Managing Director, Community Engagement

The Managing Director of Community Engagement is responsible for developing and implementing a plan to grow and sustain participation in KID's dynamic programming, which expands access to transformative, hands-on learning for youth in our region. As a strategic connector, the MDCE leads a portfolio spanning family and community engagement, corporate and industry engagement, and KID's multi-generational volunteer strategy.

The ideal candidate is a cross-functional leader with demonstrated experience designing and growing engagement efforts, including setting and monitoring key indicators, developing meaningful partnerships, and infusing community engagement throughout an organization. Community engagement is at the core of KID's strategy. Our programs are rooted in the lived experiences of our students and families, and we strive to design and deliver programs that center the diversity of our community. The MDCE will ensure this effort remains central to our organization while creating, implementing, and evaluating systems and processes to sustain this effort over time. The MDCE works in close collaboration with all other teams within the organization to ensure KID's unique programming authentically reflects and powerfully responds to the real-world interests, strengths, and needs of diverse communities.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive community engagement and outreach strategies aligned with KID's ladder of engagement and goals for growth.
• Analyze community demographics, needs, and existing services to identify gaps and opportunities for strategic intervention or partnership.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with community leaders, local elected officials, partner organizations, educational institutions, and other key stakeholders.
• Lead outreach and partnership efforts for KID's Community Celebrations and special events designed to build KID's identity as a leader in education innovation and foster an ecosystem of support for KID's mission.
• Partner with the Program team in planning and hosting community partners during open hours and special events.
• In partnership with other team members, design and oversee organizational approaches to engage industry professionals, teen and adult volunteers, and community partners in KID's programs.
• Develop relationships with university-based teacher training programs to establish internship and/or volunteer placements at KID.
• Identify and secure partnerships that enhance program offerings, expand reach, and provide unique learning opportunities.
• In partnership with the Impact team, support the organization's efforts to listen and learn from our audiences to ensure that a participatory, responsive, and inclusive approach is deeply woven into KID's programs and practices.
• Partner with the Marketing & Communications team on the creation of public-facing materials and communication.
• Track, analyze, and report on key engagement metrics and program effectiveness to both internal and external stakeholders, including the Board of Directors or Executive team.
• Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, organizational development, and resource allocation.
• Act as an ambassador for the organization within the community, promoting our values and offerings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and at least 10 years of progressive community engagement experience in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization. Experience in an education-based organization is a plus.
• Demonstrated experience owning a community engagement function, developing and implementing integrated strategies tied to measurable outcomes.
• Excellent public speaking, written communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Proven experience in managing staff, cross-functional projects, and planning and executing engagement initiatives.
• Strong organizational skills and comfort managing multiple projects with varying deadlines and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and sustain meaningful, cross-cultural relationships with diverse individuals and groups.
• Ability to define problems, collect and interpret data, and develop long-range strategies to achieve organizational goals.

About KID Museum

KID Museum is the nation's leading educational makerspace for youth. Our mission is to revolutionize how kids learn through the maker experience. Through hands-on programming and deep learning experiences, we empower youth with the creative problem-solving and STEM skills to invent the future. With a focus on engaging populations traditionally underrepresented in STEM, our programs aim to build economic opportunity and diversify the future talent pipeline.

Our vision is to become the standard of excellence for inclusive, impactful maker learning nationally, and a model for how to expand access to maker learning at scale. Our headquarters in the Washington, DC region serves as our innovation hub. In partnership with local school systems, government and philanthropic leaders, we design and deliver K-12 programs that produce results at scale in a large and diverse metropolitan region. We leverage insights from this learning lab to create resources, training, and technical support to expand high-impact maker learning nationally. For more information, please visit www.kid-museum.org.

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