Hours: 40 Hours per week
Position Category: Exempt, with Benefits
Reports to: Director of Conservatory
The Director of Engagement is a key member of the Leadership Team and reports to the Conservatory Director. The Director of Engagement works closely with all Leadership team members, the Conservatory Director and the Volunteer Council. This position is primarily responsible for defining, leading and evaluating Conservatory education and engagement efforts. This position will strategically elevate and drive aspirational engagement techniques to better build the connection between the Conservatory’s diverse and wide ranging audience and plants, all while working towards the Conservatory’s larger vision goals of 1) developing direct connections with our local community 2) emerging as a leader in rare and unusual plant conservation 3) developing capital for the organization to invest in its long term ability to not just sustain, but flourish. Finally, the Director of Engagement understands and communicates the needs and messaging of the Conservatory to inspire every single guest by connecting people and plants.
PRIMARY DUTIES
Engagement (65% of the time):
- Develops a culture of engagement at all levels of the organization that prioritizes staff and volunteers creating meaningful and inspiring connections to rare and unusual plants and the national landmark Conservatory structure
- With Leadership Team input, regularly re-evaluate visitor journey map and engagement techniques while making appropriate changes to touchpoints to improve the overall guest experience from day time visits to night time experiences
- Complete an ongoing analysis of rare, engaging and unusual plants that are currently in the Conservatory’s collection and develops meaningful and engaging content, i.e. tours, exhibits, interpretation platforms, public programs, while simultaneously and in coordination with the Chief Nursery Specialist scouting new accessions for the collection
- Collaborates directly with the horticulture, marketing and engagement teams to develop engagement strategy that informs and is informed by the plant collection
- Provides oversight and direction to curriculum based, formal education programs at the Conservatory, including development of content and training materials
- Oversee visit planning tools, working with internal partners to collaboratively address the physical and digital planning needs of visitors and classrooms during pre-visit, visit, and post visit
- Demonstrated familiarity with and/or background in life sciences, plant sciences or tropical rainforest ecosystems
- Works across departments to create excellent, accurate and meaningful visitor experiences, that ultimately foster long-term relationships with visitors and members.
- Works closely with development staff and funders to assure the availability of resources to maintain and advance engagement programs
- Utilizes observation, evaluation, and public interviews to assess public programs. Documents program with statistics and photographs.
- Plan, implement and manage the engagement and volunteer program budgets.
- Play an active role in new exhibit design, installation and evaluation throughout the Conservatory
- Develop and track programming performance indicators to be utilized for donor and public relations communications
- Work with Conservatory staff to create signs and displays for permanent exhibits and special exhibits
Leadership and Management (30%)
- Serve on the Conservatory’s Leadership Team to guide the implementation of institutional goals while working with the Advisory Council
- Manage 1.5 full time equivalents, Volunteer Manager and Education and Volunteer Coordinator
- Supervise the Volunteer Council
HOURS
- 40 hours per week, Tuesday – Saturday
- Must be available on weekends and evenings
REQUIREMENTS
* The single greatest qualification is experience in developing education or interpretation at a life sciences or botany related field/ institution
- Established and effective engagement professional; highly skilled in writing and speaking; able to communicate the Conservatory’s mission and interests to a broad and diverse audience
- Fiercely committed to connecting people and plants in creative, meaningful ways.
- Successful track record of a minimum of 5+ years personally leading cultural institutions engagement and/or education efforts
- Excellent organizational, event and project management skills. Proven ability to set goals and meet deadlines; implement programs as well as to see the big picture. Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize short-term and long-term projects.
- Demonstrated ability to gain the respect and support of various constituencies, including staff and advisory council members, donors, foundation and civic leaders, volunteers, and community partners
- Demonstrated ability of using data to build a robust and diverse engagement strategy and portfolio is critical
- Familiarity with the public horticulture community
- Strategic, organized and able to balance multiple competing and often challenging timelines/deadlines for projects with sometimes unreasonable deadlines
- Previous supervisory and management experience, and consensus builder with strong leadership skills that empowers a bright staff
- Team builder/team player – dedicated to the success of the team
- Excellent customer service, hospitality, and diplomacy skills, including ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations, exhibit perseverance, and act with grace under pressure.
- Proficient in MS Office Suite, experience working with donor/CRM databases; Salesforce experience highly desired
- Commitment to the Conservatory’s mission: connecting people and plants in a place of exceptional beauty
- Demonstrated ability to continually provide open and honest communication, collaboration and continually display organizational thoughtfulness.
- Hands-on, energetic leader; sense of humor essential!
The Conservatory of Flowers is an Equal Opportunity Employer. People of color, women, military veterans and members of the LGBTQ community are strongly encouraged to apply.
