Museum Ambassador

Museum Ambassador, Read House & Gardens

(Part-Time)

General Purpose:

Under the direction of Curator of Education, the part-time Museum Ambassador is responsible for engaging with guests at the Read House & Gardens, Delaware Historical Society’s National Historic Landmark campus in New Castle. Museum Ambassadors guide visitors through the 14,000-square-foot mansion and lead youth and adult educational programs. As the public face of the Read House experience, ambassadors play a central role in fulfilling the Delaware Historical Society’s commitment to creating meaningful encounters with the historical assets it stewards. Applicants should be comfortable speaking in front of groups of various sizes and should demonstrate a desire to work with and around children, as well as to engage with a diverse audience and multiple historical perspectives and interests. Museum Ambassadors are integral members of a hard-working team comprised of full-time and part-time staff within the Delaware Historical Society. Museum Ambassadors shall demonstrate the ability to work effectively with a diverse population of members, guests, and staff and possess the ability to work both independently and as a team member.

Work Schedule:

• Museum hours: Thursday—Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Variable hours: Average 6 regular workdays/month, including weekdays and weekends. Also required are school programs (frequent in Spring season), private groups/tours, and programs/events that occur outside of normal operating days and hours; weekends are required, some evenings may be required.

Essential Functions:

• Conduct tours and educational programming at the Read House & Gardens. This includes walk-in tours on Thursday-Sunday, adult group tours, school tours, and assistance during public programs and special events
• Provide excellent customer service skills to ensure a positive experience for museum visitors
• Maintain educational spaces, equipment, and supplies
• Work with the Read House & Gardens Curator of Education to foster a welcoming and inclusive visitor experience
• Contribute to the development and implementation of educational programs and resources
• Assist in collecting and reporting museum tour, exhibit, and event attendance, evaluations, and surveys
• Ensure welfare and safety of visitors and provide security for collections
• Assist in other related tasks as directed

Minimum Requirements

• High school diploma (bachelor’s degree preferred, with experience in history, art history, architecture, studio art, or a related discipline)
• Interest in situating the Read House within local, national, and global history, including a willingness to continually expand and refine your understanding of historical concepts
• Comfort speaking in front of groups, answering questions clearly and directly, expressing concepts effectively to museum visitors, and interacting enthusiastically with people of all ages, educational levels, and backgrounds
• Willingness to learn, apply, and refine new teaching methodologies, especially object-based approaches
• Effective interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team
• Positive attitude, an open mind, and flexibility
• Ability to read, write, and verbally communicate in the English language at a level appropriate to the duties of the position and communicate effectively with a diverse population of DHS staff, members and guests at all levels.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize workload and exercise appropriate judgment.
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint); ability to learn and utilize new software programs.

To apply: Send resume and contact information for two professional references to RHinfo@dehistory.org.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $14.00 - $16.00 per hour

Expected hours: No more than 5 per week

Schedule:

• 4 hour shift
• Day shift
• Rotating weekends
• Weekends as needed

Experience:

• Customer service: 1 year (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• New Castle, DE 19720 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• New Castle, DE 19720: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $14 - $16