Education Manager

The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (LLPA) is a 501(c3) non-profit organization that provides the community with countless educational opportunities to understand and respect our precious Earth and its living ecosystems, from the Utah deserts and mountains, to rain forest habitats, to the planet’s vast oceans.  Working at The Living Planet Aquarium is more than just a job, it is purpose-driven work.  We need exceptionally talented and hardworking team members to join us on our mission of inspiring people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems.  We offer competitive compensation and benefits packages including medical, dental, life insurance, disability, flexible spending account, 401(k) with match, PTO, Holiday Pay, New Child Leave, Aquarium Memberships and passes, and much more. 

Position Summary

The Education Manager leads the Education Team in delivering education programs that are interesting, fun, and educational. They ensure that Aquarium guests, students, and teachers are inspired to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems. The Education Manager is responsible for the creation and management of the Education Department’s programming including: on-site interpretation by Aquarium educators, daily programs offered to the general public, field trips, outreach programs, camps, and other youth, family, and community programs.

The Education Manager evaluates current education programs for impact, engagement, and results. This includes ensuring that programs achieve LLPA mission goals, comply with LLPA policy, increase guest engagement and satisfaction, stay within budget and that school programs are aligned with Utah Core Curriculum.

The Education Manager is responsible for interviewing, onboarding, training, mentoring, and evaluating the performance of Assistant Education Managers and Aquarium Educators.

The education manager works closely with the Director of Education, other LLPA Education Leadership, and all LLPA departments to further the mission of the aquarium throughout the state. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 1 year of experience in team management.
• Management experience in entertainment/hospitality venues (zoos, aquariums, theme parks).
• 1 year of experience in formal or informal science (or STEM) education for K-12, with demonstrated experience in program development and evaluation.
• Animal handling experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a science-related field.
• Master’s degree.
• 3 + years of experience in team management and program development/evaluation.  
• 3 + years of experience in formal or informal science (or STEM) education for K-12 preferred, with demonstrated experience in program development and evaluation.
• Bilingual fluency, especially in Spanish/English. 
• National Association for Interpretation Certified Interpretive Guide status.

Critical Skills/Competencies

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Extreme attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Capable of creative problem-solving in time-sensitive situations.
• Ability to model outstanding work ethic and manage own schedule to include punctuality, dependability, and outstanding time management.
• Ability to maintain a team environment based on trust, open communication, and team cohesion.
• Excellent conflict resolution and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong computer software/multimedia skills including proficiency in all Microsoft Office applications.
• Competency in collecting, organizing, and presenting diverse information about programs and staff.
• Maintain a working knowledge of all current education programs.
• Maintain a working knowledge of Utah state science standards and requirements.
• Professional, helpful attitude and ability to work with a wide variety of people including professionals, children, families, and those with special needs.
• Strong understanding of basic science principles and teaching methods.
• Strong presenting skills for both formal and informal situations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Display an outstanding work ethic and model excellence in leadership through LLPAs Five-Keys.
• Supervise, train and guide team members in the performance of daily duties, and in achieving department and organizational goals.
• Oversee the creation of schedules, monitoring of hours, and preparation of payroll for the Education Team. 
• Provide the Education team with effective timely communication to ensure that all members understand the team’s objectives and work together to achieve them.
• Ensure excellence in the Education Team’s presentation and thematic interpretation skills.   
• Provide support for Assistant Managers, Leads, and Educators
• Evaluate the effectiveness of all education programs, presentations, camps and field trips by conducting comprehensive reviews, collecting data and identifying continuous improvement, opportunities based on best practices. 
• Work with the Director of Education to Initiate, develop, and oversee the creation of new educational content, programs, camps and interpretive outlines. 
•  Collaborate with organizations outside of LLPA to create partnerships, expand program opportunities and enhance existing educational content.
•  Responsible for interviewing, onboarding, training, mentoring, and evaluating the performance of Assistant Education Managers and Aquarium Educators.
• Conduct regular reviews, including 90-Day, annual and mid-year reviews for staff.  
• Provide leadership by fostering a cohesive, creative, and comfortable working environment.
• Maintain a high-level of quality in staff performance through regular feedback including coaching and discipline when required.
• Ensure program and project goals are met
• Assist with the management of the safety and maintenance of outreach transportation fleet of vans.
• Lead the outreach and field trip programs, including scheduling, planning and organizing trips to schools across Utah, processing receipts and expense reports, and field trips to LLPA.
• Assist the Director of Education in creating budgets, annual strategic plans, and department goals.
• Collaborate closely with other departments as assigned for project development and general operations.
• Provide logistical support to all programs, camps, outreach, and field trips  
• Assist with seasonal and annual reports for all education department grants. 
• Attend professional development opportunities to improve education department capabilities.
• Participate in fundraising, public relations and the promotion of the organization as needed. 
• Perform other duties as assigned by Director of Education. 

The Living Planet Aquarium is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.  We do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or military status.   The Living Planet Aquarium is committed to ensuring individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application and interview process.  Should you require accommodations, please contact accomodation@thelivingplanet.com.

Depending on the volume of interests and submissions, we will only be contacting applicants who meet all of the minimum requirements listed in the job posting. Only those applicants who align most closely with our minimum and preferred qualifications will be contacted for an interview. Loveland Living Planet Aquarium will retain your application materials for one year and may contact you regarding future opportunities.