Sea Center Programs Manager at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Sea Center

Santa Barbara, California, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

15 Jan, 26

Salary

70304.0

Posted On

18 Oct, 25

Experience

2 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Education Program Development, Community Engagement, Curriculum Design, Event Coordination, Interpersonal Skills, Organizational Skills, Communication Skills, Team Collaboration, Customer Service, Volunteer Management, Data Tracking, Program Evaluation, Supervisory Skills, Spanish Fluency, Marine Biology Knowledge, Environmental Science Knowledge

Industry

Museums;Historical Sites;and Zoos

Description

Description Position Title: Sea Center Programs Manager Department: Sea Center Reports to: Director of Sea Center Classification: Full-Time, Exempt Schedule: Monday – Friday Wage Band: Managers Salary: $68,640 - $70,304* Mission: The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History inspires a thirst for discovery and a passion for the natural world. Position Summary: The Sea Center Programs Manager is responsible for the development, coordination, and delivery of dynamic, mission-aligned programming at the Sea Center. This role oversees all Sea Center educational offerings with a special focus on K–12 school programs, community engagement events such as Underwater Parks Day and World Oceans Day, and Nature Adventures Camps & Classes. The Programs Manager collaborates closely with the Sea Center Naturalist & Volunteer Manager, and the Education team at the Museum of Natural History site, to align interpretive curriculum and training with educational goals and museum-wide standards. Specific Responsibilities: Education Program Leadership Lead the vision, design, and implementation of K–12 educational programs at the Sea Center, including on-site, and beach-based programming, ensuring alignment with the Museum’s mission, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and educational best practices. Oversee the development and regular review of school and camp curricula in coordination with the School Programs and Nature Adventures teams. Serve as the primary lead for all community education events at the Sea Center (e.g., World Oceans Day, Underwater Parks Day), ensuring high-quality content and effective facilitation. Collaborate with Museum education staff to support program consistency, alignment, and staff cross-training between campuses. Manage scheduling, registration, and communication for school programs, group visits, and community events using online systems, phone, and email. Process confirmations, payments, and maintain accurate records and program data for tracking and reporting purposes. Create weekly schedules for school and group visits, coordinating with staff to ensure coverage. Track program statistics and evaluate effectiveness to inform program improvements and strategic decisions. Ensure all educational activities operate within staffing and facility constraints in collaboration with Sea Center operational leadership. Support and oversee Nature Adventures programming hosted at the Sea Center, working closely with the Nature Adventures Manager. Supervise on-site camp staff and serve as the on-site camp contact for families during programming. Collaborate with Nature Adventures Manager on the development of camp curriculum and help organize materials and classroom logistics. Assist with updating registration systems (e.g., UltraCamp) as needed, generating reports, and facilitating extended-day camp coverage and logistical needs. Organizational Support & Team Contribution Supervise the Sea Center Programs Coordinator and seasonal instructional staff; support the recruitment, training, and performance evaluation of staff. Collaborate with the Naturalist & Volunteer Manager to deliver training and ensure alignment between volunteer-led interpretation and educational programming. Represent the Sea Center at community outreach events (e.g., Earth Day, school Science Nights) and build relationships with educators and community partners. Participate in Education Division and Sea Center meetings, trainings, and retreats. Maintain clean, safe, and organized work and classroom environments consistent with Museum safety and operational standards. Provide exceptional customer service to guests, students, teachers, and families. Supports the Museum’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion for fellow staff, guests and the community. Support general Sea Center operations as needed, including opening and closing procedures, floor staffing, and guest service. Contributes to a positive guest experience by greeting and addressing any questions when encountering guests as they navigate through the Museum and Sea Center. Other duties as assigned. Essential Requirements: Bachelor's degree or higher, preferably in education, science, or a related field. Proven experience developing and delivering education programs in a museum, classroom, or informal science learning setting. Familiarity with NGSS and experiential teaching methods. Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills (in-person, phone, and email). Ability to work independently and collaboratively across departments. Must be available to work on-site weekdays with occasional evenings, weekends, and early mornings. Comfortable working in dynamic environments with last-minute changes. Must be professional, courteous, and inclusive with guests, staff, and community partners. Preferred Qualifications: Experience with education databases and online registration systems. Spanish fluency (written and oral) a plus. Knowledge of environmental and conservation science topics. Background in marine biology. Supervisory or team leadership experience. Work Environment: Frequent outdoor instruction on beach and pier environments in variable weather. Frequent contact with saltwater. Regular walking, standing, bending, and lifting (up to 30 lbs.). Significant computer and phone work. Occasional work with groups of up to 200 participants. Shared, open office space. The incumbent must be able to perform each requirement of the position as outlined in the job description. Essential Requirements are representative and are essential for satisfactory job performance. The Work Environment characteristics are representative of those that may be encountered while on the job. The Museum will make reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. *The pay range above represents the budgeted range for a new hire, encompassing the minimum and maximum rates. Placement within this range will depend on factors such as specific skills, qualifications, relevant years of experience, and alignment with the salaries of current employees in similar roles. In most cases, newly hired employees are placed below the midpoint of the range.

Responsibilities

The Sea Center Programs Manager is responsible for developing, coordinating, and delivering educational programming at the Sea Center, focusing on K–12 school programs and community engagement events. This role includes overseeing curricula, managing schedules, and collaborating with various teams to ensure high-quality educational experiences.