The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity.

The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Learning Center is a platform for culturally responsive experiences that bring young people and the adults around them into dynamic and inspiring encounters with art and creativity. The Ryan Learning Center team:

• champions the role of art and culture in people’s lives,
• promotes access and equitable participation in art and the museum,
• fosters critical and creative thinking.

As a result, youth, teens, families, students, and educators from various backgrounds and abilities engage with each other and with works of art from across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, activating the museum as a place for learning, insight, inspiration, and community. These museum experiences enable young people and the adults around them to feel more connected and confident in their capacity to imagine, create, and make sense of art and their world.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Associate Director leads the Learning Laboratory team and provides strategic leadership for out-of-school-time learning in the museum, developing, initiating, and evaluating a broad array of programs and partnerships that expand reach, deepen impact, and increase youth participation. They lead a team of educators who are responsible for carrying out a diverse set of programmatic experiences and who actively mentor young people in immersive youth leadership opportunities. The slate of programs range from large-scale events to after school classes to immersive cohort-based internships to an array of youth-facing resources. The Associate Director is a connector who identifies opportunities for young people to contribute to museum work and creates pathways for teens to take on greater leadership roles. Bringing deep knowledge about youth development practices, they collaborate to ensure that programs that address teens are youth-centered, responsive, and developmentally appropriate. This person plays a leading role in shaping departmental policies and practices that help the museum to be a youth-ready space.

The Associate Director works collaboratively with colleagues within and outside the museum to strengthen relationships with youth; youth-serving organizations; and city agencies. They are an active member of Chicago’s learning landscape and represent the museum in city-wide efforts to increase and connect opportunities for youth. They bring their expertise and energy to deepen audience connections and position the museum as a valuable space for connection, learning, and meaning-making.

This position holds a standard 9:00–5:00 Monday–Friday work week with some weekend and evening hours required.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Pedagogy and Program Leadership: Establish the strategy, priorities, and programmatic structure for collaborative and participatory youth-led experiences with the museum; ground the team’s work in youth-centered, antiracist practice; guide the design and implementation of teen internships, small and large scale events, teen-facing resources, and digital engagement; identify and assess new opportunities for youth engagement in the museum; ensure alignment with values and youth-development pedagogy; develop and implement the practices around RLC spaces for teens; shape and lead key LPE internship cohort programs; ensure consistency of experience for all LPE interns and alignment with museum internship practices, protocols, and programming; actively teach in programming as required.

Partnership Strategy and Planning: With colleagues in the Learning Partnerships and Resources team, direct a partnership strategy that cultivates mutually-beneficial relationships with youth organizations and practitioners whose areas of practice, goals, and capabilities complement those of the department and the museum; advance existing relationships with high-visibility youth-serving organizations, such as After School Matters; actively identify and build new relationships that increase the museum’s reach to youth, build institutional capacities, and broaden practices around youth development; evaluate partnerships and relationships on an ongoing basis to ensure alignment with strategy and internal capacity; actively participate in and support staff’s participation in local and national networks and convenings focused on youth development, leadership, and arts and cultural participation

Youth Development and Advocacy: Expand the museum’s capacity to involve young people as visitors, leaders, and co-creators; open and capitalize on opportunities to build staff capacity around youth engagement, especially within front-facing departments; activate the RLC with youth voice and presence through internships, programs, and youth staffing models; design and activate pathways through museum experiences for youth and teens, focusing on the years before and after high school, to introduce arts career possibilities and provide support for young professionals at key moments; be an active collaborator in evolving the museum’s equity-based internship program by strengthening connections between teen and college internships, by promoting effective mentorship practices, and by activating alumni relations; cast and realize opportunities to involve teens in the work of the museum beyond the RLC; bring visibility to youth contributions to the museum.

Administration and Staff Management: Provide effective administration of Youth Programs that creates structure and flexibility; enables iteration; responsively supports staff; and promotes responsible resource allocation; recruit, onboard, manage, train, and mentor staff and other personnel related to youth programs; set annual team goals for and with staff; provide ongoing supervision and performance management; contribute to the annual budgeting process and expense management for this area of the department; develop evaluation strategies and oversee program documentation and reporting; use data to drive decision-making as appropriate; work with departmental leadership in crafting compelling grant proposals to support youth programming; devise the Youth Programs communications strategy and lead staff in implementing an annual plan for print and e-publications and social media; lead cross-departmental projects and guide staff to work effectively with colleagues in other areas of the department; assign and direct work based on judgment relating to priorities, goals, and skills; use discretion to organize and monitor work processes, resolve operational issues, and implement new procedures; supervise titles as listed below, including the responsibility for day-to-day enforcement of all policies and procedures; and communicate updated job expectations and policies to employees listed below.

Communication and Collaboration: Employ experience, talents, and tools to cultivate a culture of collaboration and open communication within and beyond RLC; provide strategic input around planning, programming, interpretation, and community engagement to the department chair and other colleagues, as needed; identify opportunities to share stories and information about youth and youth programming with stakeholders at every level within the museum; maintain clear communication with department head and team members about ongoing priorities, goals, and projects; perform other duties as needs arise and capacity permits

• Minimum 5 years of experience working directly with youth, family, or teen audiences in museums or informal education settings
• Strong understanding of virtual pedagogy and e-learning frameworks; understanding of current education trends, assessment, documentation, evaluation, and methods for differentiated learning and instruction.Experience teaching with works of art and general knowledge of art history and various making techniques.
• Energy and enthusiasm for the mission of the museum and demonstrated commitment to advancing the museum’s values.
• Strong organization and planning skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, respond to shifting priorities, and support multiple aspects of program development and operational sustainability.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including ability to communicate with audiences of different backgrounds, levels of knowledge, and types of ability. Ability to function effectively as part of a team.
• Experience managing staff, volunteers, or interns; ability to set and assess strategy, and to lead teams
• Utilizes an asset-based framework that supports developing the shared leadership and vision of the department.
• Strong interest in trauma/healing-informed pedagogy and practices.
• Commitment to innovation and life-long learning.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Digital fluency; proficiency in MSOffice, Google suite and experience with remote work systems required.
• Spanish language fluency is an asset in this position.

If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. Whether you’re new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.

In place of a cover letter, please briefly (1-2 paragraphs each) respond to the following prompts:

• Share why you would excel as a member of our teaching and learning community in the Associate Director position.
• Describe the ways in which you have advocated for young people and engaged in youth development work in Chicago.
• Referencing the Art Institute’s Mission and Values, describe how you embed antiracism and equity into your practice.

We offer a competitive, comprehensive benefits package:

• Generous paid time off
• Paid holidays (up to 14 days)
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Generous parental, caregiver, and medical leave benefits
• Competitive retirement plan (up to 9% matching contribution)
• Tuition remission and Tuition Exchange Program
• Great employee discounts
• Complimentary general admission to participating cultural institutions

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The Art Institute of Chicago requires all applicants to complete an online application to be considered for employment. 60 minutes are allotted for applicants to complete the employment application. The application will automatically time out after 60 minutes. If you are unable to submit the completed application at this time, please choose the "Save for Later" option to avoid losing the information you have entered so far.

Vaccination Expectation

Becoming vaccinated against COVID-19 is the most important contribution we as individuals can make to ensure our own safety and the safety of our museum and school community. All employees must complete an attestation and provide proof of their vaccination status, or request a medical or religious exemption within the first week of employment.

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, veteran status or citizenship. The Institute complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at apply_help@artic.edu.