Evaluation Manager, Boston Children’s Museum, Boston, MA

Posted October 31, 2018

Reporting to the SVP, Exhibits & Programs, the Evaluation Manager works with project teams to develop goals that can be assessed through evaluation, works with exhibit developers to develop protocols for front end, formative and summative evaluation projects for exhibits, programs and visitor experience surveys, and manages systematic data collection, analysis and documentation and dissemination.

The Evaluation Manager shapes the museum-wide culture of evaluation, building evaluation capacity among the staff, especially in the area of formative evaluation, serving as a bridge to researchers, and encouraging colleagues and staff to see BCM as a learning institution. The Evaluation Manager works with university researchers partnering with the museum, and seeks opportunities for the researchers to share their studies with museum staff and visitors. This is a hands-on position requiring active involvement in all phases of the work from planning to data collection through analysis and dissemination.

Essential Job Functions:

• Plan, implement, create instruments, collect data, analyze quantitative and qualitative data, and report on approximately 5 to 10 evaluation projects per year related to Museum exhibits, programs, the visitor experience, and other institutional initiatives. This includes Museum’s daily program, special events (including school vacation weeks and destination events), etc.
• Work with exhibits, programs and visitor experience teams to define research/evaluation goals and questions, write evaluation sections of grant proposals, and work on grant funded exhibit and program projects to develop and meet project measures, outputs, outcomes, and reports.
• Serve on numerous cross-functional teams to incorporate evaluation components into annual strategic goals
• Build internal evaluation capacity by training staff on evaluation practices, especially formative evaluation and audience research, and providing guidance for staff members conducting their own evaluation projects, and communicating “lessons learned” from evaluation projects through reports and presentations.
• Work collaboratively across departments, adhering to project timelines, integrating project team members into the evaluation process throughout,
• Conduct and write literature reviews involving current research related to specific projects
• Oversee and coordinate BCM’s research partnerships (approximately 7-10 university labs), including inviting labs to conduct studies with visitors in the Museum, scheduling data collection slots, providing orientation for new researchers, invoicing, maintaining researcher materials and signage, updating researcher protocols and handbooks, communicating with partners, as well as deepening these partnerships through collaborative trainings/discussions on research topics relevant to the Museum.
• Oversee research and evaluation interns and/or students conducting research or evaluation studies through relevant courses, and coordinate program for pediatric residents observing visitors in the Museum, and other projects of this nature.
• Collaborate with external evaluation consultants and advisors on select projects.
• Represents BCM’s research and evaluation work at conferences and workshops, and contribute to wider museum field, as appropriate.
• Keep up to date on literature related to education and child development, and informal learning research and theory. Share literature and research with appropriate museum staff. Encourage thinking creatively about research and evaluation strategies, and encouraging new approaches to integrating research and evaluative thinking into the work of the Museum.

 

Qualifications:

• BA required; Master’s degree in museum studies, education, or child development strongly preferred.
• 3 years of experience working as an evaluator/researcher in a museum, informal education, or non-profit setting.
• Demonstrated expertise and knowledge of research and evaluation practices within informal education settings, including front end, formative and summative studies.
• Demonstrated expertise and knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods, and experience implementing mixed-methods study designs.
• Working knowledge of statistical methods frequently used in museum studies and survey analysis.
• Knowledge and understanding of issues related to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility and how they relate to research and evaluation practices in informal education settings.
• Understanding of the ethical issues related to research and evaluation in informal education settings.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and oversee project work independently, while maintaining close communication with project team members.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with peers, and ability to build rapport with a wide range of museum visitors including young children.
• Fluency in a second language desirable.

 

To Apply: Please submit resume and cover letter to [email protected].

More information about the museum can be found at www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org.