This position within the Cultural and Historic Resources Section directs, participates, and creates new, innovative educational programming relevant to Howard County owned historic sites. The position is also responsible for conducting research and creating programing focusing on the African American achievements, experience, and story related to these sites. The position also assists with the creation of relevant exhibits, online content and publications and coordinates special events related to the Historic and Cultural Resources Section.

STARTING SALARY HIRING RANGE:
$30.60 - $32.48
$63,650 - $67,550

CLASS DESCRIPTION:

Performs mid management and advanced level natural resources work, which may include supervisory responsibility, under general supervision from an administrative or technical superior. Work may include developing natural resource management plans, managing natural resource field operations and regulation implementation and compliance. Work may also include providing technical direction related to natural resource/ecosystem management, developing natural resource policies and procedures, and overseeing county-wide deer, other wildlife management, or educational programs.

Include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

• Conducts scholarly research designed to make significant contributions to the body of knowledge in the field of African American history in Howard County related to the African American experience, to produce findings for both scholarly and general audiences, and to interpret historical developments through public exhibits and programs.
• Provides technical assistance to the Department on identifying, documenting, and preserving African American historic places within the park system.
• Develop, plan and participates in public programs offerings related to all county managed historic sites.
• Is responsible for overall planning, implementation, management, and coordination of the Department’s strategic efforts to develop and strengthen African American historical interpretation of Howard County owned historic sites.
• Performs and interprets research related to the African American experience of Department owned and management sites.
• Plans, implements, and participates in outreach activities that promote the Department’s African American historic places.
• Partners on research projects with other community groups and organizations.
• Creates publications, exhibits, presentations, and workshops related to the African American experience.
• Promotes the identification and documentation of African American historic places through historic property surveys, National Register of Historic Places nominations, and state historical marker applications.
• Directs, oversees, and participates in the Section’s special event offerings.
• Works and cooperates with co-workers and supervisors at all levels.
• Learns and performs all essential job functions accurately.
• Review, determine severity, and submit incident, injury, accident, or other related reports for all incidents occurring during programs or camps to the Natural Resources Division Superintendent and to the Office of Risk Management. Follow up with parents/participants.
• Supports the management of all aspects of interpretive and educational history programming at the Howard County owned historic sites and ensuring their relevancy and authenticity.
• Collaborates with Historic and Cultural Resources Staff with creating educational and interpretive displays and exhibits at historic sites.
• Responsible for maintaining a working knowledge of Heritage Tourism trends and opportunities.
• Monitor the collection of activity data and assist in the formulation of weekly, monthly, and annual reports.
• Attends trainings to stay current and relevant with best practices in the field of interpretation.
• Collaborates with the Marketing Section to develop strategies and produce marketing materials for programs and events.
• Conducts interviews, recommends candidates for hire, performs staff evaluations and counseling, sets goals and objectives.
• Manages office operations, obtaining programming supplies for educators, volunteers, and staff.
• Provide customer service to both the internal and external clients.
• Completes fiscal and financial reports as required.
• Compiles data and creates monthly reports.
• Handles customer requests, inquiries, and concerns. Coordinates responses with facility and registration staff.
• Works regular weekday, evening and weekend hours and provides on-call assistance.
• Responsible for identifying and applying good sustainability practices into all aspects of Department operations.
• Serves on committees as assigned.
• Assists in maintaining CAPRA standards.
• This position may be deemed as essential in an emergency at the discretion of the director.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supervises contingent employees.

Bachelor Degree and two (2) years related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Bachelor’s Degree in museum studies, History, African American History, Public History, Historic Preservation, Archaeology, or a related field.
• Strong background and experience in history and heritage tourism.
• Experience in interpretive history programming and education.
• Experience in a supervisory/management capacity.
• Computer skills especially in Word, Excel, Access, Publisher, Outlook as well as website management.
• Good organizational skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, volunteers, and the public
• Proficient in public relations skills, accounting procedures and effective data entry abilities.
• Experience interpreting African American history.
• Ability to research, analyze, and interpret academic sources such as historiographical works, journal articles, and primary sources, and present that information to the public in a coherent manner.
• Ability to exercise tact, discretion, and judgment with patrons in person and on the telephone.
• Ability to exercise initiative, imagination, and sound judgment in making decisions conforming to Department and NHRD policies.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; sit; use hands to touch, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The work environment encountered with this position is a combination of both indoor environments consistent with working in an office, meeting/classroom and in outdoor interpretation. This would include activities in hot, cold, wet, rainy, snowy and other forms of inclement weather conditions.

LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS AND REASONING ABILITY:

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

• Possession of a valid driver's license. License must remain valid, as long as individual is employed in this class.
• Possession of CPR and First Aid certification.