OKPOP Curator of Storytelling

OKPOP Curator of Storytelling at Oklahoma Indigent Defense System Position Summary

The Curator of Storytelling is OKPOP’s chief narrative strategist and public champion. This role leads the development, integration, and delivery of the museum’s stories across exhibitions, collections interpretation, media, and public programs. Equal parts editor-in-chief, show runner, and producer, the Curator of Storytelling turns Oklahoma pop-culture history into compelling, accurate, and accessible visitor experiences—on site, online, and on tour.

This position provides direct leadership and operational oversight of the Production, Education, and Exhibits teams—aligning people, budgets, schedules, and deliverables—and collaborates deeply with Curator and Collections/Registration to ensure ethical, accurate, and inclusive storytelling. The role also stewards relationships with artists, estates, studios, lenders, and community partners.

• Own the museum-wide storytelling vision, standards; ensure alignment with OKPOP’s mission, values, and audience goals.
• Collaborate with Curator to lead interpretive planning for permanent galleries, rotating shows, and pop-ups; set success criteria and KPIs for visitor understanding, engagement, and accessibility.
• Manage and mentor a multidisciplinary team (writers, producers, editors, educators, exhibit developers); oversee contractors and creative partners.
• Manage schedules for exhibits, media, and interpretive deliverables; track progress and report to leadership.

• Translate collection assets, loans, and archival materials into clear interpretive frameworks (themes, story arcs, key objects, multimedia).
• Partner with Curatorial, Registrar, and Collections on loans, rights, and documentation; ensure accurate label copy, credits, and provenance.
• Guide exhibit scripts, digital labels, interactives, and AV content; review for accuracy, clarity, tone, and ADA/accessibility compliance.
• Maintain high standards of inclusivity, cultural sensitivity, and community consent (e.g., FPIC principles where applicable).

• Serve as executive producer for OKPOP media (short-form video, podcasts, oral histories, social storytelling, in-gallery films).
• Oversee pre-production, production, and post—including editorial calendars, scripts, interviews, rights/permissions, and delivery specs.
• Ensure all media is versioned appropriately for in-gallery, web, and social platforms; steward a modern metadata and asset-management workflow.

• Oversee Education to develop tours, curriculum, talks, and workshops that extend exhibit narratives and media literacy.
• Present OKPOP stories at conferences, festivals, and partner events; host or moderate select public programs and recordings.
• Cultivate collaborative relationships with artists, estates, tribal nations, schools, studios, and cultural organizations.

• Uphold a unified interpretive voice across galleries, print, web, and social.
• Champion accessibility (ADA compliance, multiple reading levels, bilingual or multilingual approaches where appropriate).
• Define and track engagement metrics (e.g., dwell time, interactive completion, learning outcomes, digital reach); iterate using visitor feedback and evaluation.

• Hire, train, schedule, and evaluate staff; foster a positive, growth-minded culture with clear goals and feedback.
• Administer policies consistently; prepare required reports and documentation on time.
• Supervise and coordinate the day-to-day work of the Production, Education, and Exhibits teams, setting priorities, clearing blockers, and aligning deliverables to schedule and budget.
• Coordinate closely with Marketing/Communications on editorial calendars and content launches.

• Bachelor’s degree and four (4) years of professional experience in museum or public administration.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex schedules/budgets.

• 2+ years’ experience…