The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, located in Concord, New Hampshire, is seeking a talented and energetic Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter of success. The position entails building the Discovery Center into a nationally recognized science/technology/space education facility that leverages the strengths accrued since its founding in 1990. The Executive Director will inspire a dedicated team of staff and volunteers alongside a 16-member Board to achieve strategic goals.

The McAulliffe-Shepard Discovery Center

The mission of the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is to inspire every generation to reach for the stars through engaging, artful, and entertaining activities that explore astronomy, aviation, the Earth, and space science.

Located in the capitol city of Concord, New Hampshire, the museum is named for Christa McAuliffe, the Concord High School social studies teacher selected in 1985 by NASA to be the first teacher in space, and Alan Shepard, the New Hampshire native and Navy test pilot who in 1961 became the first American in space and in 1971 one of only twelve human beings to walk on the Moon.

The 45,000 square-foot Discovery Center offers interactive science and engineering exhibits, outdoor exhibits including a full-sized replica of a Mercury-Redstone rocket, a state-of-the-art HD digital planetarium (one of only three in the U.S.), an observatory, science store, and café. It offers a robust on- and off-site educational program including a mobile digital planetarium and engages in meaningful collaborations with partners including the University of New Hampshire, Dartmouth College, New Hampshire Technical Institute, and NASA. The organization is a 501(c)3 with an annual operating budget of $1.2 million. It currently employs 21 staff and has more than 20 active volunteers. Visitation in 2023 was 50,000.

Strategic priorities for the Discovery Center are:

·         Deliver on our Mission: provide innovative museum experiences utilizing a dynamic combination of programs, planetarium shows, and exhibits.  

·         Leadership & Planning: assure the successful transition of executive leadership and our commitment to strategic accomplishment.

·         Finances and Development: provide exceptional value to ensure a financially robust organization that fully realizes our mission.

·         Marketing and Communication; expand our reach and grow our presence among current and future audiences.

The Opportunity

This is an outstanding opportunity for an innovative nonprofit leader to leverage the organization’s assets toward greater audience impact and engagement. An important aspect of the Executive Director’s work will be to expand the reputation and influence of the Discovery Center regionally and nationally. To achieve this, the Executive Director will have the opportunity to develop strategic programs and partnerships, grow the organization’s digital/virtual presence, and position the Discovery Center as a premier resource for STEM learning and space science.

Additionally, the Discovery Center’s board is focusing on five specific initiatives that make this an outstanding time for the incoming Executive Director to offer an important contribution:

·         Assessing and upgrading Discovery Center exhibits to feature the latest developments in technology and space science.

·         Initiation and execution of a capital campaign to upgrade exhibits and programs.

·         Opening a new Collections and Archives Center as a resource for scholars and the public.

·         Inspiring a vision and strategic direction for the Discovery Center that springboards the organization’s past success into a new chapter of engagement and sustainability.

·         Renewal of a 5-year NASA Space Grant in conjunction with the New Hampshire Space Grant Consortium.

Responsibilities and Expectations

The Executive Director will have a background that includes proven effectiveness as an executive or senior-level professional in nonprofit organizations such as museums, science centers, academic or research institutions, or other similar mission-driven organizations. The successful candidate will demonstrate accomplishment as a strategic thinker, team builder, fundraiser, manager, innovator, and leader adept at translating organizational vision into action.

·         Assume overall executive responsibility for the Discovery Center, ensuring alignment between organizational, programmatic, and operational priorities.

·         Develop a trusting and mutually supportive relationship with the Board and other principal stakeholders to turn vision and strategy into sustainable reality.

·         Develop a comprehensive fundraising plan, in conjunction with the Director of Development, that creates pathways for grants, individual donations, major gifts, and corporate philanthropy.

·         Provide budgetary and financial oversight, accountability, and sustainability; manage revenue streams from earned income, philanthropy, and governmental sources.

·         Manage a team of staff members and volunteers that displays creativity, collaboration, and achievement.

·         Develop meaningful partnerships with educators, science and academic institutions, community groups, and other stakeholders.

·         Serve as the Discovery Center’s primary spokesperson, representing the organization at events, in the media, and by cultivating key relationships locally regionally, and nationally.

·         Support the organization’s commitment to education and thought leadership by staying conversant with the latest knowledge, discoveries, and practices in astronomy, aviation, technology, Earth and space science, and related essential disciplines.

·         Sustain effective governance structures, strategic planning processes, policies, and best practices by working with the Board to assess, recommend, and implement policy initiatives and other steps.

Experience, Skills, and Attributes

·         A minimum 5 years of senior executive or management experience, preferably in a nonprofit environment such as a museum, science center, academic or research institution, or other similar mission-driven organization.

·         Success in fundraising, working with donors, foundations, sponsors, and governmental funding sources.

·         Strategic planning skills, as well as pragmatic and successful organizational project management.

·         Forward-thinking social entrepreneurship skills that capitalize on opportunities that benefit long- and short-term organizational success.

·         Success in building and nurturing dynamic teams of professional staff and volunteers that exude enthusiasm for the museum’s collections, exhibitions, and programs.

·         Outstanding marketing, communication, and advocacy skills.

·         Financial acumen capable of running a facility comparable to the Discovery Center. Ability to oversee development and management of the budget. Ability to interpret financial statements and articulate performance to the Board and other stakeholders.

·         Conversant in the use of technology and digital media in promoting an institution, reaching online audiences, and creating exhibitions and programs.

·         Emotional intelligence and people-oriented leadership skills that serve the institution’s internal and external stakeholders; commitment to making the organization accessible to all.

·         BA or equivalent degree preferred, ideally in management, education, economics or a science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics field.

·         A track record of successfully stewarding public/private partnerships in a variety of organizational environments.

Compensation

The salary range is $120,000 - $140,000 commensurate with experience, plus an attractive benefits package including health insurance, retirement plan, and incentive compensation opportunity.

How to Apply

To apply in confidence, submit application by February 28, 2024, to: Dan Yaeger, Senior Search Consultant, Museum Search & Reference, via SearchandRef@museum-search.com.

Please include:

1)    A cover letter expressing interest in the position and giving brief examples of past related experience.

2)    A résumé.

3)    The names and contact information for three professional references, indicating their relationship with the candidate.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early as candidates will be considered on a rolling basis. Nominations are welcome. All applications and nominations are kept confidential; we will not contact references without your permission. For more details, visit: www.museum-search.com/open-searches.

About Concord, New Hampshire

Concord is the capital city of New Hampshire, with a population of 43,000, numerous historic and cultural facilities, and a lively downtown on the banks of the Merrimack River. Located at the gateway to the famed White Mountains on the traditional homelands of the Indigenous Penacook people and about an hour away from the seacoast and Boston, Concord is consistently rated as a highly desirable community to live and work.

A vibrant, walkable city, Concord offers a wealth of fine art galleries, live entertainment, and unique shops. The historic downtown boasts an art film movie theater, designer hotel, three performing arts centers, music school, art school, and a year-round outdoor sculpture program. The 1819 New Hampshire State House is the country’s oldest state capitol in which the legislature meets in its original chambers. The city also features seven community parks and a wealth of local trails for hiking and cross-country skiing, giving residents access to nearby outdoor recreation.

Notable Concord residents have included the fourteenth U.S. President Franklin Pierce, Supreme Court Justice David Souter, and Christian Science Church founder Mary Baker Eddy. The city is known as an affordable place to live, with a cost-of-living index of 95.8; New Hampshire has neither a personal income tax nor sales tax. The area is served by the Manchester Regional Airport, 23 miles south of Concord, and by Boston Logan International Airport.