The Museum of the City of New York fosters understanding of the distinctive nature of urban life in the world’s most influential metropolis. It engages visitors by celebrating, documenting, and interpreting the city’s past, present, and future. Founded in 1923, the Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) showcases the city’s unique stories and cultural treasures. The country’s first and largest city museum, MCNY presents immersive exhibitions and programs at the intersection of history, popular culture, and art to 200,000 people annually, including 30,000 students and educators, fostering shared identity, civic pride and engagement, and social cohesion for New Yorkers. MCNY has been recognized as one of the leading museums in New York City by publications such as Condé Nast Traveler and the New York Times, with Time Out New York awarding MCNY “Best Museum” in New York in 2021. 
 
A key member of the Museum’s Education and Engagement team, the Manager, Family Programs, is responsible for the development and implementation of engaging programming for family audiences that leverages the Museum’s collection and exhibitions. Family Programs include, but are not limited to, Family Days, drop-in and timed workshops and activities, school break programming, off-site programs and events, family and community festivals, and other series for families. Content for family audiences includes, but is not limited to, in-gallery materials and worksheets and Kids’ Guides. The role includes occasional Sunday work; employees should be prepared to work on Sundays when required. This is a full-time, regular position that reports directly to Assistant Director, Youth and Family Learning. 
 
Roles and Responsibilities: 
 
  • Design and facilitate high-quality, engaging, and interactive drop-in activities and workshops for intergenerational audiences.
  • Deliver a creative approach to designing hands-on activities related to the Museum’s exhibitions and NYC history, arts, and culture
  • Plan and deliver family days and festivals
  • Develop family program strategy in collaboration with the Assistant Director of Youth and Family Learning, and in consultation with the VP of Education and Engagement
  • Coordinate with outside stakeholders, when needed, to support the successful delivery of family programs
  • Handle program logistics and interdepartmental collaboration, including setting up before and cleaning up after each session, ensuring participants complete evaluations, and documenting attendance and supply inventory and ensuring smooth event flow.  
  • Ordering materials for programs as needed
  • Participate in and contribute to training and discussions around family engagement, which may involve content, pedagogy, and best practices for distinct populations
  • Incorporate new skills and learning into their facilitation and participate in reflective facilitation practices
  • Ensure programs and content are in alignment with the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education (CRSE) framework, ensuring that the Museum provides and supports learner-centered environments that affirm racial, linguistic, and cultural identities
  • Perform other duties as needed 
 
A successful candidate will have: 
 
  • 3-5 years of experience working with children ages 3-12
  • Experience creatively developing and implementing programs for family audiences.
  • Prior experience working in a museum or cultural setting
  • Previous teaching experience or experience working with intergenerational audiences in a direct service capacity
  • Ability to work with stakeholders and share authority in planning programs
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, specifically with school children
  • Experience and comfort using digital communication platforms (Zoom, Google Meet, etc.)
  • Fluency in Spanish is valued, but not required

 

Physical Requirements & Work Environment: 

While performing the essential functions of the job, this role primarily works a Monday-Friday with occasional weekend or evening work required. This position entails occasional Sunday work, with schedules determined by operational needs. Work is primarily onsite at the Museum, in an open office plan setting. The Museum environment is fast-paced and workspaces include the Museum’s galleries and classroom spaces. Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time and able to traverse through office and museum gallery environment. Requires the ability to operate standard office equipment including computers and keyboards for extended periods of time. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Repetitive motion. Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers. The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. On occasion, the employee may be required to work outside events with weather conditions including heat and cold.

Benefits: 

The annual salary for this position is $60,000. The position offers a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, FSA, HSA, life insurance, 401K and a defined benefit pension plan, short and long-term disability, and an Employee Assistance Program, with options for critical illness insurance, accident insurance, legal services, and pet insurance. The Museum provides a paid time off policy that includes 10 days of annual leave, rising to 15 days in year 2, and to 20 days in year 3, plus 12 sick days per year and 12 holidays. Your employment relationship with the Museum qualifies you for free or discounted admissions to other participating cultural institutions.

 

The Museum of the City of New York is committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as New York City and the audiences who are curious about learning more about its history and engaging in contemporary urban issues. Our staff members are dedicated to working towards a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring city museum in the world. 

 

The Museum of the City of New York is an equal opportunity employer. As such, the museum provides equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants without unlawful discrimination with respect to age, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender identification or expression, marital status, military status or veteran, national origin, political association, political/personal convictions, predisposing genetic characteristics, race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and style), religion (including attire, clothing or facial hair worn in accordance with religious requirements), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions and transgender status), sexual orientation, socio-economic status, geographic location, philosophies, or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws, in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, promotion, demotion, transfer, lay-off, and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment. The Museum complies with applicable state and local law governing nondiscrimination in employment which prohibits discrimination and harassment against any employees, applicants for employment or interns, as well as contractors, subcontractors, vendors, consultants, other individuals providing services in the workplace or their employees in every location in which the Museum has facilities.