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Museum Programming Jobs in Charlottesville, VA (NOW HIRING)

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Museum Programming information

See Charlottesville, VA salary details

$24.8K

$88.2K

$147.8K

How much do museum programming jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 24, 2026, the average yearly pay for museum programming in Charlottesville, VA is $88,240.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $62,000.00 and $115,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is museum programming?

A Museum Programming job involves planning, developing, and implementing educational and cultural programs for museum visitors. This includes organizing events, workshops, lectures, and interactive experiences that engage diverse audiences. Museum programmers collaborate with educators, curators, and community partners to create meaningful experiences that align with the institution's mission. They also evaluate program effectiveness and seek opportunities for innovation.

What does a museum programming professional do?

Museum Programming professionals are responsible for designing, coordinating, and evaluating educational programs, workshops, and public events that engage diverse audiences. This role often involves collaborating with curators, educators, marketing teams, and external community partners to develop content that aligns with the museum's mission. Daily tasks may include scheduling, communicating with facilitators or speakers, managing program logistics, and collecting feedback from participants. If you enjoy multitasking, creative problem-solving, and making cultural experiences accessible to the public, this could be a highly rewarding career path.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed for museum programming?

To thrive in Museum Programming, you need a background in education, art history or museum studies, combined with strong project management and event planning skills. Familiarity with database systems, digital marketing platforms, and ticketing or registration software is often required. Excellent communication, creativity, and relationship-building abilities are critical soft skills that set candidates apart. These competencies ensure the effective development, promotion, and execution of engaging programs that fulfill the museum's educational and community outreach goals.

What job categories do people searching Museum Programming jobs in Charlottesville, VA look for?

The top searched job categories for Museum Programming jobs in Charlottesville, VA are:

Museum Programming jobs near you
Infographic showing various Museum Programming job openings in Charlottesville, VA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 77% Full Time, 16% Part Time, 5% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $88,240 per year, or $42.4 per hour.

Programming & Engagement Officer

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

Charlottesville, VA • On-site

$69K - $78K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Posted 13 days ago

Job description

About the Thomas Jefferson Foundation
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation has a twofold mission of preservation and education, and was incorporated in 1923 to preserve Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Today, the Foundation seeks to bring history forward into national and global dialogues by engaging audiences with Jefferson's world and ideas, and sharing the history of everyone who lived and labored at Monticello. Monticello is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, a United Nations World Heritage Site and a Site of Conscience.
Programming & Engagement Officer (Full-time)
Purpose:
The Programming & Engagement Officer advances Monticello's public mission by assisting in the leadership, development and management of our public programming strategy as part of our effort to educate and deepen audience engagement and broaden the Foundation's reach. This position serves as a key connector across internal teams and with external communities, to ensure that programming is thoughtfully planned, consistently evaluated, and aligned with institutional priorities.
Compensation:
$69,000 - $78,000
We will look to you to:
  • Programming Strategy & Leadership Lead the institutional programming portfolio and annual planning process. Chair the Program & Events Committee and regularly convene a cross-department meeting to guide public programming planning from concept to plan and handoff to marketing and events teams for execution.
  • Valuations and Operations In collaboration with key stakeholders throughout the Foundation, maintain the public and private programs calendar that drives scheduling, marketing and event planning.
  • Manage the pipeline and institutional workflows for execution of public programs and invitation only events. Establish standardized production templates, relevant data and after action debriefs in coordination with all relevant parties throughout the Foundation to inform future programming and events.
  • Program Development Oversee recurring program series and ideate new initiatives. Initiate and manage speaker invitations, negotiations, logistics, and relationship as part of their appearance at Monticello events and programs.
  • Community Engagement Cultivate strategic partnerships in and outside of the Charlottesville community that advance institutional goals and bring new audiences to Monticello.
  • Serve as a liaison to community leaders and cultural organizations. Identify opportunities for collaborative programming and partnership initiatives to attract, retain, and diversify local audiences.
  • Support institutional participation in mission aligned initiatives and commemorations where leadership determines opportunity.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  • Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, or Marketing required.
  • Minimum of three (3) to five (5) years of experience in public programming, museums, nonprofit organizations, higher education, or cultural institutions required.
  • Exceptional written and verbal skills, including public speaking and presentation skills.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with a diverse audience.
  • Prior experience implementing, managing, and maintaining complex public programs.
  • Experience with history and museum studies, nonprofit engagement preferred, community outreach, or a closely related field.
  • Strong understanding of American history, civic education, leadership development, or public engagement a plus.

Physical Demands and Work Considerations:
  • Occasional evening, weekend, and holiday work required.
  • Monticello is located on a mountaintop; walking on steep inclines, and uneven, rocky ground is required.

We provide the following benefits for our full-time employees:
  • Excellent benefits package (including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) retirement savings plan plus 6% match, life insurance, and more!).
  • Fitness club membership discount.
  • Discount in the Monticello Cafe, gift shop, and Monticello online catalog.
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - free for employee and dependents.
  • $500 employee referral bonus.

If you believe this opportunity is the right fit for you, we encourage you to apply!

Apply