Position: Director of Interpretation

Supervisor: Executive Director

Salary type: Exempt, full-time position

Salary range: $85,000 – $90,000

Benefits: Health benefits free of charge to the employee

Schedule: Monday – Friday, with occasional weekend hours and evening hours

Location: Riverside, CA

Organization Mission: The Riverside Art Museum integrates art into the lives of people in a way that engages, inspires, and builds community by providing high-quality exhibits and art education programs that instill a lifelong love of the arts.

We are recruiting for an accomplished Director of Interpretation for the Riverside Art Museum whose role will also extend to the new center, the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture of the Riverside Art Museum.  Our museum is committed to DEI work and to the idea that art should reflect all cultures, races, and ethnicities-the entire spectrum of the human identity. This is a new position that offers a dynamic individual the opportunity to guide the creation of interpretive and transformative strategies.

The Riverside Art Museum resides in the Inland Empire, one of the most diverse regions in the United States and the 4th largest Latino metro area in the US. Over the course of the last decade, as RAM Board of Trustees and staff strategically prioritized understanding the needs of our diverse community and creating exhibitions and programming that would be accessible and relevant to our constituents.

The Director of Interpretation will work closely with the Executive Director, The Cheech Artistic Director, RAM Curator, the Director of Education and Community Engagement and the Guest Services Manager to develop innovative programming to make exhibition themes come alive for multi-generational audiences of varying entry points and from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

Job Summary

The person in this role will collaborate with other members of the team as well as with stakeholders (community partners, guest curators, and educators) to develop diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive interpretation materials and learning experiences for collections and exhibitions that engage and create connections.  The objective is to develop written, audio, video, and digital interpretation material for a variety of platforms. 

Responsibilities

Interpretation development – collaborates with museum directors, curators, educators, designers, and other team members to develop interpretive plans for the collection and exhibitions that articulate big ideas and key messages, developed within the guiding framework of our visitor impact outcomes and interpretive strategies; creates engaging interpretive materials and experiences.

Content development and management – edits and proofs texts to be accessible, inclusive, and engaging to a diverse public audience; writes and/or edits scripts for guides and text; manages the production of assets in collaboration with curatorial, education, and community partners; provides knowledge and guidance for developing interpretive technologies; manages interpretive content management systems and steward’s relationships.

Evaluation – works with colleagues, external customers, collaborators, and community partners to form interpretive planning and measure results of collection and exhibition interpretation; analyze the impact of interpretive strategies and applies learning to future projects.

Storytelling- facilitates telling the most inclusive stories about our collections and special exhibitions and manages our walk and wonder visitor education tours. Supervises our Walk and Wonder staff of 2-3 individuals.

Visitor Experience – Collaboratively create the most meaningful experience for our visitors and think of potential issues.

Radical Hospitality – An entrepreneurial and creative spirit is encouraged as the museum looks to explore equitable practices, and to define, implement and evaluate what we are calling our “radical hospitality” goals. Institutionally we will continue to adapt our communication practices, exhibition and education program schedules, and marketing to make space for new activities and staff, and time to listen, learn, experiment, evaluate and redesign as new programming is onboarded and implemented. 

Qualifications

·        Bachelor’s degree in art history, museum education, ethnic studies, visual & critical studies, social sciences, or related field required, master’s degree preferred.

·        5 years of experience in art museum and/or arts & culture organization’s interpretation or  education program, or commensurate experience.

·        Recruitment will prioritize an understanding of Latinx/Chicanx and other BIPOC histories, customs, communication, and cultural distinctions to bridge differences and form meaningful interpretation strategies. 

·        Strong knowledge of visitor engagement theory and practice, including current research on emerging technologies in Museum environments.

·        Excellent writing skills including ability to write about art in an accessible, engaging way for multiple platforms and diverse audiences, strong editing skills.

·        Experience working with digital platforms and content management systems.

·        Ability to work effectively with interdisciplinary teams; strong interpersonal communication skills; diplomatic and collaborative work style.

·        Ability to nurture and develop strong relationships with diverse external constituents and partners; strong understanding of community assets, resources, and interests.

·        Passionate about the mission of the Riverside Art Museum;

·        Strong cultural competency and commitment to learning;

·        Deep understanding of philanthropy and donor cultivation;

·        Self-reliant and results-oriented;

·        Ability to make decisions in a changing environment and anticipate future needs;

·        Excellent at multitasking; ability to work with deadlines;

·        Work well independently and with a team;

·        Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends;

·        Successful background check.

Please submit a cover letter and resume to careers@riversideartmuseum.org for further consideration.

The Riverside Art Museum is an equal opportunity employer.