The Communications Officer, Schools, Education & Youth Engagement develops, manages and implements a cohesive group of education and youth programs that link middle and high schools and community audiences with the work of the foundation; encouraging youth to be leaders for positive change. This position reports to a Senior Communications Officer for Interpretation and Engagement. You will be responsible for coordinating a range of education programs, specifically geared for youth and young adult audiences. This includes a broad spectrum of middle school, high school and young adults related activities that include overseeing; educator and youth organization outreach to bring youth to the Discovery Center, planning and implementing tours (including Skype tour), training other staff with new tour content, planning educator workshops and events, overseeing a Youth Ambassador High School Interns Program, developing and implementing youth summer workshops, and adding feedback and content suggestions for changing exhibits.
You will collaborate with staff across the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advocate for young people and to provide a welcoming, comfortable and inspiring environment for youth to visit independently, with peers, and with family members.
In partnership with the Sr Interpretation & Engagement and Sr Visitor Services & Engagement Officers, you will be responsible for our youth and educator programs. This will involve researching, developing and implementing a creative slate of programs that encourage active dialogue, self-expression and leadership aimed to create future change makers. This will include:
- Develop strategy and content for youth tours, school and education programs and tour interpretation.
- Develop, implement an evaluate tours and interdisciplinary activities and programs for middle, high school and college age audiences with a goal of creating sustainable, high quality educational programming.
- Provide interpretive guidance and contributes to text panels and didactics.
- Assists in training and mentoring students, volunteers and interns to lead successful exhibition-based tours.
- Lead tours and floor shifts while assisting with other interpretive programs as needed.
- Oversee the Youth Ambassador High School Interns Program and the associated Teen Action Fair.
- Develop and implement strategy for outreach and engagement of schools, youth organizations, civic agencies to visit the Discovery Center, and Skype in the Classroom opportunities.
- Build relationships with primarily public middle and high schools in King and Pierce counties aimed to increase attendance and create engagement opportunities for youth focused on taking action in their communities and creating career pathways.
- Work with curator(s) to develop interpretive materials and resources that break down key messages and content that compliment exhibit content and school curriculums, while remaining relevant to middle school and high school youth.
- Creates and tracks budgets and documentation of tour plans, content and evaluation reports.
- Develop online, social media and website supplementary educational resources and activities to support exhibits and tour content.
- Establishes and maintains relationships with informal and formal learning environments such as; schools, youth organizations, museums, science centers, zoos, visitor centers, philanthropic and civic partners.
Position reports to the Senior Communications Officer for Interpretation & Visitor Engagement.
- Strong facilitation skills and experience in conflict resolution strategies.
- Knowledge of current education theories, informal learning theory, positive youth development and trends in formal and informal educational settings; object-based teaching methods and/or visitor research for museum activities.
- Experience creating sequential learning experiences, creating lesson plans and online resources.
- Commitment to interdisciplinary teaching, collaboration and a contextual, cross-disciplinary practice.
- Commitment to diversity equity and inclusion.
- Ability to network, identify and cultivate program partners and resources in the community and with schools.
- Excellent research, writing, oral communication, interpersonal skills and ability to work with people of a wide variety of ages, abilities and backgrounds.
- Ability to manage large groups in a positive and professional manner.
- Ability to travel to school and community locations will be required.
- Strong project management skills with an ability to manage numerous projects simultaneously with strong organizational skills and attention to detail needed.
- Creative thinker and problem-solver.
- Must be reliable and dependable to attend sessions and work flexible hours (weekends and/or evenings required).
- Knowledge in Microsoft Office Suite.
- Minimum of seven years’ experience working with youth in a classroom, youth development or leadership organization or cultural institution’s education or youth program with emphasis on K-12 students.
- Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.