SUMMARY
Program Developers are the primary staff responsible for creating and executing a wide variety of programs for Exploratorium visitors. Program development at the Exploratorium emphasizes iterative prototyping and incorporates input from program leadership and project team members, as well as visitor feedback. Program Developers research, cultivate, and steward collaborative relationships between the Exploratorium and content providers who may be community members, artists, scientists, and museum staff, and work confidently and collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders including Marketing and Institutional Advancement departments. Program Developers are individuals with strong creative, organizational, and interpersonal experience and interest in working with Exploratorium staff, the public, and community groups.
The Senior Program Developer independently creates and produces high-quality program experiences while maintaining oversight of administration and communication.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Idea Generation and Execution:
- In collaboration with program teams, external content providers, internal experts, and collaborators, generates, prototypes, and produces wide ranging, high-quality program activities under the direction of program leadership; shepherds program activities from conceptualization through implementation, including setting timelines and meeting deadlines, defining audiences, contacting, coordinating and contracting with content providers, determining technical needs and safety requirements, staging events, communicating needs across the institution and aligning budgets.
- Supports content providers before and during programs to insure success with museum audiences and compliance with museum standards of safety and quality.
- Gathers and interprets feedback to support iteration; evaluates the effectiveness of a wide range of experiences in a variety of program formats.
- Identifies content providers who can interpret museum related concepts and content for the public through experience-based activities. Evaluates activities in terms of how they support and inform program priorities.
Team Participation:
Participates as a program team member; actively and physically supports other team members in developing and producing a weekly schedule of programs for the public.
- Supports positive team functioning through flexibility, giving and receiving feedback, online and in-person communication, and openness to trying out new ideas.
- Facilitates productive partnerships with internal stakeholders like marketing, membership and other departments. Effectively facilitates the ideas of others, including other team members and other colleagues producing programming.
Community Engagement:
- Attends to and develops relationships with relevant organizations, community groups and individuals as needed for programs, under leadership guidance.
- Scopes and shepherds key partnerships along with program leadership.
Collaboration and Communication:
- Documents and administers program work according to standards set by department and program leadership and in compliance with museum policy and procedures.
- Implements, updates, maintains and monitors program documentation in accordance to department procedures. Maintains information on content providers and documents expenses under direction of manager.
- Gathers program information to share across the institution to be used for web, marketing, PR etc.
- Acts as liaison with other program staff and other Exploratorium teams.
- Effectively monitors and is able to communicate about the program calendar.
- Participates in cross divisional and cross institutional projects/committees. Monitors and attends to goals of other museum departments and programs.
- Supports the development and implementation of new systems or production strategies
Other
- Availability to work evenings and/or weekends
- Ability to lift/carry 25 pounds
- Other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Curiosity, creative and inventiveness.
- Bachelor level degree or equivalent combination of education and work experience
- Minimum 3 years of experience planning, developing, and/or presenting programs in a museum, classroom, or informal education environment, including:
- generating program ideas
- planning and implementing programs
- facilitating learning experiences for adults, children, and/or families
- Demonstrated understanding of Exploratorium pedagogy
- Proven ability to work effectively on teams and with colleagues, and outside content providers (artists, scientists, etc.)
- Demonstrated capacity to produce in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
- Excellent spoken and written communication skills
- Excellent attention to detail and follow through
- Proven ability to be flexible and maintain positivity on challenging projects
- Demonstrated problem solving ability
- Cross-cultural fluency and ability to work with diverse people (bilingual/bicultural a plus)
APPLICATION DEADLINE
This position is open until filled
HOW TO APPLY
This is a regular, full-time (37.5 hours per week), exempt, union position that includes benefits. The starting range for this role is $44.91 to $47.54. This range represents steps 1-3 of a 6 step union pay scale. Please, no phone calls in regards to this job. To apply, please visit the Exploratorium job page.
The Exploratorium is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and values diversity, inclusion and respect. We welcome and strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.
Exploratorium
Piers 15/17, San Francisco, CA 94111
Website: https://www.exploratorium.edu/about/jobs. No phone calls, please
The Exploratorium is committed to a diverse workforce.
