Kidz Town Discovery Center Director

Position Type: Part Time with potential growth to Full Time
Reports To: Board of Directors / Board of Trustees
Location: Aroostook Centre Mall Presque Isle Maine

Position Summary

The Director serves as the chief administrative and strategic officer of the Children's Museum. This leader is responsible for managing daily museum operations, overseeing a multi-million/thousand-dollar operating budget, leading staff, and acting as the primary community ambassador. The Director partners closely with the Board to spearhead fundraising campaigns, execute strategic plans, and champion a diverse, inclusive environment built around child-centered play.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Vision Alignment: Collaborate with the Board of Directors to execute long-term strategic plans and visioning.
• Board Collaboration: Provide transparent reporting, financial statements, and administrative support to the Board and its sub-committees.
• Mission Advancement: Ensure all educational programs, exhibits, and community initiatives strictly align with the non-profit's core mission

Fundraising & Resource Development

• Chief Fundraiser: Lead all institutional development, including individual major gifts, corporate sponsorships, and foundation relations.
• Grant Management: Oversee the pipeline of local, state, and federal government grants and foundational proposals.
• Capital Campaigns: Design, launch, and execute major capital or endowment campaigns for facility expansions or new interactive exhibits.
• Donor Stewardship: Build and cultivate authentic relationships with high-capacity donors and community philanthropy circles.

Financial & Risk Management

• Budget Oversight: Design, monitor, and manage the annual operating budget, checking for variances and enforcing fiscal responsibility.
• Revenue Diversification: Optimize and balance earned income streams-such as ticket admissions, museum memberships, and facility rentals-with philanthropic funds.
• Regulatory Compliance: Maintain full compliance with legal non-profit standards, human resource laws, and education board rules.

Museum Operations & Team Leadership

• Staff Mentorship: Direct, motivate, and mentor the leadership team, including heads of Education, Exhibits, Marketing, and Operations.
• Culture Cultivation: Maintain a supportive, collaborative, and equity-centered staff culture that attracts and retains top talent.
• Visitor Experience: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to continually measure and elevate visitor satisfaction, safety, and engagement.
• Exhibit & Program Strategy: Work with educational staff to deliver culturally responsive, play-based, and STEM/STEAM learning environments.

Community Engagement & Public Relations

• Primary Spokesperson: Serve as the visible public face and ambassador of the museum to the media, local government, and public forums.
• Strategic Partnerships: Cultivate active coalitions with local school districts, library systems, social service agencies, and fellow non-profit groups.