Exhibition Project Manager

About the job

POSITION DESCRIPTION

TITLE: EXHIBITION PROJECT MANAGER

REPORTS TO: Chief Operating Officer

STATUS: Full-time, Salaried, Exempt

HOURS: 40 hours per week (flexible, provided 75% of work occurs during typical business hours). Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.

PAY: $65,000-$80,000 based on experience and qualifications

LOCATION: 100% remote with regular travel to client sites, museums, fabrication facilities, and conferences. Candidates must be based within the continental United States.

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

Museum EXP is a boutique museum and exhibition planning firm with expertise in museum exhibit development, interpretive planning, project management, and traveling exhibitions. Our team works to advance the mission of museums with a passion for life-long learning, kindling curiosity, fostering a culture of caring, and a drive for excellence in our industry.

We collaborate with museums, science centers, cultural institutions, and creative partners across the country to develop meaningful, engaging, and memorable visitor experiences.

OBJECTIVE:

We're looking for an organized, resourceful, and collaborative Exhibition Project Manager to help bring engaging museum experiences to life. This individual will independently manage and coordinate exhibition projects from initial planning and concept development through fabrication, installation, and completion. The Exhibition Project Manager will lead multidisciplinary creative teams, manage schedules and budgets, facilitate client relationships, and proactively solve challenges throughout the exhibition development process. This role requires someone who can balance creative thinking with practical decision-making, anticipate project needs, and take ownership of delivering successful outcomes.

The Exhibition Project Manager does not need to be the technical expert in every discipline. Rather, this person should know enough about the museum exhibit development process to ask the right questions, recognize gaps, coordinate the right specialists, and keep projects moving forward.

As part of a small, dynamic consulting firm, this position also offers opportunities to contribute to creative development, research, business development, and organizational initiatives. The ideal candidate is a confident communicator, a natural problem-solver, and someone who enjoys working with creative professionals to turn ambitious ideas into reality.

QUALIFICATIONS:

·      Bachelor’s degree in museum studies, project management, art, theater, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

·      Proven track record of success in project management for exhibitions and experiences (minimum 3 years) within science centers, museums, attractions, and/or cultural institutions. Experience working on projects with numerous stakeholders and project partners, including architects, design firms, specialty consultants, exhibition fabricators, and external consultants is required.

·      Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including experience facilitating meetings, communicating with clients, and presenting information to diverse stakeholders.

·      Experience developing and managing project schedules, budgets, resources, and deliverables.

·      Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and project management software such as Smartsheets or Microsoft Project, familiarity with applications in Adobe Creative Cloud preferred.

·      Ability to read and interpret exhibition design drawings, specifications, and other technical documentation.

·      Willingness and ability to travel regularly for client meetings, project workshops, fabrication reviews, installations, and industry events.

SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES WILL HAVE:

·      Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex projects, coordinate multidisciplinary teams, and balance competing priorities across multiple concurrent assignments.

·      Strategic, organizational problem-solving skills and the ability to anticipate challenges, exercise sound judgment, and develop practical solutions.

·      Knowledge of exhibition development processes, exhibition development team roles, interpretive planning, and techniques and strategies to embed content into engaging museum experiences.

·      Working knowledge of museum accessibility, visitor experience, and exhibition fabrication standards and best practices.

·      Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a remote environment, demonstrating initiative, accountability, adaptability, and strong time management.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Day-to-day responsibilities will vary depending on the projects on the board—which is one of the reasons why we love what we do! As part of a small, collaborative team, the Exhibition Project Manager will take ownership of assigned projects while contributing to a wide range of creative and organizational initiatives.

• Project Leadership: Independently manage and coordinate multidisciplinary project teams through all phases of exhibition development, including planning, content development, design, media production, fabrication, installation, and project closeout. Establish priorities, coordinate responsibilities, and ensure projects align with client goals, approved scope, and quality expectations.
• Client Relationships and Communication: Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, project stakeholders, designers, fabricators, vendors. Build positive working relationships, facilitate productive meetings, communicate project progress, manage expectations, and help clients navigate decisions throughout the project.
• Budget and Scope Management: Develop and manage project budgets, track expenses and invoices, and coordinate project resources. Identify potential scope changes and ensure financial goals are achieved.
• Schedule and Risk Management: Develop and maintain project schedules, establish milestones, coordinate dependencies, and monitor progress. Proactively identify potential delays, risks, and resource challenges, working collaboratively with project teams to develop solutions and keep projects moving forward.
• Team Coordination and Accountability: Guide multidisciplinary creative and technical teams, including internal staff, consultants, designers, writers, media producers, fabricators, and other specialists. Clarify responsibilities, establish expectations, facilitate collaboration, and follow up on commitments to ensure timely completion of deliverables.
• Documentation and Quality Control: Create and maintain organized project documentation, including meeting records, schedules, budgets, status reports, notes, and other project materials. Coordinate reviews of project deliverables to ensure completeness, consistency, and alignment with project goals and requirements.
• Fabrication and Installation Coordination: Support the transition from design into fabrication and installation, including coordination with fabricators, review of shop drawings and samples, monitoring production progress, ensuring proper coordination with clients, architects, and general contractors, participation in quality reviews, and assistance with installation and project closeout.
• Creative Development: Actively contribute to exhibit ideation, interpretive planning, program development, and creative brainstorming. Collaborate with designers and content developers to help shape engaging, educational, and meaningful visitor experiences.
• Research and Writing: As needed, conduct research into project subject matter, review available information and literature, and develop summaries, benchmarking reports, planning documents, and other written materials that support project development.
• Business Development: Represent Museum EXP professionally in interactions with clients, partners, and industry colleagues as a "museum friend". Contribute to building positive client relationships, identifying future opportunities, and supporting proposals, presentations, and other business development initiatives.
• Process Improvement and Operations Support - Contribute to the continuous improvement of Museum EXP's project management tools, templates, workflows, and internal practices. Support organizational initiatives, conference planning, and other operational responsibilities as needed.
• Lifelong Learner: Exhibit intellectual curiosity, a passion for lifelong learning, and an eagerness to explore new subjects, develop new skills, and embrace opportunities for personal and professional growth.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Collaborative, creative work environment with talented team members
• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• Professional development opportunities through trainings, conferences, and networking events
• Paid museum and attraction visits
• Flexible, remote work environment and schedule
• Opportunities for professional growth and to help shape the practices and processes of a growing museum planning firm
• Retirement Plan: IRA with a company contribution
• Health Insurance: Monthly reimbursement allowance toward the cost of individual health insurance premiums
• Unlimited Paid Time Off to support work-life balance, subject to project needs and manager approval

At Museum EXP, we’re challenging the status quo with the power of inclusion and collaboration. When we connect different perspectives, we can imagine new possibilities, inspire innovation, and release the full potential of our people. We’re building an employee experience that includes appreciation, belonging, growth, and purpose for everyone.

Museum EXP is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, age, veteran status, or other characteristics.

Interested in joining our team? Send us your resume! hireme@museumexp.com