Discover the Columbia Museum of Art!

Nestled in the heart of the vibrant Greater Columbia, South Carolina region, the Columbia Museum of Art (CMA) is a beacon of forward-thinking energy and Southern charm. The CMA isn’t just a museum; it’s a dynamic hub where art comes alive, and everyone is invited to join the experience.

With a world-renowned collection of over 7,000 works that spans American, Asian, European, and Modern and Contemporary art, the CMA has been captivating visitors since 1950. Our mission goes beyond showcasing stunning pieces; we strive to create an inclusive, participatory space where art is felt, not just seen.

Our passionate team of staff, members, volunteers, and partners from community artists and organizations, the corporate world, and government are all united by a common goal: to make the CMA a cherished cultural gem in the Southeast. Come see for yourself why the CMA is more than just a museum—it’s a place where art and community thrive together.

Position Overview: Director of Learning and Engagement (L&E)

Are you ready to lead the charge in shaping the future of the CMA? As the Director of Learning and Engagement, you’ll be at the helm of growing and serving audiences from South Carolina and beyond. 2025 represents the 75th anniversary of the CMA; we will celebrate our history, our communities, and our collection. We are most excited to welcome a visionary leader who is inspired to lead dynamic interpretation, audience development, and daily experiences that instill a sense of belonging for locals and visitors as they come to the CMA to contemplate, connect, and create through the arts.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership & Strategy: Provide visionary leadership and strategic direction for all formal education opportunities, dynamic engagement initiatives, and vibrant and unique daily experiences for our communities and tourists.
• Audience Development and Interpretation: Based on CMA collections and exhibitions, implement a vision for designing and producing programs and interpretative vehicles that connect scholarly and community perspectives with an understanding of the lived and learned experiences of the CMA’s core audiences.
• Relationship Building: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships, connecting educators, families, lifelong learning communities, artists, local businesses, higher education institutions, local and state-wide organizations, and volunteers to the CMA’s mission to spark powerful connections with art from around the corner and around the world.
• Team Collaboration: Work closely with the Executive Director, Leadership Team, Board of Trustees, Learning & Engagement staff/volunteers, and the Curatorial Division to broaden audiences, grow earned revenue, secure grant funding, and communicate the impact of the CMA.

This role is pivotal in ensuring the CMA continues to thrive and inspire. If you’re passionate about art and community and have a knack for creating a sense of belonging in cultural organizations through strategic leadership, we want you on our team!

What Our Director of Learning & Engagement Does

Our Director of Learning & Engagement is the driving force behind our audience development and community engagement at the CMA. Here’s a snapshot of their key responsibilities:

• Strategic Planning and Visioning: Collaborates with the Deputy Director and Leadership Team to craft an annual plan and path for tactical implementation of all audience learning and engagement strategies.
• Division Leadership, Management, and Accountability: The CMA’s L&E Division is comprised of 8+ full-time staff, 10+ part-time staff, interns, the CMA Docent Corps, and three Affinity groups who work collaboratively to achieve audience-centered strategies.
• Audience Development Goals: Craft and update an annual audience development plan based on local demographics, audience feedback, evaluations, larger community goals, DEAI practices, and fundability.
• Partnership Cultivation: Actively builds relationships with education entities local and national, community partners, businesses, foundations and funders to increase the CMA’s visibility and drive the expansion and sustainability of learning and engagement programs.
• Community Relations: Prioritizes the CMA’s ongoing work to authentically and actively engage community to inform our vision and strategies. Nurtures community relationships, attends community arts events, serves on committees and boards, and leads community listening activities.
• Accessibility: Develop, implement, and integrate initiatives to enhance our four dimensions of accessibility: social, cultural, physical/cognitive, and financial.
• Higher Education Relations: Create arts programs and partnerships to establish the CMA as a must-see partner and destination for higher education institutions and students in the state, with a focus on engaging in workforce development for the arts.
• Teamwork: Collaborates with team members to ensure the success of all education, engagement, interpretative, daily experience, audience development, and budget goals.
• Systems Management: Leverages systems and infrastructure to achieve Learning & Engagement goals, ensuring data integrity, comprehensive evaluation and assessment, and informed decision-making.
• Program Sustainability and Growth: Partners closely with the development team and CMA Leadership to enhance the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of donors, foundations, and local to federal government agencies.
• Reporting: Delivers detailed progress reports to the Leadership Team, Board, and Engagement Committee.

Personnel Management

Our Director of Learning & Engagement leads a three-department division. Here’s how they make a difference:

• Team Supervision: Directly oversees the L&E Division, comprised of the departments of Education, Engagement, and Visitor Experience.
• Performance Feedback: Offer ongoing performance feedback and guidance to L&E staff.
• Staff Empowerment: Coaches and empowers staff to enhance their effectiveness in creating dynamic experiences for all audiences and fostering strong, productive cross-departmental and external relationships.

Communications, Productions of Education Materials, and Management of Grants

Our Director of Learning and Engagement plays a crucial role in managing cross-departmental and external communications, onsite audience communications, website content, and is a key partner in applying for and securing grants and funding. Here’s how they contribute:

• Production Oversight: Oversees the creation of all division direct mail, e-communications with schools and group tour operators, education materials, teacher brochures, and assigned gallery activities.
• Website L & E Content Management: Develops strategies for website content and digital learning, ensuring Learning & Engagement webpages are relevant, timely, and regularly updated.
• Grant and Funding Applications: Serves as the primary L & E liaison to the Development Department for fundraising initiatives and grant applications; ensuring accountability to funding entities and maximizing revenue from grants and foundations.
• Quality Communication: Ensures all internal and external communications are of the highest quality, accurate, and effective.

Financial Management

Our Director of Learning & Engagement is pivotal in ensuring the financial health of the CMA. Here’s how they manage financial responsibilities:

• Budget Management: Develops and oversees the annual expense budget and revenue budgets for the L & E Division.
• Fundraising Collaboration with Development: Leads L & E strategies with an eye toward the CMA’s ability to successfully secure sufficient funds for the vision of the division and the organization’s mission.
• Financial Reporting: Regularly provides financial data reports to the Leadership Team, aiding in informed decision-making.

Board and Executive Collaboration

Our Director of Learning & Engagement is a member of the Leadership Team and is instrumental in fostering strong relationships and supporting key initiatives. Here’s how they contribute:

• Executive Partnership: Collaborates with the Executive Director and Deputy Director to support Board giving, funder advocacy efforts, community partnerships, and cultivate new relationships.
• Board Support: Works closely with and supports the Engagement Committee.

Background and Skills Required

To excel as our Director of Learning & Engagement, you’ll need a blend of passion, experience, and skills. Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Mission-Driven: Deep commitment to the mission of the Columbia Museum of Art and the museum field.
• Educational Background: A four-year college degree in art history, education, administration, museum studies, or related field in the humanities is required, an M.A. is preferred, coupled with a robust professional history including progressive leadership and supervisory growth.
• Education and Engagement Expertise: 8+ years of successful experience visioning, strategic planning, and managing educational and interpretative programming for a museum or related field.
• Team Building and Management: Significant experience in building and growing a high-functioning team of staff, interns, and volunteers.
• Cross-Department Coordination: Demonstrated ability to organize and implement a robust roster of programs and tours across departments.
• Interpersonal Skills: Strong communication and collaboration skills, including empathy, patience, inclusivity, and active listening.
• Communication Proficiency: Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• DEAI Commitment: Dedication to promoting a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and belonging culture.
• Partner and Donor Engagement: Proven track record of personally engaging and stewarding community partners and donors and sponsors.
• Self-Starter: Strong ability to prioritize and manage time effectively.
• Flexibility: Willingness to adapt work hours and schedule to meet the organization’s needs.

If you have these qualities and are ready to make a significant impact, we’d love to hear from you!

Technical Skills

• Microsoft Proficiency: Proficient in Office 365 and the key suite of Microsoft programs.
• Project Management: Experience and commitment to using project management software and online collaboration tools.
• CRM Expertise: Experience and commitment to working with Customer Relationship Management systems, with a preference for Salesforce.

Pay range: $71,713 – $89,642 annually.

This advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for the role. However, it doesn’t guarantee a specific wage. The actual compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on factors such as experience, relationship success, education, qualifications, or other relevant considerations

Benefits:

Core values we take very seriously

Health, dental, life & LTD plans

State retirement plan

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Parking provided

CMA & exhibition merch discounts

Event & program discounts