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Connections Program Coordinator
Seattle Aquarium
Operations
Posted on Feb 28, 2025
JOB POSTING
Connections Program Coordinator
Posted: Open to internal and external applicants
Reports to: Community Engagement Manager
Status: Full-time, hourly, benefitted position
Hours of work: Standard Monday–Friday workweek, 8am–5pm. Occasional need for weekend or after-hours work as related to events and other projects.
Date needed: May 2025
Posting expires: Open until filled, preference given to candidates who apply by March 12th
The Seattle Aquarium, a leading marine conservation organization, is looking for a Connections Program Specialist to join the Conservation Engagement and Learning team, to oversee the day-to-day management of the Connections Program. This program is vital to ensuring that our partnerships with underserved communities—particularly BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, and low-income groups—have equitable access to the Aquarium’s educational offerings and resources. The Connections Program Specialist will play a key role in enhancing the program, improving accessibility, advancing environmental justice education, and fostering cultural relevance across all internal programs.
Reporting to the Community Engagement Manager, this position collaborates closely with the Community Outreach Coordinator and Field Program Coordinator to support a comprehensive approach to community engagement. The coordinator, also supervises volunteers, interns, and fellows, ensuring that all programming aligns with the Aquarium’s mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment and its commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Key functions:
Program Operations & Continuous Improvement:
- Lead the daily operations of the Connections Program, including programming for early childhood, families, teens, adults, and seniors. Programs operate seven days a week, with occasional evenings and holidays.
- Develop and maintain clear criteria for becoming a partner, sustaining long-term partnerships, and ensuring the program’s focus remains on BIPOC and underserved communities.
- Lead the coordination and logistics of the Connections Program, managing processes for providing free or discounted tickets, memberships, and access to events for community partners, ensuring smooth operations and effective delivery.
- Foster and maintain strong, lasting relationships with community partners by ensuring consistent communication and delivering meaningful, culturally relevant engagement opportunities.
- Oversee the implementation of targeted programs that advance environmental justice education, providing underserved communities with enhanced access to marine conservation resources.
- Manage the program’s budget, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently and in line with organizational priorities.
- Develop and conduct professional development workshops and special events (e.g., Community Days, DreamNight) for community partners, ensuring these initiatives align with the Aquarium’s mission and strategic priorities.
Cultural Relevance & Curriculum Development
- Design and implement culturally responsive programs and experiences that enhance on-site engagement, improve accessibility, and promote inclusion for all audiences.
- Lead the curriculum development process, ensuring it continually reflects cultural responsiveness, accessibility, and inclusion, aligning with the needs and values of Seattle’s diverse communities.
- Collaborate with internal teams, including the Community Outreach and Field Program Coordinators, to ensure alignment and integration of the Connections Program with broader outreach and field-based educational efforts.
- Continuously assess and develop program content, ensuring all initiatives align with the Aquarium’s mission and reflect evidence-based practices for inclusivity and engagement.
Supervision & Volunteer Management
- Supervise, mentor, and evaluate volunteers, interns, and fellows involved in the Connections Program, ensuring they are well-trained, high-performing, and aligned with the Aquarium’s S.A.L.I.S.H. and DEI values.
- Coordinate the staffing, training, and scheduling of volunteers and interns to support program delivery and ensure all community partner visits are well-supported.
- Oversee community ticket distribution, group bookings for self-guided visits, and coordination of on-site, online, and outreach programs, ensuring effective communication with community partners and internal teams.
Internal Program Coordination:
- Lead the coordination and logistics of the Connections Program, ensuring smooth operation and effective delivery of internal programs designed to engage underserved communities. This includes managing internal processes for providing free or discounted tickets, memberships, and access to events for community partners.
- Work closely with internal teams, including education, guest services, and marketing, to ensure consistent communication and alignment of the Connections Program across departments, ensuring effective collaboration and program integration.
- Serve as the central point of contact for internal teams participating in the Connections Program, ensuring that all staff and volunteers are informed about upcoming events, logistical needs, and program updates.
- Facilitate regular team meetings, ensuring that internal staff are aligned on program goals, objectives, and timelines, and that communication flows smoothly between departments.
Logistics & Scheduling Management
- Oversee scheduling and logistics for internal events, field programs, and on-site visits related to the Connections Program. This includes managing staffing, supplies, and transportation to ensure that all resources are in place for program delivery.
- Maintain an organized system for tracking and managing community partner requests, ensuring timely responses and efficient coordination of resources, including access to the Beach Naturalist and Cedar River Salmon Journey programs.
Resource & Material Management
- Oversee the management of program materials and resources, ensuring that all supplies are well-maintained, organized, and available for program use. This includes maintaining field kits, outreach materials, and event supplies for internal programs.
- Coordinate with internal teams to ensure resources are allocated properly, and that materials are prepared for upcoming events and outreach activities.
Program Evaluation & Reporting:
- Monitor and evaluate program success, working closely with the Principal Evaluator to gather feedback and make data-driven improvements to program delivery.
- Contribute to annual reports, evaluating redemption rates, participant engagement, and overall program effectiveness to inform future improvements.
- Manage internal tracking systems for community partner participation, event attendance, and program metrics, ensuring accurate data entry and documentation of all Connections Program activities.
- Collaborate with the Philanthropy team to explore grant opportunities that support the Connections Program and the Aquarium’s commitment to environmental justice and equitable access.
Administrative & Reporting Support:
- Assist with the preparation of internal reports on program outcomes, participant engagement, and logistical performance, ensuring the program aligns with broader institutional goals.
- Provide logistical support for the development of new or enhanced programs, collaborating with internal teams to ensure all operations run efficiently and meet the needs of diverse communities.
Required skills and experience:
The skills and abilities listed below may be demonstrated through a combination of relevant cultural and community programs, jobs, internships, volunteer experience, and/or formal or informal education. If you meet some of the requirements and you are passionate about our mission and our ocean, we encourage you to apply and look forward to learning more about you.
- 3+ years of experience in program coordination, community engagement, or a related field, with a strong emphasis on logistics and program management.
- Proven ability to work collaboratively and center diverse communities, particularly BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, multilingual, and low-income groups.
- Experience managing volunteers and interns, with a focus on mentorship and professional development.
- Strong organizational, multicultural communication, and time management skills, with the ability to balance multiple priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
- Familiarity with program evaluation techniques and a data-driven approach to improving community engagement efforts.
- Demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the ability to apply these principles to program design and execution.
- Knowledge of marine conservation, environmental education, or related fields is preferred.
Working conditions:
- Hybrid work environment: Primarily based at the Seattle Aquarium with flexibility for remote work. Occasional required at outdoor events and community settings.
- Physical activity: Involves setting up and transporting outreach materials, educational kits, and event supplies. Must be able to lift and stand or sit for extended periods.
- Flexible hours: Availability for evenings, weekends, and holidays to support connections events. Some local travel required for community engagement activities.
- Collaborative environment: Work closely with internal teams (education, marketing, volunteer services) to ensure smooth coordination of outreach programs.
- Campus environment: The Aquarium requires travel between three main buildings and at times a fourth local location. This is year round in all weather.
Salary and benefits: $28 - $31 hourly Dependent on experience. Please include salary expectations in your materials. Full-time staff are eligible for the Seattle Aquarium’s comprehensive benefits package to include medical, vision, dental, an employer-funded health reimbursement account, medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, 403b retirement fund with employer match, access to a subsidized ORCA pass, a Seattle Aquarium Family Plus membership and generous paid time off.
How to apply: The Seattle Aquarium is committed to expanding a diverse, equitable, and inclusive conservation movement. We are invested in building an Aquarium with a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, languages, cultural ways of knowing, and life experiences. We know research shows that society has conditioned communities of color, trans and gender non-conforming people, immigrants, people with disabilities, and other marginalized candidates to more frequently not apply to a job because they don’t feel that they meet all of the qualifications listed even if they are qualified. If you meet some of the requirements and you are passionate about our mission and our ocean, we encourage you to apply and look forward to learning more about you.
Interested candidates should upload a résumé to our online application to be considered. Application review will begin immediately.
Please let us know if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for this job by emailing us at jobs@seattleaquarium.org.
Note: If offered the position, candidates must pass a background check. Conviction record is not an automatic disqualifier; we are a second chance employer.
About the Seattle Aquarium:
The Seattle Aquarium is a respected authority on Puget Sound, the Salish Sea and the world’s one ocean. Our passionate staff increases awareness and drives the change needed to preserve and protect our marine environment by providing an inspiring visitor experience, engaging daytime and evening events, conservation education programs for people of all ages and backgrounds, community outreach to marginalized populations, research that advances understanding of animals in our care and their counterparts in the wild, advocacy and policy work, an award-winning volunteer program, high-impact marketing and communications, and more.
Our values, developed in conjunction with our staff, include commitments to adopting and promoting sustainable practices, creating awe-inspiring experiences, constantly learning and improving, fostering an inclusive community, maintaining scientific credibility through evidence-based practices and honoring our unique place by using our location and history as a lens for larger understanding.
Proudly accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, we’re among the top 10 aquariums in the U.S. by attendance, and we welcome over 850,000 people each year. Guided by our mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment, we’re working to substantially increase our conservation impact by expanding our campus with a new building, the Ocean Pavilion. Learn more at SeattleAquarium.org.
Timeline:
We anticipate the following recruiting schedule for those candidates who are selected for consideration. The following dates are preliminary and subject to change. We will work with candidates to set interview dates. If hired, relocation assistance is not available.
- Application deadline: March 2025
- Priority given to applications received by March 12.
- Interviews completed by April 2025
- Start date: May 2025
This position is hybrid with the flexibility to work from home two days weekly. This position is fulltime, with flexible weekend options, this will be discussed as a team. A laptop will be provided.