Family Programs Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library encompasses an unrivaled museum of American decorative arts in its mansion and galleries and a magnificent 60-acre naturalistic garden—all set on 1,000 gorgeous acres.Winterthur employs a wide array of positions in the areas of curatorial, horticulture, education, conservation, library, maintenance, marketing, development, technology, and administration.

Winterthur offers a unique and rewarding experience that is rich in culture and natural beauty. Winterthur considers its employees and volunteers to be among its greatest assets and welcomes applications from candidates who will contribute their specific skills to its mission “to inspire, enlighten, and delight all of its visitors while preserving and enhancing [Winterthur]” and also uphold its core values of agility, excellence, innovation, integrity, inclusion, and transparency.

JOB DESCRIPTION:
The Family Programs Specialist supports the Museum's mission by creating engaging, accessible, and memorable experiences for children and families that emphasize creativity, exploration, and skill building. The Family Programs Specialist is responsible for the content development, logistics, and on-site execution of programs at Winterthur for children and families. The core audience for these programs is families with children from ages 2-12. These initiatives include large-scale family days, pop-up and self-guided activities, classes, and tours.  The ideal candidate is an organized, creative professional with experience in education and/or youth programming.

Core responsibilities include developing program content, coordinating event logistics, preparing marketing information, staffing events with paid employees and volunteers, and ensuring high-quality visitor experiences.
The Specialist works closely with colleagues throughout the Museum, including Facilities, Gardens, Curatorial, Conservation, Marketing, and Philanthropy, to ensure successful planning and delivery of programs, along with the incorporation of family-friendly experiences into exhibitions, gardens, historic spaces, and institution-wide events. Given the size and complexity of Winterthur, clear communication, flexibility, and strong project management skills are essential.

The Specialist develops and maintains partnerships with community organizations, artists, educators, and performers to support on-site and off-site programming. The role coordinates contracts and communications with external instructors, performers, and community partners.

The Specialist coordinates the Museum's annual summer teen volunteer program, including the recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, and day-to-day direction of one college intern and 10–15 teen volunteers. This position also provides functional supervision of occasional adult volunteers and employees serving in the Family Programs Guide role. These individuals report to supervisors within their home departments and sign-up for Family Programs shifts on a part-time basis. In this capacity, the Specialist is responsible for scheduling work, assigning tasks, providing training, and directing day-to-day activities during family programs and events.

The Specialist contributes to grant proposals and supports the implementation of grant-funded programming in partnership with the Development team.

The Specialist manages an annual program budget of approximately $20,000 for supplies, contracted services, and honoraria.

Compensation: $53,000 - $57,000 per year

Benefits:   Including, but not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; generous paid time off plan including 10 holidays, vacation, personal, and sick time; 403b with employer match for eligible employees; discounts in the museum store and cafe; free general admission for you and your immediate family

Work Schedule: M-F, 9:00-5:00 or 8:00-4:00; weekends, evening, and holidays as needed

Responsibilities:

1. Plan, coordinate, and implement family programs, including logistics, scheduling, and on-site execution.
2. Develop engaging educational content and activities for children and families.
3. Coordinate the day-of operations for family events and programs.
4. Collaborate with Museum departments to integrate family-centered experiences across the institution.
5. Provide supervision, training, scheduling, and work direction for one college intern, 10–15 teen volunteers, adult volunteers, and employees serving in the Family Programs Guide role during their Family Programs assignments.
6. Evaluate programs and recommend improvements based on participant feedback and program outcomes.
7. Develop and maintain relationships with community organizations, artists, educators, and performers.
8. Coordinate contracts and communications with external instructors, performers, and partners.
9. Assist with grant writing and implementation of grant-funded family programming.
10. Prepare program information and marketing content for promotional materials.
11. Manage an annual operating budget of approximately $20,000.
12. Maintain program records, prepare reports to donors, and support departmental planning efforts.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Minimum Experience:  Bachelor's degree in Education, Museum Studies, Art History, History, Child Development, or a related field with 2-4  years of experience in youth programming, art or museum education, visitor engagement, event coordination, or a related field working with children and families.

Preferred Experience: 4+ years of experience developing educational programming, coordinating volunteers or interns, planning public events, and working with community partners

Knowledge/Skills:

1. Creativity and enthusiasm for developing engaging learning experiences for children and families.
2. Demonstrated organizational and project coordination skills.
3. Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.
4. Ability to manage multiple priorities and work collaboratively across departments.
5. Ability to exercise sound judgment and work independently while seeking guidance when appropriate.
6. Excellent customer-centered communications skills in-person and via e-mail and phone

Essential Functions:

1. Ability to work at a computer in an office for up to 8 hours per day
2. Ability to traverse the museum, office spaces, and uneven grounds/terrain
3. Availability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
4. Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record to drive Winterthur vehicles

Thank you for considering Winterthur Museum job opportunities.

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