Reporting to The Maurice Marciano Director at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), The Chief of Public Engagement, Learning, & Impact (CPELI) is responsible for the strategic leadership and management of the museum’s Education Department, Visitor Engagement, Public Programs, Community Engagement, Publications, and R&D initiatives. This newly-created position organizes and supervises the teams for each of these areas, ensuring that MOCA develops and executes responsive and compelling content throughout the museum. This role will have the opportunity to build evolving areas of their teams. Dialoguing with the museum’s exhibitions and performing arts programs, among others, this crucial senior position will ensure unified, synchronized, and ambitious storytelling that will reflect and commemorate the institution’s history and future, as well as its values and priorities.

The CPELI enables MOCA to leverage and distill its exhibitions, collections, and wide-ranging programs into accessible, academic, creative, and engaging opportunities for the public to meaningfully connect with the institution as a cultural and civic resource. As lead on public programs and partnerships, as well as on developing new initiatives around publications, research, and archival projects, the role also implements innovative structures and practices that preserve MOCA’s history and expand its reach.

In addition to directing the day-to-day activities of the areas they oversee, the CPELI takes a holistic approach to a variety of teams and their respective endeavors, identifying opportunities for further collaboration and coordination across all divisions. As a member of senior management, the CPELI collaborates with others on the core leadership team to advance short and long-term goals of the museum. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Access (DEI&A) is central to every aspect of this role’s activities.

Essential Functions

• In partnership with the Director and staff in areas of Education, Public Programs, Visitor Engagement, Community Engagement, Interpretation, and Scholarship, develop and implement initiatives and programs across departments in line with the museum’s artist-centered mission, strategic goals, and DEI&A values.
• Establish innovative, cross-departmental protocol and workflow for overseen areas that results in synchronized programmatic and educational efforts.
• Ensure seamless integration of Education, Public Programs, and interpretive efforts with those of Visitor Engagement including cross-departmental training and events coordination.
• Provide ongoing day-to-day direction, supervision and guidance to assigned teams in their operations, policies, and procedures. Evaluate complex issues and identify multiple options for resolution.
• Develop, monitor and oversee related budgets and ensure deliverables are completed on time and with the highest quality.
• Works closely with the Chief Curator & Director of Curatorial Affairs, determine best practices for museum publications, identify content producers and co-publishers.
• Work with the Curatorial, Exhibitions, Registration, and Communications teams as needed to ensure clear communications, strategic teamwork, and information sharing.
• Integrate Environmentally-focused content into programs in partnership with Environmental & Sustainability Strategist.
• Supervise five direct reports, providing oversight, guidance, performance management and mentorship. Promote a productive and positive team environment that nurtures and invests in staff development and retention.
• Serve on senior management team to develop strategic plan, and advance short and long-term museum goals.
• Maintain a high external profile within a network of civic and peer institutions to facilitate communication and potential collaboration; represent the museum at professional gatherings as well as civic and/or social events.
• Serve as the museum’s liaison with community partners both local and global.
• Perform other tasks and duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Minimum of at least ten years of relevant work experience, with five or more years related experience in leading projects in education, public programming, or interpretation (books, online platforms, archives) at the senior management level required.
• Experience managing production of publications is essential.
• Proven leadership of numerous departments and strength in institutional strategy, planning, budgeting, project management, and organization.
• Results-oriented, adept at seeing the big-picture, planning, prioritizing, organizing, and following through with an ability to maintain balance and perspective.
• Working knowledge of professional museum standards and practices, with a focus on public education initiatives, community engagement, and interpretation.
• Extensive knowledge of contemporary art and educational theory and proven track record in DEI&A initiatives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Salary Range: $190,000 – $210,000

POSITION COVERED BY MOCA/AFSCME COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT: NO

While performing the essential functions of this job, the incumbent must be able to do the following: sit for extended periods; bend and reach for filing and other job-related functions; climb up and down stairs; bend, stoop, and lift to move and retrieve materials; pull, push, and lift; reach both above and below shoulder height. Specific visual abilities include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Must be able to visually inspect work. Manual dexterity to operate a computer and other office equipment is required. Heavy usage of computers and phones required.

The Museum of Contemporary Art is an equal opportunity employer. We will extend equal opportunity to all individuals without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status or any other status protected under applicable federal, state or local laws. Our policy reflects and affirms the Museum of Contemporary Arts commitment to the principles of fair employment and the elimination of all discriminatory practices.

Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that an applicant meets 100% of the qualifications for a given role. Therefore, if much of this job description describes you, then you are highly encouraged to apply for this role.