General Job Description
The Petersen Automotive Museum is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to explore and present the history of the automobile and its impact on American life. The Petersen is currently closed for renovation and will re-open in December 2015 with three floors of all new exhibits and all new public programs.
The Volunteer and Tour Coordinator will be responsible for recruiting, placing, and orienting all museum volunteers and developing all policies and procedures relating to the management of the museum’s volunteer program. The museum is seeking to build an energetic and passionate volunteer corps that reflects the diversity of Los Angeles. In addition, this individual will be the supervisor for the museum’s docent corps, called the Pit Crew, and will oversee docent training and school tour scheduling.
In addition to volunteer management, this individual will work with the Director of Education and other museum staff in developing new tours for the museum, initially for the public and later on for schools, which align with the museum’s mission and goals and enhance the collection and new exhibits.
The position is full time, exempt, and reports to the Director of Education. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, and 401k.
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities (other duties may be assigned as appropriate)
Volunteer Management
Conduct a volunteer needs assessment with all departments and write job descriptions.
Develop recruitment strategies and actively recruit (this may include attending outreach events), interview, and place new volunteers to build the museum’s volunteer team.
Develop volunteer management policies and processes for the new museum and write a volunteer handbook.
Provide orientations for all new volunteers and place volunteers with their appropriate staff supervisors for training.
Communicate regularly with volunteers and facilitate the distribution of relevant material.
Conduct periodic trainings for staff on how to work with volunteers.
Implement the use of a volunteer database and management tool for creating and scheduling jobs, tracking hours worked, running reports, and managing volunteer personnel records.
Oversee volunteer meetings (including monthly Pit Crew meeting), continuing education opportunities, and the volunteer recognition program which includes the annual volunteer appreciation dinner.
Assist in the in preparation of the annual budget for volunteer programs.
Confer with volunteers and staff supervisors to resolve grievances or determine corrective action plans, including the dismissal of volunteers if necessary.
Act as staff supervisor for all Docents, including training, evaluation, and tour scheduling.
Tour Development
For museum opening in December, participate in the development of a Highlights Guided Tour for the general public (non-school groups) that covers the three floors and architecture of the museum.
Learn the content and collections that will be presented in the new exhibits and seek input and review from Curatorial staff for tour development.
Create training materials and facilitate a training program for the docents, including other museum staff where appropriate.
After opening, participate in the creation of additional tour offerings for the public and evaluation of existing tours.
School and Teacher Programs
After the museum opens, work with the Education staff to develop school tours for grades K-12 including promotional and school visit materials.
Train docents on the new school tours.
Manage the scheduling and tour logistics for school tours, including tracking all statistics and providing attendance reports.
Plan teacher previews, professional development workshops, and other services for educators.
Maintain contact list for teachers and schools in the greater Los Angeles area.
Assist in preparation of the annual budget for school and tour programs.
Education, Experience and Requires Skills
Bachelor’s Degree in Education, History, Museum Studies, or related field.
Qualified applicants will have 3-5 years previous experience managing volunteers in a nonprofit setting.
Previous experience working with databases.
Previous experience training and or teaching adults.
Previous experience developing educational programs for a variety of learning levels and ages in a nonprofit or museum setting.
Experience with K-12 curriculum development a plus.
This position requires a highly motivated, creative, and outgoing person who enjoys working with the public and volunteers.
Excellent interpersonal skills, attention to detail, and ability to learn quickly and multi-task in a deadline driven environment.
Applicant must be able to work varied hours on occasion, including evenings or weekends.
How to apply
Send cover letter, resume, and three references to education@petersen.org. No calls, please.