About the Role
The Evaluation Manager will play a critical role in assessing programmatic impact and visitor experience over the next two years, helping to build capacity for evaluative thinking within the division of Education and Public Engagement and increasing understanding about the contributions evaluation and visitor studies can make to institutional goals. S/he/they will plan and conduct evaluation and visitor studies in the galleries, gardens, exhibitions, and interpretive and programmatic spaces of The Huntington; analyze qualitative and quantitative data; and report findings to institutional leadership and other internal stakeholders. They will collaborate with cross-division teams to create systems for coordinating data gathering, analysis, and reporting across the institution.
S/he/they will demonstrate a background of working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds, using a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible approach.
This is a limited-term position, budgeted for two years.
Essential Duties
- With the Director of Education and Public Engagement and other stakeholders, identify opportunities for divisional and institutional learning through the gathering and analysis of data relating to programs, exhibitions, digital, and other visitor experiences.
- Partner with Visitor Services staff to lead and coordinate the collection and analysis of data for The Huntington’s participation in the Collaboration for Ongoing Visitor Experience Research (COVES)
- Coordinate and communicate with colleagues in Digital, Communications and Marketing, Visitor Services, and Exhibitions, to understand the landscape of data gathering and analysis at The Huntington; make recommendations about evaluation as a tool for helping to reach strategic goals
- Contribute to articulating measurable visitor outcomes in exhibitions and collection installations, working in partnership with Exhibitions, Curatorial, and Education colleagues, lead efforts to conduct evaluations, and report learnings.
- Work with Education division leadership to create strategic and creative approaches to programmatic evaluation to measure impact with key audiences
- Train staff, interns, and possibly volunteers in gathering and analyzing different types of data
- Translate insights gained through evaluation into reports, presentations, and workshops to share with both internal and external stakeholders
- May perform other related duties as assigned
Candidate Requirements and Experience
Knowledge, skills, and abilities:
- Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s Degree or commensurate experience in social science research, evaluation, user experience, or museum studies preferred
- 2+ years of experience in evaluation, applied research, museum learning, or user experience design
- Familiarity with IRB protocols and ethical standards for research involving human subjects
- Demonstrated ability to communicate complex findings clearly to diverse audiences
- Strong organizational, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills
- Knowledge of and experience working in research design, instrumentation, and equity-based evaluation methods
- Ability to manage multiple projects at once and to meet deadlines appropriately
Preferred:
- Knowledge and experience with current trends in museum education, interpretation, visitor experience, and/or informal learning
- Experience conducting evaluations and collecting data from multi-generational users or audiences
- Enthusiasm for audience-focused or user-centered design
Working Conditions
- Office, botanical garden, library, and art gallery settings. Must be physically able to move around a 200-acre site