Manager of Audience Engagement, Participation & Education
Museum Van Loon is one of the most striking and most-visited historic houses in the Netherlands, located on Amsterdam’s Keizersgracht. The unique ensemble of canal-fronted house, interior, collection, garden, and coach house—assembled over the centuries by the Amsterdam regent family Van Loon—was opened to the public in 1973. Museum Van Loon attracts approximately 80,000 visitors annually.
The museum is run by a dynamic team, where hard work, camaraderie, and having fun go hand in hand. The historic museum buildings and the permanent collection form the foundation of the museum’s work; by presenting multifaceted narratives surrounding the collection, location, and family history, Museum Van Loon aims to be an open house with a welcoming atmosphere, where the most diverse audience possible can feel at home. In recent years, the museum has made significant strides in this regard with programming such as Along the Surinamese Canals (2019), Va Pensiero: the Euphrates and its stories (2021), and Between Gaasp & Gracht – Stories from Two Neighborhoods (2022).
Museum Van Loon presents temporary exhibitions in the categories of Heritage, Contemporary Art, and Art History. Exhibitions are regularly developed in a participatory manner. In addition to exhibitions, we program and produce numerous public activities, including major events such as Opera in the Canal Garden and Museum Night. Through our educational programs, we are reaching an ever-growing number of elementary school students, vocational students, the blind and visually impaired, and other target groups. Through our online and offline marketing and press communications, we reach a wide variety of visitor groups from the Netherlands and abroad, who are becoming increasingly younger and more diverse.
In this context, and to further strengthen the multifaceted connection between our audience and our programming, we would like to welcome a new colleague to our team in the role of
Manager of Audience Engagement, Participation & Education
(30 hours per week)
This is a new position at Museum Van Loon, created in response to the desire to focus on qualitative and quantitative growth. In addition, the role involves taking the lead on a number of tasks that are currently still the responsibility of the management team.
The Manager of Audience, Participation & Education operates at the heart of the museum sector, where the audience and the content intersect. Our new colleague translates content ideas—whether or not arising from partnerships—into actionable guidelines for colleagues in Education, Programming & Events and Press & Marketing Communications. Conversely, as their “go-to” person, they serve as the first point of contact for day-to-day matters. The Manager of Audience, Participation & Education is also responsible for ensuring consistency in the content and tone of voice of the museum’s communications, and identifies and prioritizes relevant topics, developments, and networks. This central figure also supports the management team by drafting policy and exhibition plans, and is responsible for grant and subsidy applications and financial reporting. The role also includes supporting the management team during meetings, lectures/presentations, and relationship management. The Manager of Public Engagement, Participation & Education reports to the director.
Our ideal candidate:
- can serve as a sparring partner and catalyst for colleagues who are involved in translating (exhibition) content into programming, or in developing content based on audience participation. Experience with the programming side of a cultural institution is a plus
- naturally fosters a multifaceted approach to art, heritage, storytelling, the public, and public participation, and helps further embed this multifaceted way of working within the museum team
- has, in any case, active experience in fundraising and grant acquisition, whether or not in the museum sector
- has substantive knowledge of, an affinity for, and/or a relevant network in one or more of the following areas: education, programming, and audience engagement within a cultural institution
- is a skilled writer (in Dutch and English), given the extent to which substantive ideas need to be incorporated into (project) plans
- thrives as a go-to resource and connector in a flat organizational structure, in a role that combines the functional management of colleagues with supporting the executive team
- is flexible, hands-on, a good communicator, and able to handle stress, even in our fast-paced environment where you’ll be working closely with our visitors
- has a college or university degree and/or demonstrable work experience at this level.
Terms of Employment
The position offers competitive compensation and benefits, in line with the museum’s internal job classification system. For more information about the position, please contact Executive Director Gijs Schunselaar (gijsschunselaar@museumvanloon.nl). Please send a brief cover letter and your resume to this email address by Sunday, February 19. The selection process will take place in late February–March.
