Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (DLNHC) helps residents of the Corridor connect with our area’s rich industrial heritage and stunning natural environment. Our work empowers residents of Bucks, Northampton, Lehigh, Carbon and Luzerne counties not just to live in their communities, but to invest in them and become stewards of their natural and historic resources. Through education, conservation, historic preservation, and economic development, we enrich our community now and preserve the environment and heritage for future generations of residents and visitors.
Summary: Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (DLNHC) is seeking an experienced and enthusiastic individual to provide creative leadership and implementation for education and outreach programming. DLNHC currently offers multiple education programs for schools including field trips in Hugh Moore Park (Easton), the Tales of the Towpath 4th grade curriculum taught in elementary schools throughout the region, a Cultural Ecology curriculum for high schools and colleges, upcoming trail field trips, and a soon to be released middle school curriculum based on DLNHC’s new graphic novel, Low Bridge, Everybody Down: The Life and Times of Jimmy Brown. DLNHC also offers a variety of educational programs for adults and children including walks, lectures, tours, etc., with the goal of increasing awareness of the region’s nationally significant transportation and industrial history.
The Education & Outreach Programming Manager is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the DLNHC education programs for schools, groups, and individuals. They will prepare content, interpretive materials, and program logistics by applying their knowledge of educational theory and learning styles. They will spearhead ways to promote engagement with remote audiences by distributing educational content through appropriate technologies. They will lead a team of paid and volunteer educators to deliver high-quality field trips and other activities throughout the year. They will work on growing and marketing the existing programming as well as promoting new outreach programming.
The position is a full-time role (40 hours per week) based at the DLNHC office in Easton. Attending preplanned outreach (tabling events, St. Luke’s D&L RaceFest in November, DLNHC Taste of the Corridor in May, etc.) events along with other occasional off-site work and evenings/ weekends is required.
Key Tasks and Responsibilities:
• Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of in-person and digital education programs for diverse audiences, which fit within and promote DLNHC’s mission and vision.
• Support the use of DLNHC curricula in schools by developing relationships with teachers and administrators and by facilitating teacher training workshops.
• Work closely with museum staff on the development of exhibition-related educational material and programs.
• Work with communications staff on program publicity, including the drafting and development of all printed and online education materials.
• Oversee the hiring, training, and supervision of Immersion Field Trip educators and other seasonal and part-time education staff
• Oversee the training, supervision and retention of education volunteers and assist with the training of museum docents.
• Oversee the collection of program statistics for all education-related activities and report them as required.
• Develop and implement program evaluation tools to measure and interpret outcomes, program goals and objectives.
• Play a key role in fundraising for educational programs, including drafting narratives and program budgets for grant proposals and reporting on the use of funds.
• Assist with budget preparation by collecting data regularly to support budget and program development.
• Build and maintain mutually beneficial partnerships with other cultural and community organizations.
• Represent DLNHC to the public, members, and other stakeholders at community events, exhibition openings and other events.
• Attend and participate in monthly staff meetings and annual full-day staff retreat. • Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications/Requirements:
• Bachelor's degree in Education, Museum Studies, History or a related field required; Masters’s degree or other postgraduate certification preferred
• Experience with STEAM education programming, and familiarity with PA STEELS is desired
• Minimum of two years of experience designing and implementing educational programs; previous experience in museum education is preferred
• Experience working with teachers and schools; classroom teaching experience is desired
• Experience with utilizing technologies to engage and educate audiences online and willingness to learn and use new digital tools
• Ability to engage and speak to groups of varying ages and educational experience such as elementary school children, high-school students, and adult and university groups (including remote audiences)
• Proven experience in supervisory and project management
• Familiarity with contemporary educational methods and philosophies, especially for informal learning environments
• Knowledge and/or interest in the industrial history of the region covered by the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills
• Strong planning, organizational and problem-solving skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
•Strong Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint skills required, graphic design experience desired
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• A strong attention to detail
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekends and evenings as necessary
• Valid driver’s license in good standing
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Work requires a variety of physical activities including standing, walking, and sitting for extended periods; bending, kneeling, climbing, reaching, and lifting minimum of 25 lbs. as needed. The employee is required to use hands to feel and handle objects, keyboarding, supply handling, and manipulating activities. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision and depth perception to observe learning space, view field trip activities, and use a computer. Speech abilities required for heavy communication with staff, children and adult public. Hearing required for face-to-face and telephone conversations with staff and public.
The position requires the ability to work during non-standard hours when the need arises. Work Environment: The work environment described here is representative of that encountered by the employee while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Job duties require working in an office setting, an outdoor environment (at times in high heat, humidity, cold and/or precipitation), and occasional off-site meetings. Outdoor work is largely in the spring and fall during field trips but may also occur in other months in support of trail-related programming. On occasion, job duties may require dressing in period clothing representing the canal operation era. The noise level in the office environment is usually moderate due to the open office layout with a high level of activity on phones, computers, and printers. The noise level in the office environment is usually moderate due to open office layout with a high level of activity on phones, computers, and printers.
Benefits: Full-time employment benefits include paid holidays, paid vacations, paid personal days, Social Security, Unemployment Compensation Insurance, Workers' Compensation Insurance, funeral (bereavement) leave, various types of leave of absences, health and disability insurance, participation in the DLNHC 403(b) retirement plan, paid nature time, employment term DLNHC membership benefits, branded clothing, and opportunity to use DLNHC outdoor recreation supplies.
Background: Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (DLNHC) preserves the historic pathway that carried anthracite coal and iron from Wilkes-Barre to Bristol, PA. The organization was established by Congress in 1988 to celebrate our nationally significant story centered on the transport of anthracite coal from the mines of Luzerne and Carbon County to the markets in the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia (via Bucks County). The D&L Trail is a multi-use trail spanning over 165 miles from the mountains of northeast Pennsylvania, along rivers and through the Lehigh Valley and Bucks County. In 2017, DLNHC merged with the National Canal Museum to incorporate the archives, museum, canal boat and educational programs into preservation and education efforts. Today, we are an American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accredited Smithsonian Affiliate and an organization with the ability to connect people to unique experiences in nature and the environment, community and economic impact, health and recreation, history, preservation, and education. Find out more about the work we do by visiting www.delawareandlehigh.org and www.canals.org.
How to Apply: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and the position is open until filled. Applications should be submitted at https://delawareandlehigh.org/about/team/ under Employment Opportunities.
Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Inc. (DLNHC) provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, the DLNHC organization complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
