Associate Director of Education, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (New York City, NY)

Posted November 4, 2026

Description:
The Associate Director of Education is a key member of the LPA senior leadership team, providing high-level, strategic vision for education at LPA and overseeing the programs and staff that bring the Library’s collections and performing arts expertise to learners from elementary school through post-secondary study and beyond. This leader will be collaborative, building on the expertise of their team, and will ensure that educational programming is balanced equitably across Dance, Music & Recorded Sound, and Theatre, resources are distributed strategically, and the Library’s educational activities align with the NYPL FY26–30 Strategy: Investing in Our Collective Potential. This leadership position will establish and execute a strategic and forward-thinking vision for school and student programs, teen programs, community outreach, fundraising, and collaborations with Lincoln Center’s resident organizations, positioning LPA as a leader in arts education in New York and nationally. While honoring the distinctiveness of each discipline, the Associate Director of Education drives a unified approach to performing arts education that fosters economic and social mobility and brings the history held in LPA’s collections into the classroom through primary-source inquiry. This position will play a central role in building a newly forming department at a pace the team can sustain, collaborating closely with NYPL’s Center for Educators and Schools, Branch Libraries Education, and the other research libraries to integrate LPA’s collections into citywide curricula, and working alongside the Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs & Collections and the Director of Public Services to connect curatorial expertise and public service to every learner.

Position Responsibilities:

Strategic Education Leadership & Vision

Develop and implement a vision for LPA’s education department that aligns with NYPL’s goal to expand learning and democratize research, building on the expertise of the team and in collaboration with the Executive Director.
Promote equity in access to arts education by balancing educational programs across all areas of LPA, while honoring the distinct subjects and histories of each discipline.
Partner with NYPL’s Center for Educators and Schools (CES) and Branch Libraries Education to integrate LPA’s archival focus into citywide K-12 and post-secondary curricula and coordinate early with education leads at Schomburg and the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Library.
Create a strategy for integrating students who use LPA as a third space into programs, exhibitions, and archival access.
Partner with the Strategy & Public Impact team to develop data-informed models that assess the effectiveness and reach of education and outreach.

Operations

Oversee, structure, and scale key initiatives, including TOFT in Schools, the Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab, student tours and programs, and the Teen Theatre Ensemble, and create other opportunities for K-12 interaction with LPA.
Lead change management and structure the newly forming department to maximize growth, efficiency, and impact, matching ambition to team capacity so that growth is sustainable.
Supervise and mentor departmental staff, including early-career staff, fostering professional development and a “patron-first” mindset.
Oversee the departmental budget and grant-funded projects.
Direct the strategy for making LPA spaces and technical resources available to performing artists and local community members at free or highly subsidized rates, fostering a vibrant cultural gathering spot.
Foster a culture of hospitality and inclusivity, aligning service training and frontline staff support with LPA’s role as a community anchor, in coordination with the Director of Public Services.

Programs, Curriculum, & Public Impact

Develop curriculum and instructional materials aligned to NYC, NYS, and national arts standards, designed to be digitally accessible across grade levels.
Bring primary-source inquiry into educational programs and negotiate access to collections for educational use.
Collaborate with the Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs & Collections to integrate curatorial expertise into educational initiatives and K-12 and post-secondary learning programs.
Elevate LPA’s visibility and relevance by overseeing educational collaborations with Lincoln
Center’s resident organizations, deepening existing relationships, and cultivating new alliance across the performing arts ecosystem.

Fundraising & Resource Development

With the Executive Director and the Development department, identify, pursue, and manage grant opportunities and philanthropic support, including overseeing project execution and reporting compliance.
Steward relationships with foundations and high-level individual donors focused on the performing arts.

External Relations and Communications

Serve as a primary spokesperson for LPA Education, representing the Library to the media, stakeholders, donors, educators, and the broader performing arts community.
Collaborate closely with the NYPL Communications teams to leverage programs and success stories for public engagement, including developing content for social media and digital platforms to raise the profile of the archive.
Partner with Communications to proactively identify and pursue press opportunities related to major educational programs and institutional achievements.

Managerial/Supervisory Responsibilities

Provides leadership and direction to managers, supervisors, and professional staff across multiple medium-to-large educational programs.
Directs and manages the activities of several medium to large educational programs, acting as a key driver of operational and strategic alignment within the Library for the Performing Arts.

Qualifications:

Master’s degree or higher in Education, Liberal Arts, Performing Arts, Library Science, or a related field.
10+ years of related experience in education. Classroom experience helpful but not required.
5 to 7 years of demonstrated supervisory and management experience.
Deep knowledge of the history and current landscape of the performing arts (Theatre, Dance, and/or Music), with a commitment to representing diverse voices.
Knowledge of NYC & NYS education standards for curriculum and instruction.
Programmatic Diplomacy, Strategy and Management: Ability to balance and connect the specific needs and expertise of individual programs with the broader goals and strategic priorities of the institution. Strong project management skills and demonstrated ability to lead complex programs, including partnerships with NYC Public Schools.
Curriculum and Instruction: Experience developing curriculum and materials aligned to NYS and national arts standards and digitally accessible curriculum across grade levels. Values the collections and their history; experience with collections-based learning strongly preferred.
Internal and External Partnership: Demonstrated success building lasting partnerships with schools, cultural organizations, and community-based organizations and engaging and serving diverse audiences, from K-12 students to scholars and arts practitioners. Internally, ability to work across departments, build consensus, and resolve complex problems.
Team Leadership: Collaborative, visible leader who builds trust and inspires a team, develops and mentors talent, and brings staff along through change with clarity, transparency, and care.
Fundraising: Demonstrated success in grant-writing, donor cultivation, and securing support for educational initiatives
Communication: Exceptional public speaking and writing skills; the ability to represent the Library’s educational programs with authority and passion.
Excellent problem-solving, advocacy, and decision-making skills.

Hours and Compensation:

Schedule: Monday-Friday (some evenings and weekends required), 35 hours/week
Salary: $135,000 – $150,000/year

How to Apply:

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (LPA) has retained Diane Carlyle Executive Search (www.dcxsearch.com) to support the search for the Associate Director of Education and Collections. We welcome comments, nominations, or expressions of interest. All applicants are asked to include a letter of interest with their resume. Please send an email with supporting materials to: [email protected].