Vice President of Experience, Access, + Youth Development

National Children’s Museum is a world-class institution that aims to spark children’s imaginations and encourage them to dream. Steps off the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue, National Children’s Museum celebrates the joy of childhood through science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) exhibits and programs. As Vice President of Experience, Access, + Youth Development, you will help realize this vision for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

National Children’s Museum’s Vice President of Experience, Access, + Youth Development, reporting to the President + CEO, is a critical member of the Leadership Team. This individual is responsible for providing the leadership, strategic direction, and overall management of Museum operations and audience development.

what you’ll do:

• Oversee the Museum experience and lead a team implementing STEAM-based educational programming. Lead the organization’s guest experience offerings, operations, and community outreach to ensure the Museum is achieving optimal impact in alignment with its strategic plan.
• Expanding access to new audiences, with a particular focus on engaging children and families who have not been engaged with STEAM learning in informal education settings.
• Supporting staff and youth volunteers in their career development.

Specifically, you will:

museum experience

• Provide leadership and direction to a cross-functional team that provides exceptional customer service, facilitation, and educational engagements for a variety of audiences.
• Ensure that daily interactions with Museum guests are engaging, playful, and filled with high-quality learning.
• Supervise efforts to hire, train, and schedule a team to implement a staff that manages the Museum experience up to 7 days a week.
• Oversee the implementation of daily museum programming, pop-up experiences, gift shop management, field trip programs, birthday parties, and on-site and off-site community programming in collaboration with the Education team.
• Maintain budgets, expenditures, programming schedules, and databases of relevant contacts of interest.

access

• Cultivate and steward relationships with schools and partner organizations to engage new audiences.
• Develop a program of outreach with a focus on reaching communities for whom there are barriers in visiting the Museum (financial, geographical, etc.).
• Build relationships with community leaders to learn about community needs and create a sense of welcome and belonging for all visitors.
• Partner with the Advancement and External Affairs teams to conceptualize, design, and implement partnerships events for the public (on-site and off-site).

operations management + safety

• Provide strategy, oversight, and direction for daily Museum operations and follow best practices for guest services, engagement, and accessibility.
• Motivate and encourage team members to provide world-class customer service for all visitors.
• Support staff in their work related to earned revenue, ticketing, retail sales, and visitor safety and security.
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of security and custodial staff.
• Evaluate and communicate ongoing appropriate safety protocols for staff and guests, and manage onsite security protocols.

youth development

• Support staff growth and professional development.
• Develop and oversee teen youth-development workforce programs.

what we believe are important experiences and traits for this role:

• 8+ years supporting education and experience in a museum or other educational experience environment (e.g., Disney World), focusing on operations and experience.
• Be a positive member of National Children’s Museum Team, working to sustain the collaborative, creative culture that will permeate into the guest experience.
• Proven experience in leading and building teams, and fostering a positive and collaborative working environment.
• Expert organizational and project management skills, with proven ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Must be highly professional with the ability to serve as a public representative of the Museum.
• Self-starter able to take charge of a task once assigned, but welcoming of feedback from all staff and open to adaptation for the betterment of the Museum.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
• Passion for the mission of the National Children’s Museum.

physical demands + working environment

• Ability to remain standing, walking, or sitting for long periods, move up to 40 lbs., and interact with children and adults in our exhibits and occasionally work outdoors.
• Fast-paced, highly sensory, stimulating work environment due to constant noise and interaction with other staff and visitors, which includes children.
• Punctuality and attendance are required.
• Availability on weekends, occasional evenings, and holidays, including a minimum of 2-3 weekend days each month.

what we value:

Our mission is to inspire children to care about and change the world. The Museum is an innovative institution that sparks curiosity and wonder, and a space where children feel valued. In order to do this well, we need a team that reflects the dynamic and diverse communities that we serve and brings a variety of perspectives, abilities, and skills. We embrace that this work is critical to our mission and is never finished. The more inclusive we are, the stronger our Museum.

hours + location:

Full-time position located at the National Children’s Museum at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW. Occasional remote work may be permitted. Working special events, evenings and holidays will be necessary.