Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) is committed to providing STEM for all, with unique approaches to STEM education and workforce development that inspire future STEM professionals and the next generation of an increasingly STEM-engaged world. As Cleveland continues to rise, with plans to further increase public access, business, housing, education, and tourism on the lakefront, GLSC will be a central voice. The most recent strategic business plan is driving an exciting comprehensive campaign that is revitalizing our renown education programs, activating the guest experience with major new exhibition galleries and strong staffing, while also building our endowment to ensure a strong future. GLSC’s annual operating budget averages more than $7 million, including 40% contributed revenue, a growing strength of the organization as we near the completion of our comprehensive campaign. The annual operating budget includes more than 60% earned revenue, which is bolstered by summer camps, the café, store, parking garage, and the Cleveland Clinic Dome Theater— the world’s first giant dome cinema laser system. GLSC is home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center and the 9th grade of Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s award-winning MC2 STEM High School.

For three years in a row (2022-2024), GLSC has been voted a top ten science museum in the USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice travel awards. Our organization has repeatedly launched innovative strategic initiatives that receive widespread recognition. Our Manufacturing Day program has become a national model. GLSC’s Robotics Initiative in collaboration with Cleveland Metropolitan School District is a year-round program that prepares students to compete in FIRST and to put their skills to use in transformative ways, like designing and building prosthetics for children. In February 2024, the Cleveland Creates Gallery presented by the Sherwin Williams Company, opened to the public, with an awe-inspiring exhibition focusing on the technology and workforce advances of the region. And in April 2024, GLSC welcomed nearly 40,000 guests to the 2024 Total Eclipse Fest, a science and arts festival presented with NASA Glenn Research Center and The Cleveland Orchestra to provide a once-in-a-lifetime event free to the community.

At GLSC, we embrace and encourage the attributes, characteristics and perspectives that make each person unique. We consider diversity and inclusion essential for institutional excellence and fulfillment of our mission and vision. We believe our strength lies in the collective sum of individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, ingenuity, self-expression, and unique capabilities. Our employees, volunteers, guests, and partners bring and invest these strengths in their daily experiences at Great Lakes Science Center.

Position Overview

The Vice President of Exhibits is a critical position for GLSC in this time of growth. The organization is in the middle of a comprehensive campaign that includes the renovation of flagship galleries. The Vice President will lead the way in developing new exhibitions and improving exhibit experiences in ways that are mission-centric and field-leading. This position gives the ideal candidate a platform to help set the organization’s direction and deepen its impact for generations to come, positioning GLSC as a leader among science centers. The ideal candidate is an experienced creator of audience-focused interactive STEM exhibits, with a proven track record in the field, and a positive approach to team-building and collaboration. The candidate should value working and leading in an environment that fosters a sense of fun, community service, and data-driven decision making. This is an opportunity to join a mission-oriented, experienced, and passionate leadership team that is successfully completing a comprehensive campaign, and actively envisioning the opportunities ahead as Cleveland transforms its downtown lakefront. Application details are available at https://greatscience.com/about/careers

Responsibilities:

The Vice President of Exhibits leads and develops a passionate team of exhibit professionals that maintain, repair, improve, and develop a compelling range of interactive exhibits in strong alignment with GLSC’s guiding principles and mission. As such, the ideal candidate will have experience with, and will be enthusiastic about, creating exhibit experiences that are open-ended, require persistence, and reward collaboration. These exhibit experiences should focus on helping children and their families see themselves as people who can do STEM, as a future career pathway or as an important way to enrich their lives. These exhibit experiences should be robust enough to inspire family conversations and change behaviors.

The Vice President will be called upon to inspire, develop and manage an excellent team. The ideal candidate will be an effective coach. They will communicate clearly with staff, inspiring them to do good work, stay within budgets, grow as a professional, collaborate effectively with all other departments, and to meet deadlines. The Vice President must lead the team in effectively and creatively project managing across constant maintenance and improvement of existing exhibits, creating new exhibitions, and collaborating with partners and experts on the long-term vision.

The ideal candidate is expert at developing and growing partnerships internally and externally. The Vice President of Exhibits will work closely with the Vice President of Education in order to ensure that exhibit experiences are connected or relevant to programs for families, students, and teachers. Identification and development of important content for learning experiences across the organization must be a collaborative and flexible process across the departments.

The Vice President must lead the way in creating a collaborative process. Exhibit development teams will include educators, science communicators, and science experts from the organization as well as external content experts. The exhibit development and design process will prioritize early prototyping and ongoing evaluation in collaboration with the education team, and one that also keeps in mind the needs of the marketing, operations, and development teams. The ideal candidate will be an effective communicator at every level of the organization and with external partners. The ideal candidate will also be comfortable being directly involved in the development team’s fundraising efforts, and will have had prior experience with raising revenue for exhibits.

Reporting Relationships

The Vice President of Education will report to and work closely with the President & CEO, Dr. Kirsten Ellenbogen. For almost thirty years, she has been in the business of researching, developing, and leading learning experiences in science centers and other informal learning environments. In her work as the third President & CEO of GLSC, she has launched transformative strategic partnerships with education and corporate leaders to change the community’s narrative around advanced manufacturing and technology through STEM education for diverse middle-school youth and families. She began her work in museums at the Detroit Science Center as a Demonstrator and has worked at five museums and consulted for more than thirty. Her career is marked by extensive national collaborations and field-building activities with the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation. Her service in the community includes appointments to the North Coast Development Corporation and the Cleveland Water Alliance, where she serves as board chair.

The Vice President’s peers include the Vice Presidents of Development, Operations, and Education, as well as the Director of Finance, and the Senior Manager of Human Resources. The Exhibit Department includes positions in production, development, maintenance, and design.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Education and Work Experience Qualifications

1. The demonstrated capacity to fulfill the role described above. 
2. Ten years of experience working in a museum setting with STEM-focused interactive exhibits, non-profit management, evaluation, and development of grants and budgets. At least five years of staff leadership and management with a proven track record of developing staff.
3. A great combination of competence, generosity of spirit, toughness, and humility. 
4. A passion, understanding, and strong commitment to the mission and vision of GLSC.
5. B.A. or B.S. from an accredited institution preferred. Ideally will have expertise in science, but without exception, must be a passionate science enthusiast and lifelong learner.
6. Demonstrated success in setting and achieving annual, multi-year strategic goals.
7. Ability to implement financial plans and budgets, identify, secure, and ensure compliance with a variety of funding sources. 
8. A personal style that is positive and supportive. Strong personal integrity and work ethic, as well as a sense of humor and perspective.
9. Proven success in managing and motivating a high-functioning diverse staff. 
10. Superior communication skills to express the mission and education program innovations with clarity, passion, and persuasion.

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements:

This position is typically based in the Exhibit Department offices and in GLSC’s program spaces and exhibit galleries. It may include occasional periods of working outdoors in varied weather conditions. The Vice President’s staff includes people who work regularly with chemicals and gases including, but not limited to, liquid nitrogen, dry ice, nitric acid, hydrogen, and oxygen. Training will be provided. 

Additional Information

Rate: $108,000 to $120,000

Great Lakes Science Center is proud to provide staff members with a benefits program that offers choices designed to meet their individual needs and lifestyles. Eligible staff members can participate in the following benefits programs: 

• Free Parking 
• Medical 
• Dental 
• Vision 
• Employee Assistant Program (EAP) 
• Paid Time Off (PTO) & Paid Holidays 
• 403b Retirement Savings Plan with Match
• Association of Science & Technology Centers Membership 
• Northeastern Ohio Intermuseum Council (NEOIMC) Membership 
• and more! 

COVID-19 Safety and Guidelines

Great Lakes Science Center is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our staff (paid and unpaid), and guests. In accordance with our COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, all staff are required to be vaccinated and/or boosted against COVID-19. Reasonable accommodations will be made for those who cannot take the vaccine due to health or religious reasons.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

It is the policy of GLSC to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) free from illegal discrimination, harassment and retaliation to all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religious affiliation, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, immigration status, age, source of income, familial status, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information, disability or any other basis protected by applicable law. GLSC complies with applicable state, federal and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment.