Position Summary

The Sandy Hook Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service at Sandy Hook, seeks to engage with a professional Interpretive planner for one year to produce a comprehensive interpretive plan as the final product, with recommendations for interpretive media, strategy, audience, and marketing approaches that tell the story of the American Revolution and Cornelius Titus’ (Colonel Tye) life history, in ways that deepen understanding not just of the past but of the world we live in today. The project aims to tell Colonel Tye’s story in a way that allows for broader and more diverse audiences and for visitors to see themselves in this nation’s history.

This project is funded by a grant from the New Jersey Historical Association and has a defined timeframe and deliverable at the end of the project timeline.

Colonel Titus Cornelius – Freedom Fighter

What would you do for freedom? For equality? For independence? The American Revolution helped inspire African Americans to fight for these inalienable rights. Slaves pointed out the contradiction of the American ideal of liberty and equality and the reality of slavery during the American Revolution.

The selected Contractor will ensure NPS and The Sandy Hook Foundation are engaging with industry leaders to produce a comprehensive interpretation plan that will lead to phase 2 of the project which will be the identified media to be used to ultimately share with the public who visit Sandy Hook. The SHF and the staff at Gateway NRA will recruit the Contractor. The Contractor will coordinate and report directly to The The Sandy Hook Foundation Director of Development and NPS – Gateway NRA Supervisory Park Ranger.

The final interpretive plan will be used to create an interpretive experience that will foster an emotional and intellectual connection between visitors and the site, including the Sandy Hook Lighthouse Encampment Site called Refugeetown and the life and legacy of Colonel Titus Cornelius, aka ”Colonel Tye”.

The intended project is aligned with 3 of the 4 park’s themes:

Maritime Heritage

Two Centuries of National Defense

Recreation & Education

The interpretive planner will be responsible for gathering and reviewing all forms of historical data, park themes, and information about Colonel Titus and his struggle for freedom and create a guided interpretive experience through interpretive media, to reflect on core questions that allow connections between the park site, Colonel Titus’s life experiences and the broader world, and illustrate how this history is relevant to the modern visitor.

The interpretive planner will be asked to engage with local partners and communities including educators, representation from Monmouth County, NJ neighborhoods – specifically those traditionally excluded from main-line historical interpretation, community leaders, and historians.

Project Requirements:

To meet project schedules, a collaborative effort by all parties is required to make certain that all necessary reviews are conducted in a professional and timely manner.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

A broad working knowledge of the organization and functioning of the National Park Service – Gateway NRA

Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with all members of the project team

Knowledge of Interpretive Media Project Management functions, concepts, tools, and processes to plan, organize and produce final interpretive plan

A thorough understanding of interpretive media communication skills and techniques

Skills in managing, leading, communicating, and collaborating with a wide range of internal and external counterparts to accomplish project goals

Skills in using media software to plan, monitor, and organize the project

Excellent written and oral communication skills

Working knowledge of ADA requirements

Working knowledge of Cultural Compliance

Ability to communicate actions and deadlines and track progress with the schedule

Confer with park management on issues, approaches, and options that arise in developing and carrying out assignments

Project Management

The Contractor shall:

1. Be the primary point of contact between the Contractor, SHF, and NPS.

2. Provide quality control to ensure that all elements of project work meet the requirements of the contract specifications as follows:

a. Provide routine inspections and project updates of ongoing work.

b. Inform SHF and NPS of any issues that could affect work quality or schedule.

c. Ensure that all work not acceptable or compliant with the specifications is corrected prior to review by the SHF and NPS.

4. Produce a detailed, complete overall project schedule listing all submittals, review times, site visits, and closeout submittals.

5. Track work progress to ensure that the project is completed according to the schedule. Coordinate and confirm the dates for all submittals and meetings with SHF/NPS.

6. Ensure that the Contractor staff adheres to the communication protocol established during the onsite post-award meeting.

7. Progress Meetings: Initiate, participate, and provide the agenda for bi-weekly telephone conference progress meetings with representatives of the Contractor, SHF, & NPS. Submit meeting notes no later than five (5) business days post-meeting.

The Sandy Hook Foundation and Gateway National Recreation Area Interpretation & Education staff will jointly recruit and collectively manage the Interpretive Planner Consultant for the Colonel Titus Cornelius Inclusive History Film Project. The contract and compensation will be coordinated by The Sandy Hook Foundation.

Timeline of Deliverables:

2023

January – February: Contractor proposals submitted to NPS, Contractor selected

March, April, May: Planning meetings with consultant, review and assembly of historical documentation related to Colonel Tye’s story at Sandy Hook, additional primary research by consultant and park historian, evaluation of audience and Sandy Hook visitor analysis and audience definition

June, July: Compilation of bibliography references for Colonel Titus Cornelius, story and concept development: define thematic outlines defined

August: First draft of Interpretive Plan, review and edit

September, October: Second draft of Interpretive Plan, review and consult

November, December: Final written interpretive plan for The Black Brigade at Refugeetown and the Revolutionary War at Sandy Hook

Proposal Instructions:

Proposal packet must include schedule confirmation and statement acknowledging deadline of delivery. Provide qualifications and examples of similar past products like this project.

Resume, cover letter, and examples of qualifying experience to be submitted to info@sandyhooknj.org no later than 5pm on February 15, 2023.

Additional Information

Job Location: Hybrid – Sandy Hook Unit for Meetings, Work Independently

Salary Range: $2,000/month for ten (10) months, paid as a consultant

Benefits: Flexible work hours

How To Apply: Interested applicants should send cover letter and resume to info@sandyhooknj.org no later than February 15, 2023.

PK 1/19/2023