Assistant Director, Learning Programs Operations

TITLE: Assistant Director, Learning Programs Operations
DEPARTMENT: Learning Programs
REPORTS TO: Sr. Director, Learning Programs
STATUS: Full-time, Exempt
SALARY: $75,000 - $85,000 
LOCATION: Hybrid - Chicago, IL.

TIME COMMITMENT: Must be able to work irregular hours, including occasional evenings, weekends, and overnight/off-site programs/events 
 
POSITION OVERVIEW:   

The Learning Programs Department creates and facilitates equitable and accessible environmental educational experiences that extend beyond standard museum visits, offering participants the chance to engage more deeply with learning opportunities. Our programs cater to diverse groups, including students, educators, teenagers, out-of-school youth, and families. We offer a comprehensive range of programming, including camps, specialized school experiences, professional development for teachers, after-school youth programs, and family-focused engagements. These programs take place across multiple venues—from our facilities at Shedd to community sites, outdoor natural environments, and online digital platforms. 

Reporting to the Sr. Director of Learning Programs, this position will work in collaboration to provide leadership and drive educational excellence, advancing the department’s annual operational plan. This role encompasses program planning and implementation guidance, staff and finance management, data and resource oversight, as well as evaluation planning support. This position will be responsible for fostering community partnerships, collaborating with internal teams to advance annual goals, and maximizing opportunities for innovation in teaching and learning.  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.   

• Leadership and Annual Plan Management 
  • Demonstrate leadership following Shedd’s mission and values 
  • Provides insights and expertise into the department’s annual and long-term strategy.  
  • Execute annual operating plans with a focus on resource optimization, educational excellence, measurable outcomes, and DEAIJ strategies.   
  • Ensure team meets curriculum development and learning standards by contributing expertise and critical review of programming suite as needed 
  • Ensures annual goals and objectives for the department are being met and communicates progress towards benchmarks and indicators consistently to the director and other key stakeholders. 
  • Supports the managers in the interview and hiring process 
  • Prepares and contributes to all organizational annual planning outputs 
• Staff Supervision and Development 
  • Provide direct supervision and mentorship to the Learning Programs Managers as well as oversight of 25 museum educators, seasonal interns, volunteers, and community partners as needed.  
  • Foster a collaborative culture that empowers staff to contribute meaningfully to organizational success. 
  • Collaborate with leadership to seek out and monitor professional development opportunities and training programs. 
  • Maintain high standards for resource management, annual planning, and program delivery.   
• Financial and Operational Management 
  • Oversee the department’s annual operating budget in conjunction with the annual plan, manage spending against budgets with managers, and communicate regular fiscal status updates to the director  
  • Collaborate with development and finance teams on grant tracking and reporting needs 
  • Monitor budget execution and guide managers in effective resource allocation. 
  • In collaboration with the managers and coordinator, oversee programmatic operations that support program and partner logistics. (Waivers, collaborative agreements, Tessitura program builds, registration launches, website updates, and other needs as they arise.) 
• Data Management and Evaluation 
  • Partner with the evaluation and research team to implement comprehensive assessment strategies.  
  • Utilize data insights to recommend program improvements in collaboration with the managers. 
  • Collaborate with internal stakeholders on program and partner data management, tracking, reports, attendance, and other needs. 
• Partnership and Collaboration 
  • Develop and maintain relationships with community partners.   
  • Build and nurture intra- and interdepartmental relationships to maximize collaborative opportunities and broaden understanding of organizational assets. 
  • Collaborate with aquarium-wide teams to ensure expertise as it relates to learning is integrated across programs, projects, and initiatives. 
  • Collaborates with External Affairs and Marketing to support storytelling strategies for internal and external audiences 
• Professional Development 
  • Demonstrate ongoing commitment to professional and personal growth through self-directed learning, training participation, and peer collaboration. 
  • Model organizational values and mission in all professional interactions 
  • Engage in continuous dialogue with colleagues to enhance departmental effectiveness 

QUALIFICATIONS: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. 

Education: Bachelor’s degree in education leadership, science/environmental studies, or a related field.
 
Experience:   

• 5 years of experience designing, implementing, and managing educational programming using a lens of DEAIJ (diversity, equity, accessibility, inclusion, and justice). 
• 3  years of experience successfully managing diverse teams  
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and grants 
• Demonstrated passion for informal environmental education and knowledge of both best practices and innovative approaches 
• Experience working with students, educators, teens, youth, and/or families in an informal &/or formal education setting 
• Ability to work independently as well as within team-based environments 
• Strong organizational and time management skills 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate effectively with professionals and diverse audiences; strong cultural competency is required 
• Advanced familiarity with digital and media literacy technologies and standards, and use of performance assessments of educators' abilities to align instructional strategies to standards 
• Ability to discover and use social media tools for learning (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.).  
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel 
• Experience with presentation software such as PowerPoint or Prezi 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Bilingualism (Spanish/English preferred) 
• Experience working with students, educators, teens, youth, and/or families from Chicago communities or other urban areas 
• Experience with culturally relevant science education practices and instructional strategies 

BENEFITS OF WORKING AT SHEDD: We offer competitive compensation packages and opportunities for professional growth within our organization. 

• Medical Insurance, including FSA and HSA plan options
• Vision and Dental Insurance 
• Accrued Paid Time Off 
• Up to 12 Paid Holidays 
• Life Insurance 
• Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
• 401(k)
• Discounted Parking and Public Transit Subsidies
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Wellness program, including Preventive Care Incentive 
• Employee Discounts
• Employee Tickets 

Reasonable Accommodations: 
Shedd Aquarium is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodations for any part of the employment process, please email us at jobs@sheddaquarium.org. 

We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ community, veterans and active duty military, parents, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from all cultural backgrounds to apply. Shedd Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team. 

Salary : $75,000 - $85,000