Head, Education and Creative Engagement

The Gallery seeks a dynamic leader to spearhead education and public engagement initiatives with a vision of audience connection and sustainability.

We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the Canberra region, upon whose lands the National Portrait Gallery stands.

About Us

The National Portrait Gallery reflects the face of Australia and increases understanding and appreciation of Australian people and their stories through the art of portraiture. Guided by our values of creativity, innovation, inclusivity and integrity, our purpose is to develop a national portrait collection and provide the broadest possible access to all Australians. We do this through presenting engaging exhibitions and educational programs onsite in our award-winning building in Canberra, offsite across Australia, and on demand.

The Gallery is a dynamic and inclusive workplace and recognises the great contribution of our team. We’re committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of our team and our visitors, and to sustaining a safe workplace and inclusive culture. We support flexible working practices and respect family and caring responsibilities.

The Gallery is committed to equal opportunity and diversity. We welcome applications from First Nations people, LGBTQIA+ people, people with a disability, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. We’re committed to ensuring a child safe and child friendly environment, and to sustaining a safe workplace and inclusive culture. Our staff actively contribute to the wellbeing and safety of our visitors and each other.

The Position

The Gallery seeks a dynamic leader to spearhead education and public engagement initiatives, aligning with the Gallery’s strategic vision of audience connection, relevance, and sustainability.

As part of the Access and Learning directorate, this role reports to the Director of Access and Learning and collaborates across all Gallery sections. This role will enhance engagement and diversify the Gallery’s audience through continuous, high-quality visitor experiences and inclusive initiatives.

This position is responsible for the development and delivery of public and education programs through leading a team to create and produce dynamic, innovative and interpretive content and programs for the Gallery’s audience segments, including people with specific needs, to increase audience engagement with memorable outcomes.

Specific Tasks

1. Develop and implement an annual program, incorporating operational strategies, policies, procedures and KPI’s to deliver a range of experiences which increase and extend audience engagement with the Gallery’s collection and exhibitions.

2. Offer strategic insights and guidance to senior management and stakeholders on emerging issues and requirements. Ensure that programs and projects align with the Gallery’s plans, budgets, objectives, and timelines, facilitating their successful delivery.

3. Research, create and lead a team to design and implement engaging and innovative programs and projects. Prioritise intergenerational and school engagement to expand the Gallery’s market share within the Canberra visitor and school tourism sectors.

4. Ensure the team cultivates and nurtures collaborative internal and external partnerships and relationships with cultural, education and community organisations and other relevant stakeholders.

5. Manage and coordinate the team’s financial, contractual, and administrative services. Produce compelling reports and drive marketing strategies to promote programs.

6. Drive continuous improvement by rigorously evaluating, monitoring, and reporting on program success and identifying development opportunities to ensure overall strategic objectives are achieved.

7. Lead and develop the team through effective supervision, performance management, professional development, and clear communication. Uphold organisational values, APS values, and the code of conduct, ensuring inclusive and safe work practices are maintained.

8. Work closely with curatorial to develop programs that align with current exhibitions and collections, harnessing curatorial expertise to design engaging and accessible programs for diverse audiences.

Section Criteria

1. Demonstrated experience in leading, mentoring and harnessing the skills of a team to develop and deliver innovative and inclusive education and public programs that enhance engagement and drive audience diversification.

2. Exhibit an understanding of audience engagement methodologies, audience segmentation, best practice, and sector trends in public and educational engagement within cultural settings. Apply this expertise to drive continuous improvement and support transformational change.

3. Demonstrated ability in delivering complex projects on time and within budget. This includes managing resources, staffing, schedules, budgets, and priorities to ensure KPIs are met.

4. Highly developed interpersonal, emotional intelligence and communication skills, including the ability to liaise and negotiate with internal and external stakeholders, build and maintain productive working relationships; and demonstrate a capacity for sound judgement and effective leadership.

5. Demonstrated experience in implementing a comprehensive visitor engagement strategy that seamlessly connects the Gallery’s diverse audience segments with its content year-round. Demonstrate versatility, flexibility, and creativity in aligning work with the strategic priorities in a cultural setting.

6. Demonstrated commitment to maintaining a child-safe and child-friendly environment, with skills that enhance children’s positive engagement in the Gallery.

7. Demonstrated stewardship of the Gallery’s and the Australian Public Service Values and Code of Conduct.

Industry specific:

• Qualifications or experience in either the visual arts, Australian history, museum studies and/or education are desirable.

Applicant information

In no more than two A4 pages, please tell us how your skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications make you the best person for this job.

Email your application, a current CV and the application coversheet to hrservices@npg.gov.au by the deadline listed below.

If you need more information, please get in touch with Tristan Hoffmeister on 02 6102 7060 or by email tristan.hoffmeister@npg.gov.au

Applications close midnight: Monday 16 June 2025