Executive Director

 

Reports to: Board of Directors	Status: Exempt, Full-time
Salary Range: $75,000 – $90,000 annually	Date: November 2022

 

Summary / Objective:

The Astrobotic Foundation, a new Pittsburgh-area nonprofit, seeks a passionate and visionary Executive Director to lead the operations and growth of the Moonshot Museum, the first museum in Pennsylvania dedicated entirely to space exploration and the first museum on the planet dedicated to career readiness for the 21^st century space industry. Working alongside the Foundation’s Board of Directors, the Executive Director will have the exciting opportunity to shape the Museum and its exhibits, programs, messaging, fundraising, and operating strategy in its first full year of operations.

The Moonshot Museum provides educational and experiential opportunities designed to make space accessible to all, not just billionaires and astronauts. Its core mission is to inspire a diverse new generation to find their place in the future of space exploration through the pursuit of space careers across a variety of disciplines ranging from science, technology, engineering, and aeronautics to medicine, business, law, policy, humanities, and the arts. The Museum accomplishes this mission by embarking with its visitors on simulated lunar missions, through innovative programming, and with immersive exhibitions. Most impressively, the Museum directly connects its visitors with the real-time work of space via a groundbreaking partnership with Astrobotic—Pittsburgh’s space company and a commercial entity responsible for building the first American lunar lander since the end of the Apollo program in 1972.

The Executive Director will join Moonshot Museum at a unique moment for this young organization. Having recently completed a nearly $3M capital campaign, built up its operations and nonprofit infrastructure, established its founding team, and opened to the public in October 2022, the Executive Director will be responsible for continuing to strengthen the Museum’s operations, build on a successful track record of fundraising, establish innovative local and national partnerships, and oversee all aspects of day to day management of a nonprofit organization with five employees, a budget of approximately $500,000 annually, and estimated attendance of between 50,000-70,000 visitors in 2023.

The Executive Director will be responsible for supporting the mission and vision of the Moonshot Museum and defining its strategic direction. This includes ensuring that resources are in place to accomplish important mission goals, recruiting and retaining staff and volunteers, keeping teams motivated and capable of exceeding expectations, and building a strong, positive organizational culture. The ideal candidate will have a combination of passion for the vision of the Museum, a track record of organizational management, and the ability to generate diverse financial support for innovative programming.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Oversees and coordinates all Moonshot Museum operations and services, including planning, organization, and direction of the Museum
• Leads fundraising and partnership efforts in conjunction with the Board of Directors
• Drives engagement through Museum marketing and communications, including keeping the Museum’s website, social medial channels, and email marketing program up to date and active
• Oversees, tracks, and provides regular financial and operational reporting to the Board
• Supervises the development, prototyping, and implementation of Museum exhibits, in-person programming, virtual programming, and mission experiences.
• Builds, maintains, and strengthens local community ties and regional and national partnerships
• Manages staffing for regular open hours, educational programs, and special tours and events; Fills in if staffing is not available
• Manages contractors across the organization’s operations in areas including finance, marketing, and special events
• Assesses outcomes and measures analytics such as visitors, engagement, and website traffic

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Organizational management or operations experience
• Passion for space and connecting a diverse audience to STEAM topics
• Experience implementing programs focused on diversity and inclusion for underrepresented groups in STEAM
• Familiarity with developing and executing a budget plan; Establishing cost accounting policies, procedures, and operational reporting metrics
• Adept at community engagement and building membership via both traditional networks and new media
• Excellent communication and presentation skills and enthusiasm for engaging with a wide range of audiences. The executive director serves at the Museum’s chief spokesperson
• Integrity and a professional work ethic
• Willingness to relocate to Pittsburgh, PA

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with nonprofits, education, science, or social enterprise strongly desired
• Knowledge of museum policies, programs, issues, and strategies
• Experience launching and leading a new organization and team
• Experience with museum or educational content creation including but not limited to developing lesson plans, designing exhibits, conducting demonstrations, or performing outreach

Compensation:

• Commensurate with experience within an anticipated range of $75,000 to $90,000 per year. This is a full time, salaried position which often requires weekend and evening hours.
• Moonshot Museum’s hiring practices are rooted in an approach driven by equity, innovation, and sustainability. As a new and growing nonprofit organization, Moonshot Museum offers a limited benefits package for its employees including medical insurance and paid time off.

Work Location:

The Executive Director will be based at the Moonshot Museum in the historic Northside neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA. The Museum is located near downtown Pittsburgh and the newly revived public waterfront overlooking the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers. It is within a short walking distance of restaurants, a metro stop, several museums, and Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh has been frequently rated as one of America’s most livable cities and boasts one of the lowest costs of living and average workplace commute times in the country. The greater Pittsburgh region has numerous parks, hiking trails, and outdoor recreational opportunities.

To Apply:

Email a cover letter and resumé to EDsearch@moonshotmuseum.org with the subject line Moonshot Museum Executive Director. Applications will only be accepted via this email address. Please do not make use of other channels, including LinkedIn, to apply.

Employees of the Astrobotic Foundation must also be capable of completing and passing:

• Pennsylvania State Police (PA Access to Criminal History) PATCH Record Check
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Certification Check
• FBI Fingerprint Clearance

It is Moonshot Museum’s policy to hire and promote qualified people and administer all terms and conditions of employment without discrimination due to race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, sex assigned at birth, sexual orientation, transgender identity, gender transition, gender expression, and gender identity), national origin, ancestry, place of birth, disability, age, genetic information, use of a guide or support animal, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, or other protected-class status.

Moonshot Museum does not discriminate based on disability in admission or access to, or employment in, its programs and activities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to enable you to complete the application process, please send a request via email to EDsearch@moonshotmuseum.org.