Senior Educator

Part time/Full Time: Full Time
Salary: $45,760
Exempt Status: Non-Exempt

The Senior Educator is a part of a highly collaborative, energetic staff dedicated to the power of place, historical objects, and storytelling for visitors of all ages.  Once a site of slavery, Gunston Hall is now a museum dedicated to telling the stories of all the people who lived on the 18th-century plantation, including enslaved women, men, and children, indentured workers, and George Mason, one of the leaders of the Revolution and new nation.  The Senior Educator, as a part of the Education Team, will invite visitors to explore the past to better understand the ideas and contradictions that formed our nation.

The Senior Educator’s responsibilities are:

30% – Volunteer Management

• Develop a recruitment strategy to entice new volunteers to join the Gunston Hall Team;
• Schedule and facilitate new volunteer intake interviews;
• Develop a new volunteer orientation program;
• Develop additional training sessions and experiences as needed;
• Recruit volunteers internally to support Gunston Hall events, including Declaration Day, Britain on the Green, and others;
• Coordinate and plan Gunston Hall volunteer events, included but not limited to, an annual volunteer appreciation party;
• Develop a plan to celebrate volunteers and the amazing work they do.

25% – Lead Educator

• Take the lead on scheduling Educators and Education Assistants to ensure full coverage for tours, and the front desk as needed;
• Schedule training sessions for new Education Team members and co-Lead sessions with the Education Manager;
• Mentor and support Educators and Education Assistants;
• take the lead on opening museum buildings, and provide access for team members, on weekends and holidays;
• serve as a point of contact between staff on-site and supervisors if no supervisors are present;

20% – Program Development and Facilitation

• assist with the development of and preparation for public programs and special events;
• facilitate informal learning experiences, including during public programs and special events;

20% – Tours and Hospitality/Guest Services

• foster a welcoming environment;
• use their creativity to lead distinctive tours that are accurate and engaging for visitors of all ages;
• promote and relay accurate information about planned programs and events;
• provide support for volunteer-run school programs;
• take a positive and problem-solving approach to the daily challenges that arise in a visitor-centered organization;
• monitor the museum exhibitions in the visitor center, period room installations in the mansion, and reproduction outbuildings;
• interact with visitors throughout their time on the property;
• answer telephones;
• schedule school tours.
• keep accurate records, including admissions records;
• reconcile cash and charge receipts;
• support other projects related to Gunston Hall’s educational mission.

5% – Supporting Education Team Initiatives

• participate in a variety of activities that support educational initiatives, including conducting historical research and writing social media posts

An ideal candidate will be interested in history, solution-oriented, detail-oriented, able to adapt to changing circumstances, and committed to serving as an effective ambassador for Gunston Hall and its content, whether the candidate is working with teachers, students, program attendees, museum visitors, or other members of the general public.  The candidate will be dedicated to ongoing learning.  Furthermore, an ideal candidate will excel at thinking creatively about how to convey historical material in ways that reach diverse audiences.

This position reports to the Education Manager. It requires:

• excellent communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with people of different backgrounds and ages;
• excellent customer service skills;
• commitment to telling stories from multiple perspectives and to talking about difficult subjects;
• responsibility and trustworthiness;
• knowledge of basic office procedures;
• ability to read and write the English language and to understand, follow, and give oral instructions;
• knowledge of computers, telephone systems, audio-visual equipment, and cash registers;
• ability to reconcile cash and credit card receipts;
• ability to maintain an electronic calendar in order to schedule events;
• exhibition of professional manner and dress at all times;
• ability to multi-task;
• ability to work both outside and inside;
• ability to lift up to 25 pounds.

This position includes regular weekend days and some holidays, operating on a Sunday-Thursday schedule.  It is full-time and non-exempt, paying an hourly rate of $22, or $45,760 annually.  Benefits include paid annual and sick leave, health insurance, life insurance, a retirement plan, and a discount in the museum shop.  Additional benefits of employment at Gunston Hall include opportunities to enjoy 554 acres of outdoor recreational and environmental amenities along the Potomac River, an organizational commitment to wellness and personal fulfillment, access to comprehensive professional development programs, and the opportunity to collaborate with a creative, innovative, and fun team of individuals who are all enthusiastically committed to the organization, our mission, and to each other’s success.

To apply please send a letter of interest, resume, and application to Lacey Villiva, Education  Manager, at [email protected].

Applications for this position are being accepted on a rolling basis and it is open until filled.

Please note, Gunston Hall does not accept “See Resume” as a response to any question.  Also, applications should include complete work history, including periods of unemployment if applicable.  Failure to complete any section of the application may disqualify the application for further consideration.

Gunston Hall is an equal opportunity employer.