Job description
Join the Chicago Heritage & Science Museum as our Museum Operations Manager. You will lead a dynamic team responsible for facilities, safety, guest services, and the smooth operation of our public programs and exhibitions.
We seek a strategic leader who thrives in a mission-driven environment, excels at cross-department collaboration, and ensures the highest standards of care for our collections and guest experience.
In this role, you will partner with curators, educators, and security teams to drive operational excellence, safeguard facilities, and ensure accessibility and safety for all visitors.
Responsibility
- Oversee daily museum operations including facilities management, security, front-of-house, and visitor services.
- Lead collections logistics coordination for exhibitions, storage, and handling.
- Develop and manage the annual operating budget; monitor expenditures and optimize resource use.
- Collaborate with curatorial, education, and development teams to deliver high-quality visitor experiences and programs.
- Ensure compliance with safety, accessibility, and regulatory standards; lead emergency response planning.
- Manage vendor relationships, procurement, and facility maintenance; supervise facilities team.
- Monitor performance metrics; implement process improvements to enhance guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.
- Lead staff recruitment, training, and professional development; foster inclusive workplace culture.
Qualification
- Bachelor's degree in Museum Studies, History, Anthropology, Public Administration, or related field; Master's preferred.
- 5+ years in museum operations, facilities management, or logistics; 2+ years in supervisory roles.
- Demonstrated experience with budgeting, procurement, and vendor management.
- Knowledge of collections care, handling standards, and storage best practices.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Proven ability to manage safety compliance (OSHA, ADA, emergency planning) and risk mitigation.
- Proficiency with museum software (collections management systems, ticketing, POS) and MS Office.