, life-enhancing research, scholarship and selfless service. Auburn is nationally recognized for its commitment to academic excellence, community outreach, positive work environment, student engagement, and thriving community.

Auburn University was named by Forbes Magazine as one of the state of Alabama’s best employers, with employees staying an average of ten years. Employees enjoy competitive benefits that include top-notch health insurance, generous retirement plans, tuition assistance for employees and dependents, flexible spending accounts and more!

Learn more about Auburn’s impact, generous employee benefits, and thriving community by visiting aub.ie/working-at-auburn.

Auburn University is committed to a diverse and inclusive campus environment. Visit www.auburn.edu/inclusion to learn more about our commitment to expanding equity and inclusion for all.

Essential Functions

Conceives, co-develops, manages, and facilitates meaningful community-led programs that provide impactful experiences, attract new audiences, establish empathy, and engender critical conversations. Identifies relationship-building opportunities and partnerships with the community in Auburn, Lee County, and throughout the state of Alabama, to maximize engagement locally, regionally, and statewide. Infuses the goals, perspectives, and interests of communities into planning conversations, decision making, and institutional vision-setting. Guides program development and manages projects and efforts to ensure the integration of museum and community voices and efficient collaborative work practices.

In partnership with other arts, cultural, educational, non-profit, governmental, and civic organizations at the museum or off-site, builds innovative solutions especially for diverse, multilingual, multi-generational, and multicultural audiences in places such as libraries; hospitals and medical training facilities, health care and wellness centers, and mental health support organizations; judicial and other law enforcement agencies; military and veterans support organizations; and civic and governmental agencies connected to housing, parks, and

recreation, and community gardens. Increases visual literacy and cultural competency that addresses shifting demographics, elevating civic dialogue, and encouraging deep reciprocal relationships with our museum objects.

Develops projects with artists whose work is situated in and activated by the public realm. Positions the museum for the public and artists together, especially by using its green space to create an alternative public park—a type of cultural commons with social interaction and creative participation as its guiding philosophies. Under the direction of the Director of Education, Engagement and Learning, oversees the year-round activities hosted by the museum, created and led by interested members of the general public alongside invited artists-in-residence and other activities. Further, increases the profile of public programs through community partnerships, such as the museum’s extended hours program, artists’ talks, screenings, performances, and readings.

Serves as a key member of the Education, Engagement, and Learning team, collaborating with colleagues and successfully working with advisory groups, consultants, and others to shape museum-generated projects. Contributes to the strategic vision and direction to guide the activities and ambitions of a public practice and community partnerships team, ensuring alignment with larger institutional goals. Supervises, motivates, mentors, and reviews activities for students and volunteers. Manages the creation and spending of related budgets, endowments, grant funds, and gifts in collaboration with leadership.

Participates in the continued shaping of museum plans, including strategic, collections, interpretive, Auburn University Job Description and DEAI, as well as fundraising, especially for public practice and community partnership projects. Contributes to the museum’s communications and digital presence through the creation of content and recommendations for marketing language and approaches to expand awareness of the museum and programs. Represents the museum when needed and makes appropriate contributions to professional communities and wider publics, including local, regional, and/or statewide community organizations; museum and university committees; and national and international scholarly and professional organizations.

Initiates, facilitates, and participates in research projects and various forms of public engagement that meaningfully integrate works of art with education, civic engagement, community development, equity, and inclusion. Actively contributes to rethinking presentations and understandings of the museum’s collection to incorporate community voices and perspectives.

Expands the museum’s vital role as an active and trusted community member and center for scholarly, creative endeavors.

Serves as project lead for grant-funded activities and scholarship for public practice and other community-centered projects, by contributing to the development of ideas, research, authoring grant narratives, and supporting documents, and oversees the implementation of grant-funded projects.

Initiates, develops, and collaborates to deliver evaluations of projects for and with the public regularly to better understand and address community interests and goals and to make visible the Museum’s impact to staff, stakeholders, and communities, collects and archives key outputs, and measures key outcomes of community engagement activity.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Education and Experience

Education Level          Master’s degree from an accredited institution

Field of Study              Arts Education, Public Humanities, Cultural Studies, Museum Studies, Visual Studies, or a related field.

Years of Experience   4 years

Area of Experience     Teaching with art, especially to connect with community, civic, health/wellness and police/justice systems; and a record of making art accessible, such as a completed thesis, peer reviewed publications, projects or performances, and/or contributions to public practice or community partnerships.

Minimum Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of art and history, museum teaching, public practice, and dialogue facilitation and object interpretation strategies.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills for a wide range of stakeholders and colleagues from different cultural and social backgrounds, varying ages, language skills, and physical abilities that utilize high-level emotional intelligence.

Desired Qualifications

Proactive, organized, empathetic, patient and creative. Dedication to broadening access and working collaboratively, Ability to travel regularly mainly within the state of Alabama. Eager to join a team and engage with a wide array of audiences.

Posting Detail Information

Salary Grade      33

Salary Range     $48,033 – $65,500

Job Category      Arts/Museum

Working Hours if Non- Traditional: possible evenings/weekends/etc depending on programmatic requirements

City position is located in:    Auburn

State position is located:      Alabama

Posting Date      04/12/2022

EEO Statement

Auburn University is committed to an inclusive and diverse campus environment. Women, underrepresented groups, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply.

AUBURN UNIVERSITY IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. It

is our policy to provide equal employment opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

Quick Link for Internal Postings

https://www.auemployment.com/postings/28656

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

Resume

Cover Letter

Optional Documents

Transcripts

Letter of Recommendation

Curriculum Vitae

Portfolio

Other

Statement of Leadership Vision

Other Documentation

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

* Do you have a master’s degree or higher from an accredited institution in Arts Education, Public Humanities, Cultural Studies, Museum Studies, Visual Studies, or a related field?

Yes No

* How many years of experience do you possess in teaching with art, especially to connect with community, civic, health/wellness and police/justice systems; and a record of making art accessible, such as a completed thesis, peer reviewed publications, projects or performances, and/or contributions to public practice or community partnerships?

(Open Ended Question)

* In which of your position(s) did you obtain this type experience? (Open Ended Question)

Categories: Job Postings