Job Listing: Executive Director of K-12 Education (The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation)

Executive Director of K-12 Education

Who We Are

Founded in 1989, Colonial Williamsburg’s Bob & Marion Wilson Teacher Institute is the standard-bearer for quality teacher professional learning at cultural institutions . Every summer, the Institute provides rigorous, relevant, and engaging multi-day professional development sessions onsite and online to over 800 teachers from numerous states and nations. Since its inception, over 30,000 teachers have gone through the summer program. Throughout the school year, the program team also facilitates teacher webinars as well as professional development workshops in-person and digitally in partnership with peer institutions.

The Executive Director of K-12 Education leads multiple institutional priorities: The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute, the Bob & Marion Wilson Educator Resource Library, and Colonial Williamsburg’s school and youth group programming.

The Executive Director provides strategic vision and leadership for the Bob & Marion Wilson Teacher Institute at Colonial Williamsburg, which serves thousands of teachers and impacts tens of thousands of students across the country every year. Founded in 1989, Colonial Williamsburg’s Teacher Institute is the standard-bearer for quality teacher professional learning at cultural institutions. The Executive Director oversees the ongoing success of this marquee program and will lead it through an exciting period of innovation and growth. The Executive Director will work in partnership with executive leadership to develop and drive a new strategic plan for the Teacher Institute to increase its reach, accessibility, and impact, including in-person and online.

The Bob & Marion Wilson Educator Resource Library houses and makes accessible materials and resources teachers interact with in the Teacher Institute. The Executive Director will oversee the development of new materials to populate and grow this digital resource and, in so doing, bring the Teacher Institute into more classrooms more effectively. The Executive Director will also advise on the development and distribution of history.org, Colonial Williamsburg’s new digital curriculum initiative being built in partnership with other leading history museums and civic education organizations for all K-12 history and civics teachers across the country.

The Executive Director will apply our industry-leading approach to teacher programming to spearhead a re-dedication to excellent onsite programming for school and youth groups. With creative thinking and collaborative problem solving along with deep knowledge of museum education best practices, they will build a suite of programs that attract teachers and their students, those from local schools as well as visiting from across the country, and engage them in meaningful history and civic learning.

About the Position

Essential Functions:

• Provide visionary and actionable leadership for Colonial Williamsburg’s educational programming, including the Bob & Marion Wilson Teacher Institute, School & Youth Group Programs, and digital educational resources.
• Lead and build a team of dedicated professionals through a period of change, ensuring staff engagement, growth, and satisfaction. Identify and solve inefficiencies across workflows to maximize the team’s capabilities.
• Inspire and support staff, internal collaborators, donors, schools, clients, and partners.
• In partnership with the Vice President for Education Strategy & Civic Engagement and key internal and external stakeholders, develop and execute a strategic plan to further elevate and grow Colonial Williamsburg’s Bob & Marion Wilson Teacher Institute.
• Develop ambitious annual goals for each area to ensure ongoing growth and excellence: Teacher Institute, the Educator Resource Library, and School and Youth Groups. Track and provide metrics to review and measure success against stated annual goals as well as over time.
• Manage all programs and resources offered through the Teacher Institute. Strategically grow the number and diversity of summer cohorts to ensure participation from teachers in all 50 states every year.
• Oversee the development and digital distribution of curriculum resources to support teachers and students, including the Bob & Marion Wilson Educator Resource Library.
• Review and enhance teacher advisory roles to further improve the Teacher Institute, online and outreach programming, school programs, and history.org.
• Foster existing and develop new partnerships with peer organizations for collaborative programming, resource development, and promotion.
• Reenergize Colonial Williamsburg’s school and youth group programming and develop a premier scholastic experience.
• Oversee the development of school and youth programs, facilitation standards, self-guided visit materials, and pre- and post-visit materials to ensure alignment with current museum education best practices, schools’ and tour groups’ expectations, and to maximize utilization of Colonial Williamsburg’s resources.
• Develop and implement new and innovative staffing plan for school group program facilitation, including building new partnership initiatives and exploring contract models
• Explore additional opportunities to broaden CW’s educational reach, such as a virtual field trip program or other outreach programs.
• Collaborate interdepartmentally to actively support fundraising efforts to support all K-12 educational initiatives. Take a leadership role in stewardship of donors who support the Teacher Institute as well as all K-12 programs. Build and cultivate, on an ongoing basis, a “donor ambassadors” program to empower Colonial Williamsburg’s national network of dedicated donors to help promote and grow the Teacher Institute.
• Cultivate and maintain partnerships with K-12 stakeholders across the country to build awareness and impact of Colonial Williamsburg’s educational mission and programs.
• Advise on the history.org initiative, ensure Colonial Williamsburg’s programs, resources, and materials are well represented in the project.
• Work closely with the sales teams of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the Colonial Williamsburg Company to increase school and youth group bookings.
• Manage department, program, and project budgets. Provide revenue and expense forecasts, track against forecasts, and adjust as necessary to ensure the financial sustainability of all efforts.
• Represent Colonial Williamsburg at professional conferences, meetings, and consortia as appropriate.
• Additional responsibilities as assigned

Supervision to be Exercised:

Direct: Director of Education Outreach & Engagement, Managers of the Bob & Marion Wilson Teacher Institute (3), Registration and Operations Coordinator, Manager of School & Youth Group Programs

Indirect: Summer Coordinators, Lead Teachers, Summer Interns

Required and Preferred Education and Experience:

Required:

• Master’s degree in education, history, or a related field.
• Extensive (10-15 years’) experience in museum education leadership, preferably at a historic site or history museum.
• 6-10 years’ experience managing teams to successfully achieve ambitious goals.
• Extensive direct experience leading teacher professional development programs, preferably in a cultural institution.
• Experience developing museum education resources for K-12 audiences.
• Experience working closely with Development and donors to cultivate support.

Preferred:

• Classroom social studies teaching experience.

Qualifications:

• Excellent leadership, presentation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Deep knowledge of and experience with change management.
• Passion for history, education, and promoting cultural values.
• Demonstrated innovative thinking, embrace of new ideas, and proven eagerness to leverage technology improve work and work products.
• A self-starter with a commitment to excellence who takes initiative within parameters to advance the mission and motivates others to do the same.
• Deep knowledge of the American education system, including social studies curriculum and instruction.
• Deep knowledge of museum education pedagogy, including object-based inquiry.
• Knowledge of and passion for US history and civics.

To apply, visit: https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/careers/