Job Description: Curator of Public Programs and Engagement

Company: Museum of Anthropology at UBC (MOA)
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (Mainland/Southwest)
Job Category: Programs and Events
Job Type: Full-Time
Salary: $$5,906.25 - $8,508.42 CAD Monthly - Yearly

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Curator of Public Programs and Engagement

Applicants must apply directly to the Staff Careers posting on the UBC HR website:

https://ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/ubcstaffjobs/job/UBC-Vancouver-Campus/Curator-of-Public-Programs-and-Engagement_JR14905

 

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

 

Job Summary

The Museum of Anthropology at UBC (MOA) is a place of world arts and cultures with a special emphasis on First Nations, Asian and other cultural communities of British Columbia, Canada. MOA has worldwide collections which are well known for their coverage of Canadian First Nations, Arctic, Asian, European, and Pacific arts and cultures. The Museum is unique not only because of its physical setting but because it has created unusually close relationships with cultural communities in British Columbia and around the world through experimental and collaborative research methods and exhibitions. Part of MOA's originality comes from it being a public and research and teaching museum. The cutting-edge scholarship of the Museum makes possible a range of exhibitions and events that cut across traditional disciplinary divisions to provoke creative engagement and dialogue.

The Museum of Anthropology is located on the ancestral, unceded territories of the h?n?q??min??m? speaking x?m?θk??y??m peoples. This relationship and our ongoing work with Indigenous and originating communities are foundational to MOA’s practice.  MOA is committed to implementing UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Plan and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. 

The Curator of Public Programs & Engagement is responsible to gather, generate and share cultural knowledge through developing reciprocal relationships with diverse cultural communities, both locally, nationally and internationally. This position is expected to develop and maintain relationships with relevant and diverse First Nations communities, UBC and other interested stakeholders. This position collaborates with other MOA staff and is responsible to lead the design and implementation of public programs at MOA. The post-holder will ensure that programming is culturally responsive, timely and accessible for the diverse audience MOA serves. The position will also be responsible to develop new audiences with underserved communities making MOA more accessible to the public, including families, children, and the diverse audiences MOA serves.

Organizational Status
The position reports to the Head of Curatorial and Design. A wide-latitude of decision-making is required.

Work Performed

Responsibilities include: Leads the development and is Responsible for gathering, generating and disseminating multicultural and intercultural knowledges in creative and innovative ways to diverse cultural, linguistic and identity-based communities.

• Works collaboratively with diverse cultural communities to build, and maintain respectful, relevant and reciprocal relationships.

• Researches tangible and intangible heritage traditions to create and gather knowledge and develop appropriate and engaging knowledge sharing opportunities for the public.

• Makes decisions about appropriate and sensitive interpretation of cultural knowledge and ensures this is part of public program development

• Maintains a general historical and current knowledge of the Museum collections and issues important to Indigenous and other cultural communities as pertinent to public and community engagement.

• Actively works to embed UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Plan, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, and the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and other recommendations into public program development.

• Leads, designs and implements public programs for the museum’s diverse audiences, as well as for special audiences such as families and special events (workshops, festivals, and family experiences).

• Leads, Develops and manages MOA’s Multimedia Guide a digital guide creating accessible, relevant cultural content to enhance MOA’s visitor experience.

• Evaluating program offerings to ensure they meet MOA’s strategic goals and objectives.

• Seeks sources of funds through grant writing to support initiatives.

• Proposes innovative public programming schedule to MOA’s Management Team quarterly.

• Maintains established relationships with cultural communities, knowledge keepers and artists.

• Develops and sustains new relationships with a diverse range of cultural practitioners, artists and performers.

• Hires, trains, supervises and evaluates interns, Work Learn students, and Museum Student Assistants.

• Recruits, trains, manages, and evaluates MOA’s Gallery Guide volunteers.

• Works with MOA staff and external subject matter experts and knowledge holders to keep abreast of current and historical issues related to the diverse cultural groups represented at MOA.

• Leads, plans and implements exhibition openings.

• Works with collection curators and others to assist with academic programs.

• Works collaboratively with MOA Marketing and Communications Manager.

• Develops and manages annual budget, expenditures, grant applications and contracts related to position.

• Serves on relevant museum committees as required.

• Disseminates the results of curatorial work, representing the Museum at professional meetings and conferences and publishing papers.

• Undertakes other tasks as assigned.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Errors in judgment might result in difficult working relationships with program partners, volunteers, and other staff. It could also mean loss of trust and credibility to program partners, particularly with community partners. If programs are poorly planned, there will be an impact on MOA revenues and profile in the community.

Supervision Received
The position works independently with general supervision from the Head of the Curatorial and Design Department.

Supervision Given
The position supervises interns, work-learn students and others when required. The position supervises the MOA Volunteer Gallery Guide Committee, and oversees training and evaluation of the Gallery Guide Volunteer Associates. In addition, the position hires, trains, supervises and evaluates interns and student assistants.

Minimum Qualifications
Master’s degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of five years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant discipline with subject specialty related to Museum Studies, Indigenous Studies, Anthropology, Art History, History of related discipline.

• Work experience in a museum, art gallery, or cultural institution with experience working with a range of audiences.

• Demonstrated understanding of the issues and protocols related to developing, implementing, and evaluating public programs.

• Experience working with and managing students and volunteers, including recruitment, training, and evaluation.

• Experience developing digital content – on line and through various application platforms

Skills

• Excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing.

• Experience in supervising and motivating students and volunteers.

• Demonstrated diplomacy in working with cultural communities, organizations, and other program partners.

• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and time management skills.

• Must be able to travel and work flexible hours as required.

• Must be familiar with programs in Microsoft Office suite and have some knowledge of other design and layout software.

• Ability to manage student staff performance by establishing standards and goals, evaluating performance, providing feedback, and taking corrective action.

• Ability to assess training requirements and develop, coordinate, lead, and evaluate training.

• Ability to develop and deliver effective presentations and workshops. 

• Ability to deal effectively with a diversity of people.

• Ability to work effectively independently and in a team environment.

• Ability to deal effectively both verbally and in writing with a diversity of people.

• Ability to work effectively independently and in a team environment.