Learning & Engagement Specialist

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Position: Learning & Engagement Specialist

Department: Learning & Engagement and Evaluation

Reporting to: Director, Learning & Engagement and Evaluation

Location: Bentonville, AR

Salary Range: $50,000 - $60,000

Art Bridges Foundation is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton. The mission of Art Bridges is to expand access to American art in all regions across the nation. Since 2017, Art Bridges has been creating and supporting programs that bring outstanding works of American art out of storage and into communities. Art Bridges partners with a growing network of nearly 220 museums of all sizes and locations to provide financial and strategic support for exhibition development, loans from the Art Bridges Collection, and programs designed to educate, inspire, and deepen engagement with local audiences. The Art Bridges Collection represents an expanding vision of American art from the 19th century to present day and encompasses multiple media and voices.

The position requires an outgoing, innovative, collaborative, and diplomatic professional who can combine independent work such as consulting on proposal development, reviewing application materials, and managing project timelines, with collaborative work such as communicating with applicants, preparing content to share with external stakeholders, and managing projects with colleagues across the Foundation.

Preferred candidates will be passionate about expanding access to art with skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, research, writing, and building interpersonal relationships. The Specialist should possess intellectual curiosity, imagination, flexibility, and openness to giving and receiving feedback. They will be interested in American art, community engagement, education, and DEAI. The Learning and Engagement Specialist will have the ability to work with diverse partners, listen, ask questions, adapt, and collaborate.

• Provide expertise and guidance to external partners applying for Learning & Engagement funding.
• Recommend, review, and approve planned programming and outreach for a substantial portfolio of museum partners receiving Art Bridges supported exhibitions or loans from the Art Bridges collection.
• Interpret and communicate award letter terms to stakeholders and ensure external compliance.
• Run project meetings, preparing agendas in advance and facilitate positive, productive collaboration.
• Manage project budgets and invoicing
• Create written, video and/or audio-based museum education resources and other professional development resources for partner toolkits
• Train, mentor and manage department interns
• Plan on- and off-site convenings that bring partners and Art Bridges staff together for project development and professional development
• Manage the organization and storage of project files and documentation in Wrike, Media Valet, and Salesforce
• Travel independently as a representative for Art Bridges, presenting at public meetings and conferences
• Visit museum partners for site visits
• Provide support on new Foundation initiatives as needed
• Other duties as assigned

• Bachelor’s Degree Required. Museum studies, education, a visual arts-related discipline, arts administration, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Minimum 3-5 years’ experience with experiential learning in an arts-related institution is highly desirable
• Passion and interest in American art, museum education and community engagement
• Demonstrated knowledge of organizational practices and field-wide trends in the arts, museum education and community engagement
• Superior written and verbal communication skills; excellent analytical, critical thinking, and organizational skills with precise attention to detail
• Ability to work with minimal direct supervision and manage multiple projects in a high-volume and fast-paced environment to complete assignments on regular deadline
• Ability to anticipate and solve problems proactively; willingness to learn from mistakes
• Demonstrated capacity to work as part of a team, as well as independently
• A high degree of competency in the MS Office suite, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
• Experience with or ability to quickly learn specialized project management software including Wrike, Smart Simple, Salesforce and Media Valet
• Ability to travel regionally and/or nationally 2-3 times a year for professional development or site visits.

• You are passionate about providing access to art across the nation and assisting in the building of an inclusive American art collection.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to mediate diverse opinions to address shared needs.
• Enthusiasm about joining an organization that’s new, evolving, and poised to have major impact on the art museum field.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to “self-start” and exhibit a high degree of initiative.
• Ability to multitask and think critically in a busy work environment.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and curiosity.
• Tech savvy and early adaptor of technology.
• Able to creatively and effectively problem solve.

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical demands: Occasionally, while performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to travel independently, regionally and in communities served. This position requires working at a desk and utilizing a computer and a telephone for prolonged periods of time and good eye/hand coordination, bending and stretching for filing, and physical stamina to lift a minimum of 25 pounds to a height of at least three feet for art materials storage and preparation and as appropriate for the demands of the division office. Visual acuity to review written materials is required for this job.

Work environment: Work will be performed in an office environment, museum spaces, and in communities served. Occasional evening and weekend hours may be required. The noise level in the office and museum environment is usually low to moderate.

At Art Bridges, diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are central to all work and decisions made within our organization. We support our colleagues and partners in learning and growing together to make this important work part of our daily lives.

Art Bridges is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage all qualified applicants including women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement, background check, and verification of being fully vaccinated for COVID-19. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States on your first day of work.