Assistant Director

The Laramie Plains Museum is looking for an Assistant Director to join the museum family. If interested in the position, please contact Executive Director Amy Allen by email at lpmdirector@laramiemuseum.org or by phone at 307-742-4448.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Assistant Director is responsible for the development and growth of public and educational programming at the Laramie Plains Museum. This position also assists the Executive Director in carrying out the mission of the Museum.

 PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Take an active role in growing support for a robust existing programming schedule.

  • Under the supervision of the Executive Director, develop and conduct new on- and off-site public and educational programming for K-12, family, and adult audiences that encourages a broad range of community participation, engagement, and buy-in with the Museum. Examples include in-classroom or on-site activities for K-12 students, seasonal events, guest speakers, etc. Will coordinate logistics for these events.

  • Lead the staff in marketing the Museum, including editing and organizing the quarterly newsletter, generating press releases, growing and maintaining an active social media presence, and maintaining and updating the Museum’s website.

  • In coordination with the Executive Director, be a key player in volunteer recruitment, management, retention, and appreciation.

  • Contribute to the staff’s ongoing efforts to increase overall museum attendance and rentals.

  • Assist the Executive Director in recruiting, training, and overseeing Junior Docents.

  • Serve as Acting Director in the Executive Director’s absence. Must be able and willing to learn enough about the day-to-day management of the Museum to take over during the Executive Director’s time off or in an emergency.

  • Assist the Executive Director as otherwise assigned.

 REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE:

  • Bachelor’s degree in museum studies, public history, education, public administration, or other relevant field with at least one year experience in public program development, volunteer coordinator, and public relations. OR, a combination of education and experience sufficient to meet the requirements of the job.

  • Ability to plan and oversee work assignments, to manage multiple projects, and to work well independently as well as in a team.

  • Knowledge of (or the ability and desire to learn about) local/regional history as well as other aspects of museum work such as exhibits and collections management.

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with emphasis on presentations, marketing, and public speaking.

  • Ability to encourage community engagement and foster positive relationships for the Museum.

  • Working knowledge of general office equipment and software.

  • Effective personal time management and prioritization, strong work ethic, and the ability to take direction.

  • Ability and willingness to work weekend and evening hours as required for events, programs, and normal operating hours of the Museum. Summer is the Museum’s busiest season and 50 to 60-hour weeks with weekend and evening commitments are common. There is more schedule flexibility in the off-season.

  • This position requires the incumbent to reside in or near Laramie as all job duties must be completed on-site or in the community.

 PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Familiarity with museum interpretation or formal/informal teaching methods.

  • Experience coordinating volunteers for a public or nonprofit organization and creating and implementing volunteer-staffed programs.

  • A working understanding of historic preservation and best practices/standards for the preservation and maintenance of historic buildings.

  • Knowledge of other museum departments and procedures, including collections management, exhibit development, historic research, and office management.

SALARY:

  • $45,000 to $47,000 Annual Salary.