How You’ll Contribute
The National Geographic Society headquarters, based in Washington, D.C., is undergoing a significant renovation project on its campus (called Base Camp), which will be completed in 2026. The public-facing portion of this renovation will be the new National Geographic Museum of Exploration. Components of the new museum will include a state-of-the-art pavilion entrance, auditorium, iconic photo gallery, exhibition space, immersive walk-through attraction, retail, food and beverage, education center, archives, tours, and exciting new event space. The capstone of the renovation is a one-of-a-kind nighttime experience in the courtyard.Your Impact
Your Impact
Responsibilities Include:
Program Development & Curation (40%)
Oversee the conceptualization, design, and continuous refinement of a comprehensive suite of public programs for the Museum of Exploration, including but not limited to: lectures, workshops, tours, family days, performances, film screenings, and community festivals.
Identify and analyze trends in museum education, public engagement, and cultural programming to inform innovative program development.
Identify and analyze current and upcoming trends and gaps within the Washington D.C. cultural attraction market to inform program development and strategy.
Work closely with Exhibitions, Education, and Explorer Elevation departments to ensure programs are age appropriate, content-rich, and complement museum offerings.
Collaborate with the Advancement team to identify and support event sponsorship opportunities, including providing program concepts, assets, and logistics support that align with sponsor goals and mission impact.
Cultivate and maintain partnerships with Explorers, community organizations, and other stakeholders to enhance program offerings.
Ensure programs are accessible, inclusive, and reflect the diverse interests of the target audience.
Operational Oversight: (30%)
Develop and manage the annual Museum Public Programming budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility and efficient allocation of resources.
Implement robust project management methodologies to ensure programs are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest standards.
Develop and implement departmental processes and best practices specific to program planning, production, and evaluation, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and alignment across all Public Programming initiatives.
Oversee seamless execution of all Museum of Exploration public programs, coordinating with operations, facilities, and other relevant departments.
Ensure compliance with all relevant policies, procedures, and safety regulations.
Team Leadership & Management: (20%)
Build a strong team culture, focused on creativity, teamwork, innovation, and service of the overall National Geographic mission
Recruit, train, mentor, and manage a high-performing team of public programming professionals, including the Manager, Family & Educational Programing as well as the Manager, Entertainment Programming, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Provide clear direction, set performance expectations, conduct regular evaluations, and support the professional development of team members.
Audience Engagement & Evaluation: (10%)
Establish metrics for program success and conduct regular evaluations to assess impact, gather feedback, and inform future planning.
Collaborate strategically with the Marketing team to develop and implement marketing strategies that ensure the success of all Museum Public Programming initiatives, regularly reviewing and adjusting approaches based on performance and audience insights.
Utilize data and audience insights to continually refine and improve programming strategies.
What You’ll Bring
Educational Background
Bachelor’s degree preferred
Minimum Years and Type of Experience
Minimum of 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in public programming, informal education, or performing arts management, with at least 4+ years in a leadership or managerial capacity within a museum or similar cultural institution.
Necessary Knowledge and Skills
Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder public events, and significant complex budgets.
Exceptional leadership, team-building, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate staff
Strong analytical skills with the ability to use data and audience insights to drive decision-making
Effective written and oral communications skills
Ability to manage competing priorities and multitask while under tight deadlines
Availability to attend evening and weekend events
Excellent organizational, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Desired Qualifications
Background in museum programming, performing arts, or educational events.
Experience with revenue-generating public programs and/or grant-funded initiatives
Supervision
2+ direct reports
Salary Information
The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry-specific market data for similar-sized nonprofit organizations.
The salary range for this position accounts for a wide range of factors including but not limited to organizational need; specific skill sets; experience and training; certifications; and more. At the National Geographic Society, individuals are typically hired at or near the starting point of the salary range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.
The hourly range for this position is $123,500.00 - $130,000.00.In addition, the National Geographic Society offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; engaging and comprehensive wellness program; 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment; flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year) and 10 days of sick leave; 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31; paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits; learning and development opportunities; Lifestyle Spending Account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy; employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit; and a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks.
Job Designation
Resident - Our Resident category recognizes that certain staff need to be physically present at Base Camp to do their work. Some Resident staff must be at Base Camp every day to do their jobs, while others may only need to be physically present onsite some of the time to meet looming deadlines or to get work done and may require a unique schedule. As such, this category has been revised to provide maximum flexibility depending on what’s required for each individual role. The days Resident staff come into the office will be determined by their teams and workflow, and they should work with their supervisors to determine their specific schedule. And throughout the year, their schedule may be adjusted based on cyclical work cycles, deadlines, and/or ebbs and flows of work.Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.