Description

Fort Ticonderoga offers a unique and exciting opportunity for a visionary leader to dramatically expand a nationally recognized education program that combines place-based and object-based learning. As the Senior Director of Education, you will lead a growing department dedicated to creating innovative and engaging content for students, educators, multi-generational audiences, and lifelong learners. Reporting to the President and CEO, this role will leverage Fort Ticonderoga’s unparalleled resources, including its extensive museum collection, captivating history, and interpretive programs, to direct an expanded education department engaging learners of all ages. This role will collaborate across departments with Curatorial, Collections, Academic Programs, and Public History teams to develop and deliver impactful on-site and digital education experiences that are informed by stakeholder feedback. The ideal candidate will bring expertise in leading new initiatives, program development, budget management, supervision, education outreach, and best practices in curriculum development and accessibility to meet the needs of diverse audiences.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

      Strategic Leadership and Planning: Develop and implement a comprehensive education strategy aligned with Fort Ticonderoga's mission, including short- and long-term goals for program growth, audience engagement, and impact measurement. Collaborate with the President and CEO and other senior leaders to integrate education into overall organizational priorities.

      Program Development and Oversight: Lead the creation, delivery, and evaluation of educational programs, including: 

o   Lesson plans that align with Common Core and C3 Framework standards, informing and enhancing all K-12 school outreach, on-site field trips, and virtual classroom programs

o   Professional development for educators, such as summer institutes, workshops, and online resources.

o   Digital education initiatives, including virtual tours, online exhibits, webinars, and interactive digital content to reach global audiences.

o   Academic programs, such as seminars, conferences, fellowships, and collaborations with universities and scholars.

o   Public and family programs, supporting Public History engagement and integrating best practice museum learning principals to a diverse on-site audience. 

      Team Management: Hire, train, supervise, and mentor a team of educators, and related support staff. Foster a collaborative, inclusive environment that promotes professional growth and high performance.

      Budget and Resource Management: Prepare and manage the education department budget, including grant writing, fundraising, and resource allocation to support program sustainability and innovation.

      Community and Partnership Building: Cultivate relationships with schools, universities, community organizations, and stakeholders to expand program reach.

      Evaluation and Reporting: Assess program effectiveness through metrics, feedback, and data analysis. Provide regular reports to the President and CEO on outcomes, challenges, and opportunities.

      Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Work with public history, curatorial, collections, finance, marketing/pr, and development teams to ensure education programs enhance visitor experiences, national digital reach and support institutional goals.

      Other Duties: Represent Fort Ticonderoga at conferences, events, and in media; stay current on industry trends in museum education; and contribute to special projects as needed

Requirements

Education: Master's degree or higher in education, museum studies, history, public history, or a related field.

Experience: At least 7-10 years of progressive leadership in museum or historic site education, including program development, staff management, and budget oversight. Demonstrated success in digital education and academic programming preferred.

Skills and Knowledge: 

o   Deep understanding of historical education, interpretive methods, and best practices in museum learning.

o   Proficiency in digital tools for education (e.g., virtual platforms, content management systems).

o   Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills; ability to inspire teams and build partnerships.

o   Experience with grant writing, fundraising, and program evaluation.

o   Strong understanding of the K-12 education landscape, including place-based and object-based learning. 

o   Proven experience developing lesson plans and activities for diverse student audiences.

o   Skilled in vision-setting, strategic planning, and leading new initiatives.

o   Excellent relationship-building skills with educators, administrators, and cross-departmental teams.

o   Experience designing and implementing digital projects within educational settings, with a strong understanding of digital accessibility standards.

o   Competence in project management, personnel management, and program evaluation. 

o   Strong analytical and organizational skills.

o   Knowledge of 18th-century American history and material culture is a plus.

 Personal Attributes: Passionate about history and education; innovative, organized, and adaptable; able to thrive in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.