Senior Program Coordinator, NYC Science Research Mentoring Consortium
For over 150 years, the American Museum of Natural History in NYC has been dedicated to discovering, interpreting, and disseminating – through scientific research and education – knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe.
The Museum is seeking a Senior Coordinator to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Science Research Mentoring Consortium (http://www.studentresearchnyc.org/), a partnership of 24 academic, research, and cultural institutions committed to providing mentored, science research experiences for 500 NYC high school students annually. The Consortium is managed by Youth Initiatives (YI), a division of the Museum’s Department of Education dedicated to STEMworkforce development and science enrichment for youth ages 10 to 24.
The mission of the Consortium is to provide students from historically underrepresented backgrounds access to mentored research internships that will support them in their college and career pathways. The Consortium works towards this goal by fostering a community of practice among partner members (e.g. program administrators, informal educators, and research mentors) who are committed to addressing problems of practice; and identifying and facilitating the diffusion of innovative, effective practices.
Job Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Convene and connect staff from all Consortium partner sites
- Co-plan and facilitate regular meetings of Consortium partners. Meeting topics may include diversity and equity in recruitment; mentor preparation; and alumni engagement
- Conduct regular and frequent site visits to Consortium sites alongside funding partners
- Create and maintain systems to facilitate resource sharing among sites
- Create opportunities for Consortium students to build a sense of belonging in STEM and in the Consortium
- Design and coordinate several large (250+ attendees), multi-organization events to support current Consortium students
- Assist site partners in onboarding new students to the Consortium. This may include attending orientation events for partner sites, organizing welcome packets, and leading community building activities
- Support alumni in their pursuit of STEM opportunities and career building skills after graduation
- Plan and execute events for alumni, including workshops and networking opportunities.
- Lead alumni interns in an advisory council in which they reflect and advise on alumni engagement efforts, contribute to a virtual alumni community, and assist with events
- Collaborate with staff at partner sites to improve, contribute to, and maintain the Consortium’s online alumni portal; work closely with AMNH staff to ensure the Consortium is meeting its mission as well as with the Digital Media Assistant to develop the Consortium’s social media presence and messaging
- Advise and update the Senior Manager of SRMP on the participation, gaps, and needs of Consortium Partners to inform trouble-shooting and problem-solving
- Develop regular reports and memos on the status of partner sites, emerging trends, and recommendations to the Senior Manager of SRMP to inform long term planning and strategic thinking
- Work with the Senior Manager of SRMP to co-create an annual report and presentation on Consortium-wide benchmarks and evaluation metrics
- Maintain the Consortium website www.studentresearchnyc.org in response to changes at partner sites
- Support the Senior Manager of SRMP and other colleagues on budgets and grant-funded projects
This position is a Monday through Friday position with occasional weekends.
Required Qualifications:
- B.A. or equivalent degree in education, science, museum studies, social work, or relevant field
- At least three years’ experience coordinating complex projects with proven success across multiple departments, offices, or institutions
- Experience leading multiple organizations, teams, or departments to work together for a common goal
- A track record of coordinating large events
- Experience developing and creating performance metrics
- Demonstrated commitment to understanding and addressing the systemic racism and oppression that prevent equal participation in STEM
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, as the Senior Coordinator is a liaison between the Museum, the Pinkerton Foundation, and all Consortium partners
- Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including colleagues at multiple institutions, students, scientists, and funding partners
- Highly organized with the ability to prioritize tasks and deadlines
- Proficient with spreadsheets (e.g. Excel or Google Sheets)
- Able to work some evenings and weekends when partner programs are running
- Available in summer during peak programming
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in a relevant field
- Familiarity with New York City schools and/or informal STEM education
- Professional experience working with diverse youth and engaging with and supporting alumni
- Experience mentoring youth or coordinating mentoring programs
- Experience maintaining budgets, writing reports, and managing grants