WEB PRODUCTION AND EDUCATION SPECIALIST SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS RECORDINGS

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is looking for a talented, creative, experienced, and proactive person with , web technology, writing, and interpersonal skills to serve as Web Program and Education Specialist to create, solicit, coordinate, and edit content for its websites and to coordinate its educational programs. This position is located in the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings (SFR) division of the ’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (CFCH) unit in Washington, D.C. The position functions as Web Production and Education Specialist for the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, managing the educational content and publication of Smithsonian Folkways Magazine (see www.folkways.si.edu) and other Folkways website content, and additionally as Manager of Education Programs, such as the Smithsonian Folkways teachers’ network and the World Music Teacher Certification activities. The position reports to the Associate Director of Smithsonian Folkways and works closely with the Director & Curator and Marketing & Sales Director of Smithsonian Folkways. It is a Smithsonian trust fund position, supported by earned revenues and grants, and is based in Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian Institution is an equal opportunity employer.

Major job duties and requirements are described below. Applicants should send a statement of interest and qualifications no longer than 1,000 words and a resume to Smithsonian Folkways Director & Curator Dr. Daniel E. Sheehy at [email protected] or Smithsonian Folkways, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 520, Washington, DC 20013-7012. Electronic submission is preferred. Review of applications will commence November 21 and will be open until filled. Employment would begin as soon as possible after selection has been made.

MAJOR DUTIES

The major duties of this position are:

1) under the general guidance of the supervisor and the Director of SFR, independently initiates efforts to develop new content for the SFR website; employing research skills and drawing from a broad knowledge of the world’s musical cultures, conceives, assigns, and writes engaging thematic and multi-media feature articles for the website, for example, a feature on harp music around the world, diverse dance musics of Southeast Asia, or women’s changing role in traditional music; utilizing a broad knowledge of ethnomusicological and anthropological experts in the field, recruits authors for such articles; performs secondary research on the SFR audio content and related materials; using ethnomusicological knowledge and approaches to music and culture, creates new “albums” that cut across diverse albums in the collections, developing compilations of audio tracks elaborating specific themes; provides creative, collaborative feedback in response to content suggestions from curators and other content providers; employs web technology skills and familiarity with a wide range of musical cultures to function as managing editor of the Smithsonian Folkways e-magazine; edits content created by others [Approximately 50% of time];

2) utilizing knowledge of Web publishing software and very basic html skills, and in coordination with the CFCH webmaster, publishes content to the SFR website that is attractive, engaging, and in keeping with the overall look and style of the website; coordinates CFCH curators and other personnel in developing appropriate content for the SFR and other CFCH websites; and, in collaboration with the SFR Technology Director and the Director of Marketing & Sales, ensures that the SFR content is maintained, updated, and marketed. [25%]

3) works pro-actively with educators, educator networks, and education organizations to facilitate the development of culturally diverse educational materials, such as lesson plans, utilizing SFR content, and to facilitate their placement and availability on the SFR website. Through a broad understanding of musical cultures worldwide, ensures that educational content of lesson plans and website features accurately represents the culturally diverse musical traditions presented, and provides authoritative content based on this knowledge. Works to build and strengthen SFR connections to educators and educational institutions, via the SFR teacher network and the World Music Teacher Certification program. Employs knowledge of web social networking to build broad- based teacher affinity groups. [25%]

In carrying out these major duties, the incumbent must effectively represent the programmatic aims of SFR within the Smithsonian community as well as to the general public. To this end, the incumbent must stay abreast of the programs, projects, and fundraising needs of the CFCH, as well as the individual responsibilities of the staff, in order to develop effective educational materials. The incumbent sometimes works under tight deadlines in order to ensure that office operation, personnel matters, and miscellaneous projects are handled in a timely and correct manner.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED

An understanding and appreciation of the Smithsonian Folkways collections in its widely diverse cultural, stylistic, and historical context is required in order to carry out the duties of creating new content on the SFR website and other content to be developed by curators, outside experts, and institutional partner archives, distributors, and collaborators.

A broad understanding of musical cultures worldwide and of the needs and opportunities for their utilization for educational purposes is necessary in order to facilitate the development of appropriate content by and for educators. At least a Master’s degree or the equivalent in ethnomusicology or closely related field is highly desired.

In order to create effective and visually engaging content for the Smithsonian Folkways website and its e-magazine, and in order to effectively reach a broad audience with its content, expertise in internet use is required, including knowledge of major search engines, new-media trends, social networking, music/video downloads, and podcasting and other web 2.0 applications, and with the ability to use effectively a range of computer software programs in order to create, edit, and publish text, audio, images, and moving images to the SFR website. Preferred programs include Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Powerpoint), web publishing software, media players, RSS, multiple browsers (Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Safari), and, at a very basic level, html (ability to format content for web publishing, including text formatting, image formatting, hyperlinks, and tables), and database functions.

Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing to a variety of constituents are required in order to relate to and organize a wide range of collaborators, including staff, curators, outside cultural experts, educators, institutional partner archives, corporate and foundation funders, artists, and others. This includes knowledge of a variety of formats required for reports, memoranda, correspondence, correct manner of address, spelling, punctuation and grammar to identify errors and type material in final format.

Given the significant Spanish-dominant constituency of SFR, bilingual ability in Spanish and English is desired.

Salary: Recruitment is for a position to begin at the IS-9, Step 1 level (currently $51,630, plus standard Smithsonian benefits), with the potential for advancement to the IS-11 level (currently beginning at $62,467).

The Smithsonian Institution is an equal opportunity employer.