High Desert Museum Job Opportunity – Community Engagement Manager
Title: Community Engagement Manager
Division: Education & Engagement
Classification: Full-time, exempt
Direct Support: Curator of Education & Engagement
Supervises: N/A
Salary Range: $52,000+ DOE
About us
Since opening in 1982, HIGH DESERT MUSEUM has brought together wildlife, cultures, art and natural resources to promote an understanding of North America’s High Desert country. We do so through indoor and outdoor exhibits, wildlife in natural habitats, living history demonstrations and dynamic programs on a beautiful, 135-acre campus in the pine forest. The Museum is a nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is a Smithsonian Affiliate, was the 2019 recipient of the Western Museums Association’s Charles Redd Award for Exhibition Excellence and was awarded the 2021 National Medal for Museum and Library Services. During the 2018-19 fiscal year, 195,000 visitors enjoyed the Museum.
The Museum is located in Bend, Oregon, a fast-growing, charismatic city nestled against the Cascade Range at the edge of the High Desert. We strive to be inclusive, culturally humble, relevant, curious, and mindful. As a team, we work together to wildly excite and responsibly teach, creating connection to and dialogue about the High Desert.
About this job and what you’ll do
The Community Engagement Manager is responsible for expanding and enriching relationships between the Museum and community organizations and institutions within Central Oregon and across the region, co-creating and co-implementing new models of participation and programming to extend the Museum’s reach and deepen our impact. These programs will highlight the contributions, perspectives, stories and voices of diverse people throughout the High Desert with particular emphasis on centering the history and lived experiences of People of Color and other marginalized groups in the region.
Approximately the first year of this position will focus exclusively on implementing programming for the Museum’s Institute of Museum and Library Services CARES project called Reimagining Connections. The High Desert Museum has launched this project to create meaningful access to museum and library resources for families most impacted by COVID-19 in the community. Through an extensive partnership network of museums, libraries, and community organizations across Central Oregon, the project enables the museum to provide over 800 programs to approximately 2,000 families. The project team will design the family-centered programs to promote community healing and connection; advance STEM, literacy, and social-emotional skills necessary for academic and career success among pre-K-12 students; and continue the relevance of museums and libraries as community anchors by adapting programming and resources to the changing community context.
About who you are
The Community Engagement Manager utilizes a community-centered, asset-based approach to their work at the Museum. You have the ability to cocreate with both external and internal stakeholders and take a vision through implementation to fruition. You are able to prioritize tasks and can manage multiple projects simultaneously while keeping in mind the audiences you serve.
Want to learn more?
For a detailed job description listing the essential functions of this position and the education, experience, and skills requirements, click here.
Importantly, we recognize and honor that the qualifications required to excel in this position can come from a range of both professional and lived experiences. In the job description we describe what we believe to be important qualifications for a candidate to have while remaining open to the diversity of experiences that can lead to these skill sets. Position descriptions are often presented in a way that leaves qualified candidates feeling unwelcome, intimidated, uncomfortable and/or unqualified to apply. Recognizing that, we strongly encourage anyone who feels passionate about this work and believes they have what it takes to thrive in this role to apply.
Want to apply?
Please email PDFs of your resume & cover letter to: jobs@highdesertmuseum.org
The Museum provides an equal employment opportunity to all persons without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/transgender status, age, disability, veteran or marital status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Mission
The High Desert Museum wildly excites and responsibly teaches through innovative, interdisciplinary experiences, creating connection to and dialogue about the High Desert.
highdesertmuseum.org/job-opportunities