DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Job Type: Full-time

Santa Barbara, CA • Education

Description

Come work at the AMAZING Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and be a part of the Education team working to inspire a passion for the natural world. We are looking for a person who is passionate about inquiry-based education, about science, nature and the environment and enjoys being part of a team-based approach to join and lead our dedicated and fun team.  

Title: Director, Education  

Classification: Exempt

Department: Education  

Reports To: COO  

Created: February 2020 Revised: June 2023   

Pay range: $76,000 to $85,000* Mission:

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History inspires a thirst for discovery and a passion for the natural world.  

Position Summary: This position is responsible for overseeing the Education programs for schools, teachers, families and the public in alignment with the mission of the Museum. Acts as head of Education Division and oversees all aspects of its personnel management, financial management, educational program development and implementation, and facility operations. As a member of the Museum’s management team provide recommendations, proposals, and assist in formulating a vision for the Museum. Establishes and implements the strategy and vision to create and maintain a strong guest focused experience throughout the museum.

Specific Responsibilities:

Education Program Management  

• Develop long and short-range goals for the Education Division (School and Community Programs; Nature Adventures; Teen Programs; Astronomy Programs; and Nature Education) to ensure high-quality, outcome-oriented educational programs for youth, educators, and families that advance the Museum’s mission to care for our natural history.  
• Develop programs that align with Museum strategic plan and help all visitors enrich their lives through meaningful educational and personal connections with natural history. Provide direction and support as needed for department and division initiatives including camp, teacher/school, family, teen, community and nature education programs.  
• Advocate for innovative learning and engagement initiatives across and between divisions. Work with museum scientists to integrate current research topics into education programs; collaborate closely with exhibits, public programs, and visitor services divisions to ensure a cohesive visitor experience; champion efforts to amplify and extend current best practices of child, family, and adult learning into the work of the Museum.  
• Maintain knowledge of current best practices of informal learning and museum education and ensure these are embodied in all educational offerings. Ensure that the Museum programs are not only relevant, but also serve as a model of creative, unique informal learning occasions; seek out new education opportunities, partnerships and programs.  
• Maintain strong relationships with education professionals and institutions to ensure program support and relevance.

Financial Management

• Prepare, implement and manage annual education division budgets and ensure that income targets are met and expenses are kept within budget. Prepare budget revisions and a variety of financial reports related to the education division; grow and diversify divisional funding sources in ways that make the department more self-sustaining.  
• As a Management Team member provide reports and statistics as requested, provide information and support for grant applications and advancement initiatives and, participate in institutional planning/initiatives.

Leadership  

• Effectively lead a group of experienced museum educators. Provide strategic leadership to enhance effectiveness by setting clear vision for the division, establishing annual goals, providing ongoing professional development, and ensuring the team is fulfilling the Museum’s strategic plan.   
• Recruit and train new employees as needed; regularly assess staff performance and the individual department’s progress in meeting short-term and long-range objectives; creatively utilize personnel to ensure the activities are in line with the Museum mission, achieve goals, and mesh with the operations of the Museum; empower staff to act independently and delegate appropriately so that staff feel ownership, engagement and fulfillment in their work.  
• Hold regular division and one-on-one meetings to communicate mission, goals, changes in initiatives, needs and provide support for individual and department success. Work with department managers to ensure quality of curriculum for volunteer and docent training. 
• Foster a spirit of teamwork and collaboration among department members that allows for disagreement over ideas, conflict and prompt conflict resolution.
• Ensure that staff are trained on Museum safety, emergency procedures, and facility/workspace orderliness. Monitor the appearance and maintenance of the Museum’s outdoor spaces, especially the Backyard and Nature Club House (reporting any issues to Facilities for repair) in conjunction with the Nature Education staff and volunteers.

Community Outreach

Seeks opportunities to cultivate, collaborate and partner with other community organizations to expand and diversify the Museum’s audience, extend the Museum’s reach, and advance the Museum’s mission and interests.

Essential Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Science or Education related field.
• Experience overseeing formal and informal education programs  
• A passion for nature and experience in developing nature-based curriculum and evaluating programs  
• At least five years of management experience, with some nonprofit background preferable  
• Excellent organizational and leadership skills  
• Experience in recruiting, hiring, and supervising  
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal  
• Ability to interact effectively with staff, students, children, community organizations, Museum guests and the public  
• Passion for creating a top-level Museum educational experience for audiences of all ages and abilities  
• Proficiency in all Microsoft Office applications and ability to learn new systems and adapt with emerging technologies 
• Excellent public speaking skills
• Commitment to the Museum’s principles of diversity, equity and Inclusion 
• Since Education activities take place onsite 7 days a week, this position’s workweek must include   one weekend day a week.

Preferred Requirements:

• Ability to speak conversational Spanish is a plus  
• Experience fostering a team culture 
• Understanding of Next Generation Science Standards 
• Proven experience with effective budget management and long-term planning and implementation

Work Environment:

• This is a full-time onsite position and its standard workweek includes one weekend day (either T – Sat or Sun – Thurs).  
• General office environment with frequent work in a classroom environment and occasional work throughout the museum’s facilities (exhibit halls, conference rooms, scientific laboratories, and galleries)  
• Occasional work outdoors during field trips in various natural environments  
• Significant computer and telephone work (repetitive movement – typing)  
• Frequent sitting, standing, walking, bending and climbing stairs with occasional lifting of light loads up to 25 lbs.

Museum’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Honoring the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion have always been foundational to the Museum’s ability to be a truly welcoming place for all, this is accomplished through our Mission, strategic priorities and Museum culture  

By its very nature, natural history is evergreen and accessible to everyone, no matter their background or circumstances. The natural world is all around us and we are embedded within it. And thus, it is our obligation and our privilege to help every individual we come in contact with to experience an authentic connection to the wonders of nature in a way that is meaningful for them.

The incumbent must be able to perform each requirement of the position as outlined in the job description. Essential Requirements are representative and are essential for satisfactory job performance. The Work Environment characteristics are representative of those that may be encountered while on the job. The Museum will make reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

*The pay range above represents the lowest possible rate for the position and the highest possible rate. Factors that may be used to determine where newly hired employees will be placed in the pay range include the employee specific skills and qualifications, relevant years of experience and comparison to other employees already in this role. Most often, a newly hired employee will be placed below the midpoint of the range. 

Please apply at 

https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/1808562/SB-Museum-of-Natural-History/DIRECTOR-OF-EDUCATION