The Walker Art Center empowers people to experience the transformative possibilities of the art and ideas of our time and to imagine the world in new ways. In our over 125-year history, we have become one of the most celebrated art museums in the country and we are known for our innovative presentations and acclaimed collections of contemporary art across the spectrum of the visual, performing, and media arts.

The Youth Programs Manager is responsible for developing and facilitating programs focused on out-of-school learning for teen audiences at the Walker Art Center. This includes working with the Associate Director of Learning and Accessibility on setting priorities and long-range planning in order to anchor the Walker as a leader in Creative Youth Development.

WHAT YOU GET TO DO 

Program Management:

• Oversee the Walker’s out-of-school learning programs for middle and high school students to be inclusive, culturally-responsive, and provide youth an opportunity to be creative and identify with Walker’s programs and exhibitions:
  • Partnering with leadership on long-range planning, year-over-year goal setting & curricular focus, ensuring program stays relevant and upholds best practices in museum education.
  • Plan and facilitate the Walker Art Center Teen Arts Council (WACTAC), overseeing recruiting students, syllabus and curriculum development, and evaluations.
  • Organize drop-in workshops hosted both onsite and offsite, teen takeover events, and other out-of-school events for youth.
• Expand and deliver opportunities for middle and high school audiences at the Walker including personal tours, workshops, film screenings, and performances.
• Proactively keep apprised of Walker exhibitions and programs, finding ways to connect youth to Walker projects.
• Build and foster relationships with project evaluators and other external contractors.
• Organize internal files and statistics related to constituents involved with youth programs.
• Oversee grant schedules and support funding activities for youth programs.
• Maintain budgets for youth programs and WACTAC.
• Supervise the Youth Programs Coordinator. Provide feedback and guidance to ensure a clear understanding of Walker and department expectations.
• Direct the work of contracted artists as needed.
• Lead and/or actively participate in regular department meetings.
• Participate in and facilitate training, conferences, and professional development.
• Participate in institutional events, meetings, and forums such as managers and all-leadership meetings and other cross-departmental work teams, all-staff meetings, and public life.

• Work with the Associate Director of Learning and Accessibility to set metric and qualitative goals for youth programs that align with the strategic plan and grow target audiences.

• Work with Communications and Content to develop strategies, advertisements, press coverage, web content, and other promotional materials promptly.

 Supervision

• Serve as a member of the PELI management team, and support the Associate Director of Learning and Accessibility.

 Communication

• Develop and facilitate WACTAC alumni events and communicate with alumni.
• Develop relationships with art educators and other museum professionals in the Twin Cities, nationally, and internationally to support youth programming.
• Coordinate with local schools, community organizations, and other non-profit partners to support out-of-school learning for youth.
• Develop and oversee communication and marketing strategies for connecting with youth across the Twin Cities

WHAT WE NEED IN YOU 

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in education, fine arts, art history, art education, or a related field.
• Minimum 3 years of experience leading, developing, evaluating, and administering programs for youth in a learning setting.
• Experience with curriculum design, inquiry-based facilitation, universal design for learning, and culturally competent teaching practices.
• Familiarity with creative youth development, youth-centered pedagogies, social-emotional learning, and 21st-century skills.
• Must be available to work a flexible schedule with hours and days determined and required by programming. Must be available to work every Thursday evening to facilitate WACTAC.
• Excellent project management skills, including the ability to organize budgets, staff, and project resources in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communications skills with a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and work with a wide range of constituents across a variety of cultures, generations, and abilities.
• Proven ability to multi-task, handling many projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Detail-oriented and highly organized with the ability to problem-solve in a quick and resourceful manner.

Preferred Skills

• Experience managing and mentoring staff.
• Experience in a range of evaluation techniques and the capacity to analyze learnings and translate them into project development.
• Working knowledge of all Microsoft Office applications; familiarity with the Adobe Creative Suite.
• Fluency in a language in addition to English with preference for Hmong, Somali, Spanish, and/or American Sign Language.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS   

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and using a computer.

  
  

JOB SPECIFICATIONS This position is considered full-time, exempt. As a exempt position, it is not eligible for overtime pay. The compensation for this role is $55,000.00 annually. The Walker offers a wide range of benefits for both part-time and full-time employees.

This position is not eligible for relocation assistance.

All applicants must be eligible to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship.  

Vaccination Expectation The Walker Art Center’s COVID vaccination policy requires staff to be fully vaccinated or to supply a negative test every 6 days. We will consider requests for reasonable accommodations based on disability or sincerely-held religious beliefs

Walker’s DEI commitment The Walker is committed to being an employer with a staff who, at all job levels, reflects the rich diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We are dedicated to ensuring inclusion and equity in all our employment practices. We deeply value and welcome all the unique lived experiences in our applicants and encourage anyone meeting the minimum requirements to apply.

Recruitment Timeline All positions are open until filled.