Language Focus Group Facilitator (Somali)

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

The Walker Art Center Public Engagement, Learning, and Impact (PELI) department is dedicated to providing an engaging and creative environment for a diverse range of intergenerational audiences. Through tours, programming, and educational resources created for exhibitions, the PELI department strives to reduce barriers and expand meaningful access to contemporary art.  

The Somali Language Focus Group Facilitator is engaged as an independent contractor to support the Public Engagement, Learning, and Impact (PELI) team on a 3-year grant-funded initiative to develop new models of multilingual, community-informed gallery content. The Walker Art Center is seeking a contractor with expertise in community-centered research, Somali language skills, deep relationships with Somali-speaking communities in the Twin Cities, and a passion for arts and culture, to deliver the scope of work below. 

All Applications Due: October 16, 2026

Engagement Type:  Independent Contractor. This is a contract engagement, not an employee position. The Facilitator is not eligible for employee benefits, and Walker Art Center will not withhold taxes; the Facilitator is responsible for their own tax reporting (Form 1099). 

Term: September 30, 2026 – September 30, 2028, structured as two discrete annual commitments (Year 1 and Year 2), each with its own scope of work and fee

Compensation: Flat fee of $2,500 for Year 1 and a flat fee of $2,500 for Year 2. Each fee is a total, all-inclusive payment for the full scope of work described below for that year. Payment terms and invoicing schedule to be set out in the signed independent contractor agreement. 

SCOPE OF WORK / DELIVERABLES 

The Facilitator will independently determine the methods, schedule, and working hours needed to complete the following deliverables by the agreed-upon dates: 

• Preparation 
  • Develop culturally-responsive discussion prompts for two focus groups, in consultation with the Manager of Interpretation and in alignment with grant goals. 
  • In consultation with the Manager of Interpretation, establish group composition criteria (for example, diversity of national background, generation, or other relevant factors) reflecting the diversity of Somali-speaking community in the Twin Cities, and recruit and assemble a focus group meeting those criteria  
• Facilitation 
  • Plan and conduct a structured sequence of 2 focus group conversations (1 focus group of about 3 hours per year), to be held on the Walker Art Center campus, exploring language use, cultural nuance, communication preferences, and barriers to access in a museum context. 
• Reporting 
  • Deliver a written synthesis of focus group findings to the project team and external evaluator. 
  • Provide advisory input on evaluation methods and potential opportunities for community engagement, as requested. 
• LOGISTICS 
  • Focus group sessions will take place at the Walker Art Center.  First focus group meeting: by January 2027.  Second focus group meeting: June–September 2027. 

REQUIRED SKILLS & ABILITIES 

• Minimum 3–5 years of experience facilitating multilingual, culturally relevant conversations. 
• Experience working toward grant deliverables, including coordination with external evaluators. 
• A demonstrated track record of successfully cultivating relationships and collaborating with community partners.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and work with a wide range of constituents and people across a variety of cultures, generations, and abilities. 
• Excellent facilitation, presentation, prioritization, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage a complex project while maintaining high standards and a high degree of accuracy. Detail-oriented approach to work. 
• Fluency in Somali in addition to English. 
• Proactive, resourceful, and able to anticipate needs and adapt to unexpected challenges in multiple community environments. 
• Able to independently plan and coordinate the scheduling of focus group sessions with participants and the project team to meet agreed-upon deliverable deadlines.  

PREFERRED SKILLS

• Familiarity with culturally responsive and culturally sustaining pedagogical models desirable. 
• Lived experience working in and with immigrant communities in the Twin Cities. 
• Experience working or teaching in a museum or other cultural organization. 
• Experience with cultural or art spaces. 
• Experience developing resources and experiences for a variety of audiences. 
• Experience working with people with disabilities in personal or professional settings. 
• Experience in a range of project evaluation techniques and the capacity to analyze learnings and translate them into grant outcomes.