Job Description:

Crystal Bridges is a museum of American art located in Bentonville, Arkansas. We explore the unfolding story of America by actively collecting, exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving outstanding works that illuminate the American heritage and artistic possibilities. Founded by Alice Walton in 2005, the museum opened in 2011 and is a public, non-profit charitable organization with free admission.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic-minded individual to join Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art as Program Manager for a new initiative focused on transforming education through the power of arts integration rooted in school partnerships. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for driving the growth and innovation of the museum's school partnerships initiatives including one focused on generating national educational impact for 6-8th grade students through the arts.

This role will lead efforts to partner with schools in multiple states and advocate for the adoption of a spectrum of arts integration initiatives. The individual will be adept at relationship building in service of long-term partnerships with school and districts. They will start with an initial pilot in Arkansas, seeking reputation-building opportunities that showcase the broad range of benefits to be achieved through arts integration programs for schools and communities. To achieve this, 30% of the program manager's time will be dedicated to on-site school and district visits for program development.

The Program Manager will report to the Director of Learning Initiatives in the Learning and Engagement division of Crystal Bridges and collaborate extensively with members of the Division's team as well as the museum's research and evaluation team. The successful candidate will possess the ability to collect, synthesize, and present outcomes as well as recommend program strategy, to achieve success. In addition, the Manager will have a solid understanding of school change and school climate within local and national contexts. Desired experience and skillsets associated with program management in K12 and academic settings, school innovation, scaling up of educational programs, as well as proven relationship building experience.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Lead the development and implementation of the Learning and Engagement Division's new arts integration initiative.
• Foster long-term partnerships with schools and key stakeholders in multiple states, with an initial focus on initiating and shepherding pilot programs.
• Develop a cohort selection process, a rubric for successful implementation that leads to improvements to the program model.
• Create program implementation frameworks, timelines, and expected outcomes of all arts integration partnerships.
• In collaboration with the Director of learning initiatives contribute to the creation and management of a research and advocacy strategy, as well as an online learning community designed to support teachers and schools.
• Understanding of school reform, innovation, and trends in education.
• Research and analyze market trends and industry developments in K12 arts integration programs.
• Serve as a thought partner to school staff and faculty as they develop and implement new curriculum.
• In collaboration with data strategy teams, collect data on best practices and partners to improve selection of new participants and improve outcomes.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to design and refine program structures, ensuring alignment with both school and state educational goals and standards.
• Collaborate with curriculum specialists to provide traditional and online educational resources primarily to support arts integration initiatives.
• In collaboration with internal stakeholders and school partners, manage and collect data on project plans, timelines, and resource allocation strategies to achieve program goals and objectives.
• Proactively identify and address project risks and challenges to ensure program success and desired outcomes.
• In collaboration with the Director of Strategic Operations, put in place systems to ensure all projects are moving forward in a timely fashion and to ensure stakeholders have the appropriate visibility and influence.
• Oversee the coordination of resources, both human and material, required for program activities.
• Monitor and evaluate the progress of the initiative, making data-driven adjustments as necessary to achieve program goals.
• Supervise a program coordinator who will assist in the program management, data collection and event planning and execution.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in education, business administration, non-profit management, or a related field is required (Master's degree desired).
• Demonstrated experience in program planning, data collection, and analysis.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders and forge longstanding relationships.
• Proven ability to build strong relationships with K12 and broader educational community.
• Strategic and outcomes mindset with a demonstrated ability to think innovatively about program development in the context of arts integration.
• A self-starter with the ability to take initiative and drive projects forward.
• Ability to persevere through challenges and setbacks, maintaining a positive attitude.
• Knowledge of arts integration education initiatives and program development best practices.
• Prior experience working within an arts & culture organization, education or nonprofit organization and scaling a program or initiative, ideally on a national scale.
• Experience in project management and leading cross-functional collaboration is highly valuable.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in program management, preferably in K12 or academic settings.
• Valid Arkansas driver's license with clean driving record.
• Willing and able to travel for program development. This role will likely require travel 30% of the time.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical demands: To perform the duties of this job, the employee is required to travel independently regionally and nationally 30% of their time. In the work environment described below, position requires utilizing a computer and a telephone for prolonged periods of time and good eye/hand coordination, bending, and stretching for filing, and physical stamina to lift and carry supplies. Vision abilities required by the job include close and distant vision. When not in the office, the person in this position will require the capability to move and be presenting most often in educational settings for extended periods of time.
• Work Environment: Work will be performed in an office environment, museum spaces, outdoors, and in the communities served. When not out of the office, the employee will be spending extensive amounts of time in the Museum buildings, grounds, galleries, and library. Travel is expected, including overnight stays. The noise level in the Museum work environment is usually low to moderate.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States on your first day of work.

Crystal Bridges is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

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