Job Overview

The Dubuque Museum of Art (DuMA) seeks an experienced educator or museum professional who will provide the vision and strategic leadership to build a department that expands DuMA’s educational offerings and strengthens its position as a community leader and partner. This is a highly visible leadership role inside the organization and the community. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Learning & Engagement (DLE) will collaborate with Senior Leadership (Curatorial Director, Advancement Director, and Business Manager) to drive urgent and dramatic growth and set the tone for DuMA’s next iteration as an institution.

The successful candidate will be an entrepreneurial programmer guided by DuMA’s values:

• Art has the power to change
• Our actions are guided by trust, integrity, respect, and
• We adhere to professional ethics and museum standards in all operations and maintain a high standard of artistic excellence.
• We cultivate mutually beneficial partnerships to advance the role of arts within our
• We seek to be inclusive of diverse communities, cultures, and
• We support and bring recognition to artists in our

ABOUT THE DUBUQUE MUSEUM OF ART

DuMA is celebrating its legacy as the first cultural institution in Iowa as we undertake the most ambitious capital project in our 150-year history. We understand there is opportunity to increase dialogue, understanding, and shared experiences in our community between people of different generations, backgrounds, beliefs, and perceptions. Our vision is that our community will be a thriving cultural hub where people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives together achieve a deep understanding of the past, an empathetic view of the present, and an inspired outlook for the future. While this vision is bigger than any one organization, our mission, is to create engaging art experiences that excite, inspire, and connect our community.

We’ve heard the community’s desire for a new kind of place where impact extends beyond the traditional scope of a museum. Guided by our community, Schulhof Rashidi Architects has designed a new arts campus that connects Washington Park, gardens, childcare, STEAM education, an event pavilion, performance and screening spaces, a sculpture garden, maker spaces, and museum galleries into a singular campus. The new campus is set to open in late 2027. In late 2025, DuMA will take a dramatic step forward and move its programs to a temporary home in the Millwork District to allow for campus construction.

As a member of DuMA’s senior leadership team, the Director of Learning & Engagement will be a thought partner who collaborates with staff, the Board, and community to develop public and educational programs that help the Museum achieve its organization-wide objectives:

• Triple engagement: Serve 30,000 participants annually (reflecting the diversity of our region).
• Double and diversify revenue to $2MM
• Build the organization: Attract, engage, and retain staff, board, and volunteers who reflect, strengthen, and believe in DuMA’s mission.
• Build the spaces (physical and virtual) that enable the execution of the mission and impact

THE OPPORTUNITY

 The Director of Learning & Engagement will expand opportunities for people of all ages to learn about and create art together. The successful candidate will be an entrepreneurial leader with the ability to influence and motivate others around a clear strategic vision. The DLE will be expected to launch new initiatives, experiment with creative solutions, drive measurable results, promote continuous organizational learning, and develop accessible and relevant programming.

Responsibilities:

• Lead & expand annual programs for primary, secondary, and higher education students and
  • Increase critical thinking, visual literacy, and communication & collaboration
  • Create experiential learning opportunities that promote career readiness and positive student connections to the community.
• Develop, execute, and evaluate public programs and partnerships that engage the diverse greater Dubuque community in the Museum and increase and diversify revenue.
  • Facilitate the Board of Trustees Community Engagement
  • Collaborate with Curatorial Director to plan adult, family, and school programs that deepen interaction and connectedness with objects on display.
  • Develop programs that engage and empower regional
  • Sustain, deepen, and develop multi-year community partnerships to expand programs, audiences, and revenue.
• Direct the short-term and long-range departmental
  • Assist with fundraising efforts to support organizational growth (including cultivating and stewarding donors interested in learning & engagement).
  • Develop, manage, analyze, and report on departmental budget and operations including grant-funded projects.
  • Recruit, hire, train, and manage a diverse staff and volunteer team of guides, interns, and educators who facilitate participatory experiences for visitors of all ages and
  • Lead efforts to ensure that visitor services, security, and educational staff are empathetic hosts who welcome a diverse community.
  • Manage and mentor the Visitor Services
• Other duties as assigned

Knowledge & Experience

• A successful record of creating, leading, and evaluating events and programs that deepen impact and grow audiences and revenue.
• Experience building sustainable community
• Experience developing community-engaged public art projects is
• Knowledge of American Art history and the ability to facilitate a diverse public’s active engagement with a wide range of topics relating to the Museum’s exhibitions and
• Experience in a supervisory or training role is
• Experience managing organizational change and managing and building
• Strong entrepreneurial mindset, comfortable taking ownership and leading initiatives from the ground up, as well as the ability to balance long-term vision and short-term execution.
• Interest in developing and supporting the region’s

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this role is between $60,000 and $65,000 with a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision, retirement, paid vacation, and flextime.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

All offers of employment are conditioned upon a background check and 90-day probationary employment period.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, résumé, and a minimum of three professional references to hr@dbqart.org. No phone calls please.

The Dubuque Museum of Art is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to equal treatment of all employees without regard to race, national origin, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, physical or mental disability or other basis protected by law.