Senior Manager of Guides and Volunteers

Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia)

Senior Manager of Guides and Volunteers 

Full-time, exempt

Salary: $85,000 - $90,000

Onsite; not eligible for relocation

The Job

The Senior Manager of Guides and Volunteers at the Minneapolis Institute of Art will play a key role in developing and leading a team of educators and over 150 guides/volunteers. Both staff and volunteers engage with K-12 students and adult audiences, requiring a nuanced understanding of diverse learning needs and backgrounds. This position includes designing and implementing tours and comprehensive training programs for the volunteers. 

Critical aspects of this position include the recruitment, training, engagement and retention of a diverse pool of volunteers. The manager will prioritize building a volunteer base that reflects the variety of communities we serve, ensuring inclusivity in both the recruitment process and throughout training initiatives. This involves not only reaching out to diverse groups but also providing training that fosters an environment of respect, equity, and cultural competence. The goal is to create a supportive, dynamic environment where volunteers feel confident in their roles and equipped to make a meaningful impact on those they serve.

In this role, you will…

1.  LEADERSHIP AND SUPERVISORY

• Supervise and provide guidance to staff and tour guides/volunteers, ensuring high performance, professionalism and mission and strategic alignment.
• Support staff educators in providing regular training and development sessions for guides to ensure they are knowledgeable, engaging, and consistent in delivering museum tours.
• Collaborates with and is the main staff liaison for the Guide Council to ensure alignment with the museum's goals and objectives. The individual serves as the primary point of contact between the Guide Council and museum management.
• Create/maintain roles and responsibilities, guidelines and policies, performance evaluations, and provide constructive feedback for staff and guides/volunteers. Support career development for staff. 
• Foster a positive, collaborative work environment that encourages teamwork, open communication, and a commitment to the museum’s mission and strategic objectives.
• Supports their team with handling scheduling conflicts, guide performance opportunities or issues, and ensure that staffing needs are met in a timely manner.
• Significant time spent with staff and volunteers on tours and front of house experience. Will provide support for guide volunteer training and tours. 

2.  PROJECT, PROCESS, AND BUDGET MANAGEMENT

• Oversee all aspects of the tour guide and volunteer programs, ensuring efficient operations and high-quality visitor experiences.
• Streamline and maintain processes for scheduling tours and assigning guides, ensuring smooth coordination and effective use of resources.
• Develop and manage the tour guide program budget, tracking expenses and ensuring that financial goals are met.
• Create and implement processes for evaluating and improving the efficiency of the guide scheduling system.
• Works cross-departmentally to coordinate logistics for special tours, events, and exhibitions, ensuring timely and effective support from staff,  tour guides and volunteers.

3.  STRATEGY

• Collaborate with the Learning and Programming team to develop and refine the museum’s tour and educational strategies, ensuring alignment with broader organizational goals.
• Work collaboratively with the Head of Learning and Programming on a tour guide roadmap that will provide direction and growth for the guide program that includes DEI and community engagement initiatives for staff, guides/volunteers and visitors. 
• Contribute to the creation of new tour programs and initiatives that enhance visitor experience and meet strategic institutional objectives. Reevaluate current programs and determine opportunities to streamline.
• Monitor trends in visitor engagement and the museum industry to suggest and implement improvements to the tour program.
• Work with marketing and public relations teams to promote tour offerings, and contribute to visitor feedback collection and analysis.

4. OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

• Assist with other duties as required or assigned, including special projects, event coordination, and museum initiatives that support the mission of the institution.
• Represent the museum at meetings, community outreach events, or other engagements as needed.

To be successful in this role, you have…

• Proven experience recruiting, retaining, engaging, and leading volunteers. Includes creation of processes, policy and procedures to support volunteers and programs. 
• Proven experience in understanding and applying DEIAB principles and cultural fluency to process and projects for staff, volunteers and visitors.
• Exceptional people and process change management experience with strong organizational skills.
• Must possess exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills and thorough understanding of trends in engagement and programming. 
• Strong project management skills including the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet all deadlines and deliverables on time and within budget.
• Solid understanding of program evaluation and research guidelines, methodologies, and tools.

Requirements:

Required:

• Master's degree with relevant experience. Advanced degree or certifications in art history, museum studies, or art education preferred.
• 5–7 years of proven success in the creating and delivering training for volunteers or guides, as well as the creation of tours or interpretive materials or lessons for not only K-12 audiences, but for adults and general audiences in a cultural setting.
• 5-7 years of experience in museums, cultural institutions, non profit, K-12 or higher education settings.
• At least 5 years in a supervisory or management role focused in building and leading an engaged and collaborative team and staff. Capable of motivating and engaging paid staff.
• Skilled in Google Suite, Microsoft Suite, volunteer management software, and project-management software (Asana preferred)
• Ability to lift and carry objects up to 25 lbs. as part of event setup and breakdown.
• Stamina to stand and walk for extended periods during events.
• Flexibility to work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends, as required by event schedules

Preferred:

• 3-5 years of success in a museum-specific setting.
• Demonstrated knowledge of art and world history.

Mia Culture

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) is an audience-centered, equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome. Mia is Mission Driven, Generous, Agile, Emotionally Aware, and Positive, and endeavors to create a workplace culture where staff are responsible to one another, to our visitors, and to themselves to do the best work possible.

Mia Benefits and Perks

Health and Wellness: Mia offers comprehensive health benefits, including medical coverage through Medica, dental insurance with Delta Dental, and vision coverage via EyeMed. Our wellness programs include various trainings and classes, an annual health fair, flu shots, and access to an Employee Assistance Program to support your overall well-being.

Financial Security: We provide financial peace of mind with a variety of options, including a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for health expenses and a Dependent Care Account (DCA) for dependent care expenses, Mia paid life insurance, and short- and long-term disability coverage. Our 403(b) Retirement + Savings Plan includes a percentage of salary contribution from Mia after two years of employment.

Additional Perks: Mia encourages professional growth with opportunities for development and learning. In addition to vacation and sick days, enjoy a balanced work-life with a 37.5-hour work week, 11 paid holidays, and 3 personal days annually. Staff members receive free Mia membership, discounted or free tickets to select events and exhibits, subsidized MTC Metropass bus/transit passes, and free parking. Additionally, staff can partake in social events, volunteer opportunities, and receive discounts at the Mia Store, Agra Culture café, Children's Theatre Company, and Minneapolis College of Art and Design forcontinuing education classes.

Join Mia and enjoy a workplace that values your health, financial security, and personal development, all while contributing to a vibrant cultural institution.

To Apply

To be considered for this position, please apply online at https://jobs-artsmia.submittable.com/submit.

Posting Deadline

No set expiration date. Job postings typically stay posted until candidates are selected for phone interviews. 

Mia is committed to championing policies and practices that value diversity, foster equity, and empower an accessible and inclusive environment. Our strength lies in the diversity among the broad range of people who contribute their time and talents to Mia. We consider inclusion and accessibility a driver of institutional excellence and seek out diversity of participation, thought, and action. It is our aim, therefore, that our employees, trustees, interns, and volunteers reflect and embrace these core values.

Mia is recognized by the Age-Friendly Institute’s Certified Age Friendly Employer (CAFE) program that identifies organizations committed to being the best places to work for employees aged 50+.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION / EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER