Overview:    

The Montana Science Center Board of Directors is seeking an enthusiastic leader to bring their love of science and passion for accessible education to our interactive learning center who will be charged with implementing our mission, vision, values, and strategic plan.

We seek an individual who has the skills and abilities to collaboratively work with the Board of Directors, oversee and direct all aspects of operations, develop funding strategies and identify opportunities, establish and nurture key collaborations with local and regional partners, drive the development of innovative new programming, capitalize on education outreach opportunities, and develop and execute a long-term strategic plan for the Science Center.

Qualifications:    

The ideal candidate will be outgoing, personable, and a compelling spokesperson who is able to articulate the mission of the organization to diverse audiences and able to rally people around a vision. They will understand the basics of developing marketing and communications plans and be able to interact effectively one-on-one, with small groups, and successfully deliver formal presentations to large audiences.

Key responsibilities include:

Developing and implementing an annual communications plan and calendar that incorporates and integrates website, social media, and traditional communication materials.

Developing messaging, literature, and reports for various stakeholders.

Seeking opportunities to secure public visibility for the organization, through media outlets, presentations, conferences, and other venues.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

A bachelor’s degree is required.

A master's degree in STEM education or experience in business or nonprofit management are preferred.

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in a comparable organization is preferred.

Experience growing membership organizations, fundraising, building donor and community relationships, and working with nonprofit boards, committees, and the public is essential.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

Strong interpersonal communications skills.

Creative, self- directed, energetic, and a team player.

The ability to build collaborative relationships, financial savvy, a track record of results.

A commitment to fostering diversity, inclusion, and equity.

Job Responsibilities:    

Leadership and Planning:

The ideal candidate will be a dynamic leader who takes initiative and gets things done by taking a strategic vision and transforming it into concrete and high-impact programs. They will possess a leadership style that is direct and decisive, yet also empowers and encourages others to take initiative. The selected individual will possess the demonstrated ability to recruit and develop a leadership team that works in an integrated way to achieve major goals, recognize staff for their accomplishments, be open to ideas from all team members, and provide feedback concerning performance.

Key Responsibilities include:

Working closely with the Board to develop and implement the strategic plan, establish policies, and provide leadership and inspiration for the staff and volunteers.

Developing and monitoring annual operational plans for achieving annual strategic objectives.

Leading the development of an appropriate staff structure and the development of personnel policies and procedures.

Hiring, motivating, encouraging, and managing staff.

Programming and Exhibits:

Programming and exhibits play a critical role in designing fun, memorable, and human-centered experiences that tell inspiring science stories at MSC. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated a commitment to children’s education and their intellectual, physical, and emotional development through the conceptualization and creation of high-quality, interactive programming.

Key responsibilities include:

Managing key aspects of exhibit and program development and maintenance.

Creating and maintaining exhibit experiences that make science engaging.

Ensuring high-quality, science-based exhibits and programs.

Developing and managing membership programming and benefits.

Financial Management:

The ideal candidate will possess a high level of financial literacy and good business judgment. They will have experience establishing and managing budgets and all aspects of financial oversight and management.

Key responsibilities include:

Preparing and monitoring annual budgets and fundraising and operational plans for finance committee review and board approval.

Working with the finance committee and treasurer to ensure effective financial oversight.

Implementing the board approved organizational and project budgets while maintaining the fiscal integrity of the organization’s finances.

Developing and instituting fiscal policies as approved by the board.

Fundraising:

The ideal candidate will be a relationship builder who has a high level of organizational and political sophistication. They will have demonstrated success in membership growth, be able to think beyond traditional income sources to identify unique funding opportunities, connect programs to funding, creatively generate other resources, and build collaborative and strategic partnerships.

Key responsibilities include:

Collaborating with the Director of Development to craft annual, diversified fundraising plans.

Partnering with the Board to identify and meet with current and prospective donors and corporate sponsors.

Working with the Board and Director of Development to identify and implement strategies to build relations with donors and sponsors.