Site Director - Forge Makerspace

Site Director — Forge Makerspace (Santa Monica, CA)

Forge Makerspace is a hands-on STEM and maker education space in Santa Monica where kids learn engineering, robotics, and creative problem-solving through real projects. We're looking for a Site Director to run our space day to day — the person families trust, instructors look to, and students get excited to see.

About the Role

As Site Director, you'll own the day-to-day operations of our makerspace and be the point of accountability for a safe, clean, welcoming environment and a high-quality experience for every student and family. Your biggest responsibility is leading the team: managing instructors, building the schedule, and making sure every shift is covered — especially on weekends.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who loves working with kids, has the technical background to support engineering and robotics programming, and takes pride in running a tight, well-organized operation.

What You'll Do

• Manage, train, and schedule instructors; ensure every shift is fully covered and step in to teach or supervise as needed
• Own coverage for weekdays, weekends, and camps — you're the person who makes sure the space is always staffed and running
• Hire and onboard new instructors as programs grow
• Own family communications — email, phone, in-person questions, monthly newsletters, camp info, and behavioral conversations
• Manage bookings, schedule changes, refunds, and check-in/out through our systems, plus other billing.
• Keep the space clean, organized, and fully stocked — including ordering project materials, consumables, and camp lunches
• Ensure on-time, well-run daily schedules during the school year and summer camps

Requirements

• Proven leadership or management experience — comfortable hiring, training, scheduling, and holding a team accountable
• Genuine enthusiasm for working with kids and making STEM exciting
• Excellent communication skills with both parents and staff
• Highly organized and accountable, with strong follow-through on operations and scheduling
• Able to stay calm, warm, and welcoming in a busy environment

Nice to Have, not required:

• A technical background — engineering, robotics, or hands-on making — strong enough to support programming and step in when needed
• Serve as technical lead for projects that need deeper engineering insight
• Maintain, repair, and purchase engineering tools and equipment

Schedule

• School year: ~40 hours/week, generally Monday–Friday, with occasional weekends.
• Summer: ~40 hours/week, Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM

Compensation & Benefits

• $71,000–$80,000 per year, depending on experience
• 10 days PTO per year
• 401(k) with employer contributions (immediate eligibility)
• Complimentary personal use of the makerspace during off-hours