Outreach & Public Programs Coordinator

Seattle Children's Museum; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Seattle Children’s Museum is seeking an Outreach & Public Programs Manager to expand access to playful learning for children and families. You will coordinate off-site programs, support field trips, manage communications and events, and track outcomes with the Education Team.

The role emphasizes equity, access, and a child-centered, play-based educational philosophy, with collaboration across departments and community partners.

Qualifications

• 2 years' experience facilitating learning experiences for 3–12 year olds and their caregivers.
• Ability to lead play-based learning in museum and community settings.
• Experience coordinating public programs, field trips, and partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Lead primary education for community outreach and on-site field trips.
• Facilitate play-based learning and adapt to diverse ages and needs.
• Manage logistics, budget, and communications for public programs.
• Coordinate with Education Team and train staff on best practices.
• Represent SCM's mission and values in community interactions.

Skills

Play-based learning

Community engagement

Public programs

Staff training

Customer service

Event coordination

Education

First aid/CPR/AED certification

Tools

Blackbaud Altru

Microsoft Office

Job description

Reports to:Director of Education & Programs

Schedule:36-40 hours per week, Tuesday - Saturday, 8:30am – 5:00pm, with frequent holidays and occasional evenings or different days

Location:In-person at Seattle Children’s Museum, with frequent off‑site programs in the greater Seattle region

POSITION SUMMARY

TheOutreach & Public Programs Managerexpands equitable access to playful learning for children and families on behalf of the Museum, with particular attention to underserved communities and King County Title I schools. This role coordinates and delivers off‑site programs; supports on‑site field trips and optional classroom experiences; manages public program communications and logistics, including partnership programs and museum‑wide events in collaboration with the Education Team; and tracks participation, revenue, expenses, and partner feedback. The manager serves as a visible and active ambassador for SCM’s child‑centered, inclusive, and play‑based educational philosophy.

The Outreach & Public Programs Manager is an integral part of the Education Team, whose education and programming work augments the Museum’s physical experience by creating ever‑changing and strategic ways to engage Museum audiences, and foster relationships with these audiences in order to support the Museum and its mission. Together, the Education Team builds relationships with (and between) our community through play‑based learning experiences in classes, camps, and public programming. They work closely with colleagues across departments, not only to coordinate program logistics, but also to train colleagues and collaborate on best practices in museum education, visitor experience, and daily programs. As a staff, we dream big and are committed to doing impactful work – this position will bring our mission and values to life with our visitors daily.

An ideal candidate will:

• Be comfortable actively teaching, facilitating, and modeling engagement strategies with visitors at the museum and off‑site in community spaces, classrooms, and high‑volume events.
• Be passionate about community engagement and educational access.
• Demonstrate experience confidently engaging and managing groups of children of a range of ages and their adults.
• Demonstrate the ability to tailor hands‑on, play‑based learning to a range of learning styles and needs, as well as varying environments.
• Be comfortable managing program details and logistics.
• Embrace learning as a continuous experience and lead with curiosity.
• Enthusiastically champion an approach that centers community, sustainability, access, and equity in their work.
• Be inspired by the mission and goals of the Seattle Children’s Museum and exhibit them in interactions with the public and with community partners in the museum and off‑site.
• Be collaborative and respectful with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Program Implementation (70%)

• Serve as the primary educator for community outreach programs and on‑site field‑trip add‑on experiences for preschool through 12‑year‑old learners.
• Facilitate open‑ended, play‑based learning invitations for children and the adults who care for them; lead hands‑on learning experiences that cater to varying ages, abilities, and learning styles.
• Adapt delivery to partner settings, learner needs, age ranges, access needs, and culturally responsive practices while maintaining program goals.
• Host and welcome school groups on Museum field trips: Support orientation and check‑in through facilitation and staff training and help manage the visitor experience on the museum floor.
• Manage logistics for Museum public programs, including internal and external communications, partner relationships, and budget, supply, and scheduling logistics.
• Occasionally assist with summer and school break camp operations and facilitation.
• Prepare, transport, maintain, inventory, and order program supplies within the approved budget, in collaboration with the Director of Education & Programs.
• Represent SCM’s mission, values, educational philosophy, and standards of care on site and in the community.

Coordination and Partner Service (15%)

• Manage and schedule outreach and field‑trip inquiries by email and phone, including booking, confirmations, and follow‑up as needed.
• Maintain accurate database records for bookings, attendance, partner information, discounts, payments, and program outcomes, using Microsoft Office suite and current CRM database (Blackbaud’s Altru).
• Assign programs to self and other education staff based on availability and program needs; communicate assignments and details with the Education Team and Visitor Experience Staff.
• Coordinate with Museum staff and train Museum staff on affective field‑trip orientation, check‑in procedures, and floor operations.
• Collect and synthesize feedback from schools and community partners and share actionable findings with the Director of Education and team where appropriate.

Budget and Reporting (10%)

• Track outreach and field‑trip income, discounts, scholarship support, supply expenses, and other approved program costs.
• Provide concise monthly budget and participation reports to the Director of Education & Programs.
• Identify capacity constraints, barriers, and opportunities to improve access and program sustainability.
• Consistently implement evaluation tools for programs.

General Duties (5 %)

• Staff training: As an Education Team, design and implement training (and related documentation) for Museum Services staff on programs, informal learning techniques, and visitor engagement strategies.
• Staff and volunteer management: Occasional management of volunteers and interns during camp programming.
• Participate actively in team meetings, staff training, and Museum‑wide projects.
• Maintain current knowledge of professional best practices, trends, and ethics related to museum/non‑profit education, learning, and community engagement work, including attending and participating in professional development.
• Provide excellent customer service for internal and external stakeholders, including families, guests, and partners.
• Crosstrain to gain first‑hand experience of our mission in action, as well as provide occasional front‑line support in the Museum, including front desk customer service and facilitating play‑based experiences with visitors.

Required Qualifications:

• 2 years' experience facilitating learning experiences for young children ages 3 – 12 years, and their caregivers in a museum, school, early‑learning, community, and/or out‑of‑school setting
• Valid US Driver’s License and clear driving record
• Ability to co‑manage on‑site and off‑site events and public programs with the Education Team, including nurturing relationships with the community and community partners both on and off site; events can include activity booths, school science fairs, museum take‑over special events, and workshops in school classrooms.
• Demonstrated ability to lead engaging, developmentally appropriate, play‑based programs, primarily for children and their adults.
• Strong written and verbal communication, customer service, scheduling, and follow‑through; ability to lead with empathy.
• Demonstrated experience in child classroom or group management, including crowd and classroom management with children and their adults.
• Ability to manage multiple bookings, deadlines, partner relationships, program materials, and accurate records.
• Passion for playful engagement with children (especially from birth through 12 years old) and ability to proactively initiate play‑based learning experiences with children and their adults.
• Demonstrated work or educational training that shows commitment to equity, inclusion, culturally responsive education, and respectful partnerships with diverse communities.
• Ability to work independently in off‑site settings and collaboratively and respectfully in and across Museum teams.
• Comfort using email, shared calendars, spreadsheets, and CRM or registration systems (currently using Blackbaud’s Altru).
• Ability to obtain Adult/Child/Infant First aid, AED, CPR, and blood‑borne pathogens certification. Certification is required for this position, and training will be provided within the first six months of employment.

Desired Qualifications:

• More than 2 years' experience in museum education, informal education, community outreach programming, or similar informal learning fields.
• Experience working with Title I schools, community‑based organizations, or families facing barriers to museum access.
• Experience with program evaluation, basic budget tracking, and/or attendee/participant reporting.
• Knowledge of early childhood and elementary‑age development and inclusive learning; experience with scaffolding curriculum and practices to meet a range of learning styles and abilities.
• Strong child classroom/group management skills.
• Experience with the specific responsibilities listed in the “Position Duties & Responsibilities”.
• Experience with or knowledge of customer service in a fast‑paced retail, museum, or visitor‑focused environment.
• Strong and creative problem‑solving skills; the ability to make choices and pivot in the moment.
• Demonstrated experience with community engagement and/or facilitating partnerships
• Enthusiasm for learning and openness to feedback.
• Experience addressing injuries, incidents, emergencies, and complaints.
• Multilingual, especially Spanish, Chinese/Mandarin, Vietnamese, or ASL.