Assistant Manager, Public Programs

Our mission is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.

About the Opportunity :

This is an exciting opportunity to guide and lead the public floor presenter programs that engage the Academy’s million annual museum guests.

The assistant manager ensures the consistent delivery of high-quality public programs that meet the big-picture needs of the Academy by leading a team of 20-25 staff, and assisting with the management of four special venues.

Come join the presenter team.

Reporting to the Manager of Presenter Programs, the Assistant Manager is responsible for the daily operations, design, and implementation of the presenter programs that support the Academy’s mission and goals.

This includes directly supervising, hiring, mentoring and evaluating a team of public program presenters. The Assistant Manager is responsible for assisting with the strategic development and direction of programs within the department that align with the Academy’s mission and goals.

This role is responsible for designing and implementing dynamic, pop-up activities that engage and inspire Academy guests through quality informal science opportunities.

The Assistant Manager ensures the safe and engaging operations of the Wander Woods and the Curiosity Grove spaces and their programs.

The Assistant Manager collaborates within Public Programs and Academy Volunteers and across departments to implement strategic priorities and projects.

The Assistant Manager is highly skilled at interpreting any topic relevant to the Academy for general audiences. The Assistant Manager solicits input from key audiences and collaborators to inform program design and leads operations from inception to implementation.

This position spends at least one day per week on the main floor interacting with guests.

Organizational Culture :

Join a team dedicated to the ! Currently, the Academy has a including three initiatives Hope for Reefs, Thriving California, and Islands 2030 that leverage biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement to regenerate fragile ecosystems around the world. Learn more at .

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are intrinsic to Academy culture and operations, from recruitment and retention to science and advocacy.

We hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.

The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences.

We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every one of the qualifications for the position.

This position is based in San Francisco, California. Staff are currently expected to work from the Academy offices at least 3-4 times per week, which may fluctuate based on business needs.

Please do not apply if you are not able to work onsite. Candidates are required to have up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment, absent qualifying exemptions in accordance with applicable laws.

Individuals receiving a conditional offer of employment from the California Academy of Sciences will be provided the full text of the vaccination policy.

The California Academy of Sciences is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace, to protect its employees, volunteers and guests.

About the Public Programs Team :

The Public Programs Team is dedicated to facilitating programs and guest-lead engagements that enrich guest experiences at the Academy, including daily programming at iconic exhibits, early childhood programming, specimen interaction and much more.

Through these programs, the Public Programs team helps share the Academy’s mission to regenerate the natural world and major initiatives to guests of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences.

Key Responsibilities :

Assist in the management of the presenter team, including hiring, onboarding, ongoing training, coaching, discipline, and direct supervision.

• Manage the daily operations on the presenter team, including annual and daily programming plans, staffing schedules, and program evaluations.
• Lead the development of key program components and resources; source and adapt existing resources for accessibility and culturally relevant programming.
• Lead development and socialization of strategic priorities for a specific program area. Identify and track metrics to measure success.
• Develop and implement yearly work plans to meet identified priorities
• Collaborate to implement strategic priorities for the presenter team, such as DEI goals, Academy-wide initiatives, and providing a seamless experience for guests
• Guide presenters, and assist volunteers, in staying current in relevant fields such as interpretive best practices, informal science education, museum engagement, program development, relevant content knowledge, and developmentally appropriate practice.
• Direct, project manage, delegate, and facilitate collaboration to research, develop, and implement projects related to one’s program / public floor space within the department’s portfolio.
• Represent the Academy internally and externally, locally and nationally. May need to travel for business.
• May oversee community partnership efforts to augment the museum education and entertainment experience
• May manage safety, operations, scheduling, and maintenance of Public Programs venues and program budgets.
• Follow all Academy safety regulationsand complete all HR-assigned trainings
• Support the Academy’s mission, vision and Academy-wide initiatives
• Other duties as assigned

Supervisory Responsibilities :

• Directly supervise 2-6 presenter team members and mentor up to 20 staff
• Recruit, hire, onboard, support, train, and evaluate direct reports

Qualifications :

Experience and / or Education :

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education and experience in one or more of the following fields : museum education, education program design, human resources, volunteer management, or other relevant field
• Four (4) years supervisory and / or management experience
• Four (4) years experience working in informal education or interpretation
• Four (4) years of experience managing program design and implementation, preferably in a large, complex organization, multi-tiered museum or informal science education institution,
• Experience developing informational, educational, and training materials
• Experience creating and maintaining productive partnerships
• Demonstrated knowledge of or experience in related subject areas

Skills and Abilities :

• Commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion; ability to welcome and honor diverse perspectives, values, and identities
• Excellent leadership skills and commitment to positive team dynamics
• Excellent public speaking, written, and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and implement efficient work strategies
• Ability to collaboratively work on multi-stakeholder, cross-departmental, deadline-based projects
• Ability to think strategically, co-develop, and execute evidence-informed projects from concept to implementation; knowledge of design thinking a plus
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Can make complicated science concepts accessible to general audiences while maintaining scientific accuracy
• Ability to train and mentor others in best practices in museum engagement, natural history interpretation, informal science education, and developmentally appropriate practices
• Adapts and maintains flexibility in changing and fast-paced environments
• Nimble problem-solving skills that combine a strong understanding of what motivates volunteers, guests, or staff, and the ability to address issues in a proactive and discrete manner.
• Works well independently and as part of a team
• Fluent use of Google apps, Volgistics volunteer management system, Excel, Zoom, Eventbrite, interactive planetarium software
• Familiarity with HR practices and regulations as they relate to volunteers and / or staff
• Proficiency in Spanish or Cantonese a plus

Physical Environment : To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to work at a computer communicating with others in person, on the telephone, and online
• Ability to perform repetitive motions 25% of the time
• Ability to transport 50 lbs with assistance
• Ability to safely work in both outdoor and indoor environments that may include stairs, uneven paths, loose substrates, and secure access areas
• May require frequent visits to the museum's public floor and presentation in a tiered theater Walking on concrete floors, climbing a flight of 35 stairs in the planetarium, working in a low-light-level environment Extensive time standing, intervals of time outdoors in varying environmental conditions Tolerance of high levels of noise, and extensive public speaking, sometimes in noisy, crowded environments

This is a mandated reporter-designated position. Academy employees whose duties include direct contact and supervision of children are deemed mandated reporters under California Law.

Mandated reporters have certain specific reporting obligations in the event that they know of, observe or reasonably suspect that a child has been the victim of child abuse or neglect.

The Academy provides mandated reporters with training on their rights and obligations under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act.

Schedule : Full Time, 40 hours per week, Weekend and evening work will be required.

APPLICATION DEADLINE :

This position will close on July 30, 2024 at 9 PM . Review of applications will begin on July 17, 2024 .

APPLICATION PROCESS :

Please upload your resume, cover letter, and complete the brief online application

The California Academy of Sciences will give full consideration for employment to all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the (SF Police Code, Article 49).

We are committed to ensuring that all employees and applicants shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, placements, transfers, promotions, compensation, benefits, terminations, training, and social and recreational programs, will be on the basis of qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled.

The Academy does not discriminate against qualified applicants or employees with respect to any terms or conditions of employment on account of any characteristic protected by state or federal law or local ordinance.

Read our full Equal Opportunity Statement .

Salary

$75K - $80K