*Position Title*: Public Education Manager
*Location: *ECHO Lake Aquarium & Science Center at the Leahy Center for
Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vermont
*Reports To:* Director of Education
*FLSA Status*: Exempt

*Summary:* ECHO¹s mission is to educate and delight people about the Ecology, Culture, History, and Opportunity for stewardship of the Lake Champlain Basin. ECHO is a dynamic learning and teaching community committed to engaging diverse public audiences in dialogue; providing
experiential, relevant and lifelong educational experiences to guests; and inspiring environmental stewardship of the Lake Champlain Basin.

ECHO employees are expected to contribute to a productive, respectful workplace by modeling good humor, communication, collaboration and accountability to our colleagues, creatures and guests.

The Public Education Manager has primary responsibility for ensuring that ECHO¹s daily guests have positive and inspiring educational experiences. The position includes developing and performing science demonstrations for large audiences, training and supervising volunteer, intern and staff educational interpreters, and managing cross-departmental communication, systems and materials in support of the guest experience. The position is required to work regular weekend and holiday shifts as part of a 40-hour/week schedule.

*Supervisory Responsibilities:* Provides supervisory direction to volunteers, interns, teens and pre-service teachers working within the Education Department at ECHO.

* Essential Duties and Responsibilities:*
* Oversee the delivery of high-quality experiences for ECHO¹s public audiences, including content, materials, systems, communication and operations related to public programs.

* Develop activities and programs for public audiences to support ECHO¹s special exhibitions, seasonal programming and environmental stewardship mission.
* Coordinate across departments, including Guest Services, Animal Care, Events and Education, to support a consistent guest experience during daily programming, exhibit openings, special events and school vacation periods.
* Train Education Department volunteers, interns and staff to deliver consistent science content, use a variety of interpretation strategies and integrate a stewardship message into public programming.
* Supervise education interns, teen mentees and pre-service teachers to serve as educational interpreters and develop activities and programs during school year and summer internships, mentoring programs and other events.
* Support ECHO¹s Director of Education with the management of the annual calendar for education, budgeting, and strategic planning. Participate in ECHO¹s Education Department team by attending meetings, events and exhibit openings; representing ECHO to the community in periodic radio and television programs; and delivering school, camp and other group programs, as needed.
* Other Duties may be assigned as required. This job description is not intended to be a complete statement of the position; it is intended merely to be a guide to the general work to be performed.

*Qualifications: * To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

*Education and/or Experience:*
* MS in Biology, Ecology, Science Education or related field preferred.
* Minimum 3 years experience developing and delivering science education programs.
* Demonstrated leadership, including experience motivating groups to achieve goals and training individuals to engage audiences.
* Understanding of philosophy and best practices of informal learning in museums, zoos, aquariums, nature-centers and like institutions.
* Knowledge of or interest in the ecology, culture and history of the Lake Champlain Basin.

*Essential Qualifications:*
* Able to embrace change, take initiative, and adapt in a fast-paced, growing institution.
* Comfort and skill engaging guests in a variety of interpretive styles, including storytelling, performance, technology-enhanced presentations and participatory inquiry.
* Team player with exceptional communication and collaboration skills, motivated to gather and integrate feedback and continually improve a visitor-centered vision.
* Excellent customer service skills, including positive attitude and willingness to put the visitor experience first.
* Enthusiastic learner comfortable integrating new information, technologies and disciplines.
* Organized planner able to juggle multiple projects and to deliver on time and budget.
* Able to work a 40-hour/week schedule, including regular weekend shifts, holidays and occasional evenings.

*Work Environment:* The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Work is performed partially in a regular office setting and in other areas throughout the science center. The Public Education Coordinator must be able to work at a computer for several hours at a time. The position also requires the individual to effectively communicate subject
matter in various classroom and education settings.

*Salary:* Commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits and professional growth opportunities.

*Application Instructions:* Send resume, cover letter, and salary requirements to ECHO Job Search, One College Street, Burlington, VT 05401 or email to jobs@echovermont.org <mailto:jobs@echovermont.org>. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.