Established in 1992 through the efforts of the 501c3 Manned Space Flight Education Foundation, Inc., Space Center Houston (SCH) is a Smithsonian Affiliated institution and one of the nation’s leading  experiences focused on the inspirational past, dynamic present and robust future of America’s human spaceflight programs. The Official Visitor Center of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, SCH engages visitors through exhibits, tours, films and hands-on experiences that tell the story of NASA’s vast achievements over the past 50 years and the benefits to society. The 185,000 square-foot complex attracts more than 800,000 visitors annually.  Since its opening, over 16 million people from across the planet have visited SCH.

Job Requirements

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) has overall strategic and tactical responsibility for key departments within Space Center Houston (SCH).  The COO is responsible for oversight of day-to-day management of the organization to ensure program growth, quality processes and infrastructure to achieve the goals of SCH to fulfill its mission.  Key responsibilities and departmental reporting include: Finance, Education, Guest Operations, Facilities and Safety/Security.

Reporting to the CEO, the successful candidate is a vital member of the staff leadership team who works closely with an active volunteer Board of Directors. Relevant groups of the Board include the Audit and Finance, and Operations, Education and Exhibits committees. The successful candidate must demonstrate the ability to understand and operate effectively within a 501c3 nonprofit governing environment while providing strong leadership in the implementation of best practice management techniques in business. The ability to able to work with and understand government agencies would be considered a plus.

The successful candidate must have excellent people and organizational skills to lead and develop a variety of Director and Manager personalities to ensure deadlines are met, quality and accuracy never waiver, and organizational goals are met or exceeded.  Furthermore, he/she must demonstrate the ability to work independently in an entrepreneurial fashion yet thrive within a highly collaborative team setting. The qualified individual must demonstrate a passion for science, space exploration, and/or education as well as understand the key markets and audiences of SCH.  A Bachelor degree from an accredited four-year college or university is required; an MBA or equivalent academic training and certification is preferred. Seven (7) years of senior management experience leading diverse staff within a major non-profit or relevant corporate or government environment is required; ten (10) years is preferred.  Current or prior experience in the field, or experiences of a nature that would result in a key understanding of museums, education and/or science centers is advantageous.

For more information, please visit: www.kittlemansearch.com.  To apply, please send a current resume and letter of introduction to Kittleman & Associates, LLC at resumes@kittleman.net