Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia)

Senior Manager of Guides and Volunteers

Full-time, exempt

Salary: $85,000 – $90,000

Onsite; not eligible for relocation

The Job

The Senior Manager of Guides and Volunteers at the Minneapolis Institute of Art will play a key role in developing and leading a team of educators and over 150 guides/volunteers. Both staff and volunteers engage with K-12 students and adult audiences, requiring a nuanced understanding of diverse learning needs and backgrounds. This position includes designing and implementing tours and comprehensive training programs for the volunteers.

Critical aspects of this position include the recruitment, training, engagement and retention of a diverse pool of volunteers. The manager will prioritize building a volunteer base that reflects the variety of communities we serve, ensuring inclusivity in both the recruitment process and throughout training initiatives. This involves not only reaching out to diverse groups but also providing training that fosters an environment of respect, equity, and cultural competence. The goal is to create a supportive, dynamic environment where volunteers feel confident in their roles and equipped to make a meaningful impact on those they serve.

In this role, you will…

1.  LEADERSHIP AND SUPERVISORY

• Supervise and provide guidance to staff and tour guides/volunteers, ensuring high performance, professionalism and mission and strategic alignment.
• Support staff educators in providing regular training and development sessions for guides to ensure they are knowledgeable, engaging, and consistent in delivering museum tours.
• Collaborates with and is the main staff liaison for the Guide Council to ensure alignment with the museum’s goals and objectives. The individual serves as the primary point of contact between the Guide Council and museum management.
• Create/maintain roles and responsibilities, guidelines and policies, performance evaluations, and provide constructive feedback for staff and guides/volunteers. Support career development for staff.
• Foster a positive, collaborative work environment that encourages teamwork, open communication, and a commitment to the museum’s mission and strategic objectives.
• Supports their team with handling scheduling conflicts, guide performance opportunities or issues, and ensure that staffing needs are met in a timely manner.
• Significant time spent with staff and volunteers on tours and front of house experience. Will provide support for guide volunteer training and tours.

2.  PROJECT, PROCESS, AND BUDGET MANAGEMENT

• Oversee all aspects of the tour guide and volunteer programs, ensuring efficient operations and high-quality visitor experiences.
• Streamline and maintain processes for scheduling tours and assigning guides, ensuring smooth coordination and effective use of resources.
• Develop and manage the tour guide program budget, tracking expenses and ensuring that financial goals are met.
• Create and implement processes for evaluating and improving the efficiency of the guide scheduling system.
• Works cross-departmentally to coordinate logistics for special tours, events, and exhibitions, ensuring timely and effective support from staff,  tour guides and volunteers.

3.  STRATEGY

• Collaborate with the Learning and Programming team to develop and refine the museum’s tour and educational strategies, ensuring alignment with broader organizational goals.
• Work collaboratively with the Head of Learning and Programming on a tour guide roadmap that will provide direction and growth for the guide program that includes DEI and community engagement initiatives for staff, guides/volunteers and visitors.
• Contribute to the creation of new tour programs and initiatives that enhance visitor experience and meet strategic institutional objectives. Reevaluate current programs and determine opportunities to streamline.
• Monitor trends in visitor engagement and the museum industry to suggest and implement improvements to the tour program.
• Work with marketing and public relations teams to promote tour offerings, and contribute to visitor feedback collection and analysis.

4. OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

• Assist with other duties as required or assigned, including special projects, event coordination, and museum initiatives that support the mission of the institution.
• Represent the museum at meetings, community outreach events, or other engagements as needed.

To be successful in this role, you have…

• Proven experience recruiting, retaining, engaging, and leading volunteers. Includes creation of processes, policy and procedures to support volunteers and programs.
• Proven experience in understanding and applying DEIAB principles and cultural fluency to process and projects for staff, volunteers and visitors.
• Exceptional people and process change management experience with strong organizational skills.
• Must possess exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills and thorough understanding of trends in engagement and programming.
• Strong project management skills including the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet all deadlines and deliverables on time and within budget.
• Solid understanding of program evaluation and research guidelines, methodologies, and tools.

Requirements:

Required:

·        Master’s degree with relevant experience. Advanced degree or certifications in art history, museum studies, or art education preferred.

·        5–7 years of proven success in the creating and delivering training for volunteers or guides, as well as the creation of tours or interpretive materials or lessons for not only K-12 audiences, but for adults and general audiences in a cultural setting.

·        5-7 years of experience in museums, cultural institutions, non profit, K-12 or higher education settings.

·        At least 5 years in a supervisory or management role focused in building and leading an engaged and collaborative team and staff. Capable of motivating and engaging paid staff.

·        Skilled in Google Suite, Microsoft Suite, volunteer management software, and project-management software (Asana preferred)

·        Ability to lift and carry objects up to 25 lbs. as part of event setup and breakdown.

·        Stamina to stand and walk for extended periods during events.

·        Flexibility to work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends, as required by event schedules

Preferred:

·        3-5 years of success in a museum-specific setting.

·        Demonstrated knowledge of art and world history.

Mia Culture

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) is an audience-centered, equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome. Mia is Mission Driven, Generous, Agile, Emotionally Aware, and Positive, and endeavors to create a workplace culture where staff are responsible to one another, to our visitors, and to themselves to do the best work possible.

Mia Benefits and Perks

Health and Wellness: Mia offers comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, and vision coverage. We have a wellness and employee assistance program to support your overall wellbeing.

Financial Security: We provide financial peace of mind with a variety of options, including a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for health expenses and a Dependent Care Account (DCA) for dependent care expenses.  Our 403(b) Retirement + Savings Plan includes a percentage of salary contribution from Mia after two years of employment (and minimum hours and age eligibility requirements are met).

Additional Perks: In addition to paid vacation, personal, sick days, enjoy a balanced work-life with a 37.5-hour work week and 11 paid holidays.

Join Mia and enjoy a workplace that values your health, financial security, and personal development, all while contributing to a vibrant cultural institution.

To Apply

To be considered for this position, please apply online at https://jobs-artsmia.submittable.com/submit.

Posting Deadline

No set expiration date. Job postings typically stay posted until candidates are selected for phone interviews.

Mia is committed to championing policies and practices that value diversity, foster equity, and empower an accessible and inclusive environment. Our strength lies in the diversity among the broad range of people who contribute their time and talents to Mia. We consider inclusion and accessibility a driver of institutional excellence and seek out diversity of participation, thought, and action. It is our aim, therefore, that our employees, trustees, interns, and volunteers reflect and embrace these core values.

Mia is recognized by the Age-Friendly Institute’s Certified Age Friendly Employer (CAFE) program that identifies organizations committed to being the best places to work for employees aged 50+.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION / EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Bell Museum  

Pay range: $64,515 – $72,000/ Hour

This is a full-time Academic Professional and Administrative (P&A) position.

Benefit Summary for Prospective Employees 

Working Hours: This is a 100% time position, working 40 hours a week, Monday- Friday

Working Location: This is an on site position located at the Bell Museum, UMN St Paul Campus, with occasional, limited opportunity to work from home as approved by the supervisor.

Application Deadline: Applications are due by 11:59 pm January 26, 2025. Anticipated start for this position is late March.

A resume and cover letter are required for consideration.

Applications must be submitted online. Please upload a resume and cover letter. Your cover letter of application is the central component of your application. It should discuss your central qualifications and relevant experience as it is related to the required and preferred qualifications for this job posting.

For more information or to apply, visit UMN Job Board ID: 366183 

For more information about the position, contact Kate Sigurdson at  ksigurds@umn.edu.

Position Summary:

The Exhibits and Gallery Programs Manager provides strategic leadership and management of the Bell Museum’s exhibits and gallery programs team’s work to develop and implement gallery-based experiences aimed at engaging a range of audiences, including multi-generational family groups, a core demographic for the Bell.

The Exhibits and Gallery Programs Manager oversees a small team (currently 3 staff members). This team is responsible for public-facing, gallery-based interpretive efforts, including exhibitions in temporary and permanent galleries, gallery carts and other gallery floor activities, inquiry-based hands-on learning in the Touch and See Lab and Collections Cove, opportunities to engage with nature on the outdoor Learning Landscape, and public programs such as speakers, workshops, festivals, and demonstrations, all to offer a rotating schedule of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM)-based museum experiences. This team keeps the Bell’s gallery spaces active, vibrant, and lively by creating, maintaining, and updating exhibits, gallery activities, and related programming. The team serves a range of audiences through attention to physical and sensory access, cultural relevance, age and grade-appropriate content, and creating a welcoming environment for all.

This position is supervised by the Director of Public Engagement and Science Learning; the team sits within the larger Public Engagement and Science Learning team (PESL). This larger team is responsible for the Bell’s major onsite interpretive efforts. Beyond exhibitions and gallery programs, these include planetarium shows and astronomy programming, K-12 science education, and public programming. The Exhibits and Gallery Programs team works with the  PESL team to align resources, leverage opportunities, and strengthen visitor experiences for STEAM learning. Further, the PESL team collaborates closely with other teams across the Bell to serve Minnesota; meet the Bell’s mission, vision, and values; and achieve the Bell’s strategic priorities.

The successful applicant for this position will have experience in directing the work of staff and demonstrated success in working collaboratively to engage the public through exhibits, programs, or other related activities that bring together natural history, science, and art. Areas of expertise might include exhibition development, informal science education, or museum interpretation.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Exhibit and Program Development and Management (55%)

Oversee interpretive and programmatic efforts in the Bell’s gallery spaces, including maintaining and updating permanent exhibits in Minnesota Journeys, booking and implementing leased and temporary exhibitions in Nova Galleries, and offering related experiences in gallery spaces, including the Touch and See Lab, Collections Cove, and the outdoor Learning Landscape.
Develop and implement exhibitions and displays, with an eye to content that sits at the intersection of natural history, science, and art, and experiences that invite participation through a variety of learning styles, including hands-on and kinesthetic learning.
Manage the work of staff and independent graphic designers, fabricators, and other contractors to create and produce exhibits and programs.
Lead and advise team members and others in the development of a suite of programs in support of central museum experiences, such as traveling exhibitions, seasonal experiences, and other opportunities, in order to engage engage and expand the Bell’s audiences.
Conceive and adapt content and programming to serve diverse, wide-ranging audiences through attention to physical and sensory access, cultural relevance, age and grade-appropriate content, to create a welcoming environment for all.
Work with managers of other PESL teams (Planetarium and the Education Programs) and with the Director of PESL to develop and implement cross-cutting initiatives in support of the Bell’s strategic plan, emphasizing strategic new content areas (e.g., climate change, planetary health, sharing our platform, and creating opportunities for middle and high school students).
Work with teams across the Bell (Marketing and Communications, Statewide Engagement, Operations, Research and Collections, Development, and Collections and Research), to create effective visitor experiences and a welcoming and inclusive environment that meets the needs of diverse audiences.
Work closely with partners within the University, with state agencies, and with the community to translate research into high-quality museum experiences and leverage interest in public engagement with science.

Exhibits and Gallery Programs Supervision (15%)

Directly supervise a small staff of P&A and/or Civil Service employees (currently 3 positions), and several Temporary or Casual gallery assistants, through regular check ins and an annual review process. Responsibilities include hiring, addressing discipline and grievance issues, and assigning and directing work.
Oversee the supervision of dozens of undergraduate and graduate student employees who serve as museum guides.
Coach staff and support professional development and performance goals.

Exhibits and Gallery Programs Operations (15%)

Collaborate, communicate, and troubleshoot in cooperation with Bell staff within and across teams to deliver successful exhibit and program experiences.
Coordinate the development and implementation of appropriate timelines, policies, procedures, and workflows to produce and deliver exhibits and programs.
Execute and administer contracts and other agreements for leased exhibits, vendors, and other contracts.
Deliver and support programs as needed, to include gallery, adult, and family programs, as well as large-scale festivals and similar programming.

Budget, Fundraising, and Stakeholder Engagement (10%)

Participate in fundraising and philanthropic proposal development in collaboration with the Directors of PESL and Development, to create sponsorship opportunities for programmatic sustainability and to ensure deliverables are met.
Work with the Director of PESL to develop and administer expense budgets for the Exhibits and Gallery Programs team.
Conduct evaluative activities and solicit feedback to support the planning and implementation of effective, relevant, and inclusive interpretive initiatives and programs.
Represent the Bell Museum to the University community and the public, including promoting programs through media appearances and conference attendance.
Develop and steward relationships to create a pathway to engagement opportunities.
Identify and implement pathways for increasing diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion in exhibit and program development, review, and evaluation.

Other Duties as Assigned (5%)
Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in science, education, design, or a related discipline and at least 6 or more years related work experience, or Master’s degree plus at least 2 years of experience.
3 or more years of supervisory experience and demonstrated ability to inspire a diverse team of staff and partners, including science researchers/faculty, in the creation of interpretive experiences for the public
Knowledge of best practices and trends in informal science learning, science communication, and/or museums
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and an interest in developing and testing experiences and messages for a range of audiences
Cultural competence, a commitment to practical and programmatic inclusion, and experience working in/with diverse communities
Demonstrated skill in project management, including the ability to manage multiple projects on different timelines to deliver project outcomes and meet deadlines
Enthusiasm for collaborative development processes, working within and across teams, stakeholders, and partners to navigate conflict and complexity
Available for occasional evening and weekend work, as assigned (to include 2-4 evenings or weekend days per month)
Proficiency in using Google Suite tools and MS Office products

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The South Dakota Art Museum at South Dakota State University (SDSU) invites you to join our dynamic curatorial team as a Preparator/Registrar. We’re seeking a creative and detail-oriented professional to play a key role in the planning and execution of the Museum’s robust exhibitions and collections management. This position is located in Brookings, South Dakota and is a 12-month, full-time, benefits-eligible position.   

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Exhibition Preparation: Design, install, and maintain exhibitions, working closely with the curatorial team, artists, and contractors. Responsibilities include developing exhibit plans, selecting materials, fabricating mounts, overseeing installation teams, and maintaining exhibition spaces and lighting.

Object Registration: Manage the care, documentation, and transport of museum collections and loaned art objects. Duties involve condition assessments, packing/unpacking, coordinating shipments, maintaining collection databases, overseeing storage areas, and participating in inventory and disaster management.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelors degree in Museum Studies, Art History, Arts Administration, Studio Arts, Conservation, History, or a related field;
• Minimum two years experience in the following:
• Working with a Museum collections registration system;
• Operating a Museum collections database, preferably Past Perfect;
• Art exhibition installation;
• Museum art-handling experience;
• Implementing professional standards and procedures involved with art loans and exhibitions (incoming and outgoing);
• Professionally framing art; and
• Building exhibition mounts and displays.
• Valid driver’s license or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire;
• Must be able to lift over 40 lbs, climb a ladder, operate power tools, and operate a mechanical lift.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Carpentry and/or engineering skills preferred.

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the South Dakota Art Museum at South Dakota State University serves the peoples and communities of the state and its visitors as South Dakota’s premier visual arts resource. With a mission to inspire creativity, connect people, and enrich lives through art, the Museum collects, preserves, exhibits, and interprets visual art to provide access and education and to foster appreciation of the visual arts. The museum’s extensive permanent collection is comprised of nearly 7,000 items ranging from paintings, works on paper, textiles, sculpture, and ceramics, and includes significant collections of American Indian art.  Seven galleries host about 12 new exhibits every year featuring a wide variety of artworks and themes, some from the permanent collection and others from traveling exhibits and loaned objects.  Many of the exhibitions have ties to South Dakota and others bring national and international perspectives.

South Dakota State University promotes access to and opportunities for all to receive the benefit of and participate in education, research, and service and is especially interested in candidates that can contribute to this land-grant mission of access.

Must be authorized to work in the U.S.  Sponsorship is not available for this position.

TO APPLY, YOU MUST VISIT: https://yourfuture.sdbor.edu/postings/41877

For questions on the position, contact search committee chair,  Abigail Gebro, Retail and Visitor Services Coordinator, South Dakota Art Museum, Abigail.gebro@sdstate.edu, (605) 688-5423.

Principal Function: The Maintenance Technician – Level 3 is responsible for performing routine maintenance in and around the Museum Center, historic areas and other out buildings, as well as securing buildings, facilities, and grounds.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Duties include, but are not limited to:

Completes work orders as assigned by the Facilities Manager to include: plumbing; electrical; carpentry, painting, roofing, masonry, drywall, and structural repairs.
Performs set-up, teardown, clean-up, and traffic control for special events.
Performs landscaping and grounds maintenance to include: mowing; trim work, storm clean-up; and snow removal.
Operates the balloon, as needed.
Operates and maintains the water park.
Performs preventive maintenance and repairs to HVAC systems.
Utilizes CMMS system to track and manage work orders.
Maintains and addresses issues with various Fire Life Safety systems.
Supervisory Responsibilities:  This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Education and/or Experience: High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or five years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. HVAC certification required. Previous experience working in facilities or grounds maintenance is required. Previous experience working in the museum and/or entertainment park industry is desired.

Other Skills and Abilities: The following skills and abilities are either required or desired.

Computer software skills desired include: Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
The ability to attend training and pass the balloon pilots test is required.
The ability to operate equipment and machinery for grounds maintenance is required.
The ability to operate a computer, printer, copy machine, scanner, and other office equipment is desired.
The ability to speak, read and write in English is required. Spanish is desired.
HVAC Certification is required
Knowledge of chillers, cooling towers, and boilers is desired
Ability to weld and fabricate in order to perform repairs and create projects is desired.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty according to the requirements of the organization. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities.

Competencies: To perform this job successfully, all employees at Conner Prairie should demonstrate the following competencies:

Customer Service – Responds to requests for service and assistance; Manages difficult or emotional customer situations focusing on listening without interrupting and keeping ones emotions under control; Solicits customer feedback to improve service; Maintains confidentiality and meets commitments; Remains open to others ideas and tries new things.
Teamwork – Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others’ views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports everyone’s efforts to succeed.
Diversity – Demonstrates knowledge of EEO policy; Shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; Educates others on the value of diversity; Promotes a harassment-free environment; Builds a diverse workforce.
Ethics – Treats people with respect; Keeps commitments; Inspires the trust of others; Works with integrity and ethically; Upholds organizational values.
Organizational Support – Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; Supports organization’s goals and values; Benefits organization through outside activities; Supports affirmative action and respects diversity.
Professionalism – Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.
Quality/Quantity – Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to promote and improve quality; Applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality; Meets productivity standards; Completes work in a timely manner; Strives to increase productivity and works quickly.
Safety/Security – Observes safety and security procedures; Determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; Reports potentially unsafe conditions; Uses equipment and materials properly.
Attendance/Punctuality/Dependability – Is consistently at work and on time; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; Arrives at meetings and events on time; Follows instructions; Responds to management’s direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments; Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals; Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternative plan.
Job-related Competencies – To perform this job successfully, employees in this job should demonstrate the following competencies:

Problem Solving – Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
Oral Communication – Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.
Motivation – Sets and achieves challenging goals; Demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; Measures self against standard of excellence; Takes calculated risks to accomplish goals.
Initiative – Volunteers readily; Undertakes self-development activities; Seeks increased responsibilities; Takes independent actions and calculated risks; Looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; Asks for and offers help when needed.
Physical Demands:  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; and lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  The employee frequently will climb or balance. The employee occasionally will sit; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and lift and/or move more than 50 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less), distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more), color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors), peripheral vision (ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed on a given point), depth perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships), and the ability to adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus).

Work 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 duties and responsibilities.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently is exposed to working in outdoor weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet or humid conditions (non-weather), working near moving mechanical parts, work in high, precarious places, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, extreme cold (non-weather), extreme heat (non-weather), risk of electrical shock, and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.

While the offices of Conner Prairie are open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, this position may require work beyond these hours and on the weekends. This job may require the ability to operate a Conner Prairie vehicle. Thus, a valid driver’s license is required.