Director of Education

The Rockwell Museum | Corning, NY

Salary Range: $80,000–$90,000 annually

Full-Time | 40 Hours per Week | Exempt

Inspire Learning. Connect Communities. Shape the Future of Museum Education.

Are you a passionate, visionary leader who believes in the power of art to inspire curiosity, spark conversation, and create meaningful connections? The Rockwell Museum is seeking a dynamic Director of Education to lead and advance its educational vision, expand community engagement, and shape how audiences of all ages and backgrounds experience American art.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Museum's leadership team and make a lasting impact on how art connects people, ideas, and communities. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Education will provide strategic direction for the Museum's educational programs, interpretation, and visitor engagement while leading a talented team of education professionals.

From inspiring the next generation of artists and art enthusiasts through K–12 and family programs to creating meaningful experiences for adult learners, teachers, and lifelong learners, this role will help ensure that The Rockwell Museum remains an essential educational and cultural resource in New York’s Southern Tier.

About the Opportunity

The Director of Education will bring vision, creativity, and strong leadership to a broad portfolio of educational initiatives, including school and teacher programs, public and family programming, visitor engagement, volunteer development, and community partnerships.

As a key member of the Museum's leadership team, you will have the opportunity to:

• Shape the vision: Develop and lead a comprehensive education and audience engagement strategy that advances the Museum's mission and strategic priorities.

• Lead and inspire a team: Mentor and develop a dedicated education staff, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative department.

• Create meaningful learning experiences: Guide engaging educational and interpretive programs that connect audiences with American art, history, culture, and contemporary life.

• Build community connections: Strengthen relationships with schools, colleges, artists, cultural organizations, and community partners to expand access and participation.

• Champion innovation: Advance inclusive, accessible, and engaging approaches to museum learning, interpretation, and visitor experiences.

• Measure impact: Use audience research, evaluation, and meaningful outcomes to continually strengthen programs and demonstrate the Museum's educational impact.

What You'll Lead

The Director of Education provides strategic oversight and leadership across several key areas:

Educational Strategy & Visitor Engagement

• Establish educational and interpretive priorities that connect the Museum's permanent collection, exhibitions, and visitor experiences.

• Promote innovative approaches to museum learning that encourage curiosity, dialogue, and critical thinking.

• Collaborate across departments to integrate education into exhibition planning. collection installations, and the overall visitor experience.

Programs & Lifelong Learning

• Oversee educational experiences for K–12 students, teachers, families, adults, and lifelong learners.

• Guide signature initiatives such as the Art Lab and Great Circle Artist-in-Residence program.

• Advance teacher professional development, curriculum-aligned school programming, and educational resources, including Learning Trunks for secondary schools.

• Support the continued growth of public programs, family learning, gallery experiences, and volunteer engagement.

Community Partnerships & Engagement

• Cultivate meaningful partnerships with educational institutions, artists, cultural organizations, and community groups.

• Expand opportunities for audiences to engage with art, particularly those who have historically experienced barriers to participation.

• Represent the Museum within local, regional, and national educational and cultural networks.

Leadership & Institutional Collaboration

• Lead departmental planning, budgeting, staffing, and resource allocation.

• Partner with Curatorial, Development, Marketing and Communications, Finance, and  Visitor Services to advance institutional goals.

• Support fundraising, grant development, and communication of program outcomes and impact.

• Guide the work of the Board's Education Committee.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for an experienced museum education professional who combines strategic vision with a collaborative leadership style and a passion for making art accessible and meaningful to diverse audiences.

Qualifications include:

• A master's degree in museum education, art education, art history, museum studies, or a closely related field.

• At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in museum education, interpretation, or related cultural and educational programming.

• At least five years of direct professional staff supervision and management experience, including performance management, mentoring, and professional development.

• Demonstrated experience overseeing the development, management, and evaluation of educational programs within an art museum or comparable cultural institution.

• Strong knowledge of art museum education, audience engagement, interpretive practices, and museum learning strategies.

• The ability to build collaborative relationships, lead cross-departmental initiatives, and translate institutional priorities into impactful educational experiences.

• Familiarity with American art and its historical, cultural, and contemporary contexts is preferred.

The ideal candidate will also bring:

• Excellent leadership, supervisory, and team-building skills.

• Outstanding written, verbal, and presentation abilities.

• A collaborative, inclusive, and forward-thinking approach to leadership.

• Strong organizational, planning, and budget management skills.

• A genuine appreciation for the arts, museums, and the role they play in building stronger communities.

• Flexibility to work occasional evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Why Join The Rockwell Museum?

At The Rockwell Museum, education is about more than sharing information—it's about creating connections, encouraging new perspectives, and making art meaningful for everyone.

As Director of Education, you'll have the opportunity to shape the future of museum learning, lead innovative programming, build lasting community partnerships, and make a meaningful contribution to an institution dedicated to connecting people through American art.

If you're an inspiring leader who is ready to make an impact through art, education, and community engagement, we encourage you to apply.