Program Director - Mobile Museum Fleet

PROGRAM DIRECTOR – MOBILE MUSEUM FLEET

Organization: CAYTON CHILDREN’S MUSEUM 

Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer 

Working closely with: All Members of the Cayton Team 

Job Type: Full time, Exempt, Salary 

Schedule: 40 hours per week/ weeknights and weekend availability as needed. Required, based on Wed-Sun operating hours.

About the Role

The Program Director – Mobile Museum Fleet is responsible for designing, directing, and scaling the Cayton’s innovative three-vehicle mobile outreach program. This role ensures that the Mobile Museum Fleet operates as a high-quality, reliable, mission-aligned extension of the Cayton, bringing hands-on play experiences to neighborhoods, schools, festivals, farmers markets, and community partners throughout greater Los Angeles.

The Director oversees strategy, operations, programming, staffing coordination (in partnership with Operations and Museum Experience), partnerships, scheduling, evaluation, and the internal systems required to ensure the Mobile Museum Fleet is safe, effective, visible, and consistently delivering high-quality impact. This position serves as both the visionary and operational engine behind the Cayton’s mobile presence.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategic plan for the Mobile Museum Fleet, aligned with organizational mission and service goals.
• Identify opportunities for expansion, audience reach, and signature partnerships—across schools, civic agencies, cultural institutions, and community organizations.
• Provide strategic guidance to the CEO related to outreach impact, service pathways, program demand, and long-term growth capacity.
• Ensure the Mobile Museum Fleet reflects the highest standards of safety, operational excellence, and community responsiveness.

Program Development & Management

• Design and manage high-quality mobile programming, including portable exhibits, hands-on STEAM activities, early childhood engagements, and community-responsive activations.
• Maintain and oversee all program standards, curriculum frameworks, staff scripts/guides, and onsite workflows for activations of different sizes and formats.
• Work closely with Exhibits, Fabrication, and Operations to ensure portable exhibits, carts, props, storage systems, and van interiors are functional, safe, and well-maintained.
• Build systems for scheduling, communication, program tracking, data collection, and continuous improvement.
• Lead operational protocols for load-in/load-out, site assessment, equipment checklists, and safety management.

Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

• Cultivate and sustain relationships with schools, PTAs, city agencies, parks departments, local businesses, farmers markets, neighborhood councils, and other community partners.
• Serve as the Cayton’s primary ambassador in representing the Mobile Museum Fleet at partner meetings, city events, and regional planning groups.
• Collaborate closely with Marketing to increase visibility, storytelling, and brand identity for the Fleet.
• Support community networks that champion accessible, mobile-based play and early childhood learning.

Resource Mobilization

• Collaborate with Development to secure funding for the Fleet, including sponsorships, partnership agreements, grants, and philanthropic support.
• Assist with grant reporting, program documentation, and donor stewardship.
• Ensure the Mobile Museum Fleet is a compelling case for support within the Museum’s broader vision campaign.

Team Leadership & Culture

• Train, support, and mentor Museum Experience Facilitators (MEFs) and part-time activation staff assigned to mobile programs.
• Establish a culture of excellence, safety, inclusivity, and joyful engagement for all Fleet programming.
• Work closely with Operations and Museum Experience leadership to plan staffing coverage and ensure activations are fully supported without compromising in-museum operations.
• Model professionalism, flexibility, and creative problem-solving in unpredictable community environments.

Characteristics

The Program Director – Mobile Museum Fleet will exhibit the following qualities:

• Positive, service-oriented attitude with genuine care for families, children, and community partners.
• Strong organizational skills, resourcefulness, and reliability in managing a highly mobile, logistics-dependent program.
• Ability to balance mission, safety, schedule constraints, and partner expectations with diplomacy and creativity.
• Calm, solutions-focused, and unflappable during high-traffic events, unforeseen challenges, and complex partnerships.
• Team-oriented collaborator eager to elevate the Cayton’s presence across Los Angeles.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in education, child development, museum studies, community engagement, recreation management, or a related field; or equivalent experience.

Experience

• 5–8+ years of experience designing and managing community programs, mobile outreach, museum education, youth engagement, or related work.
• Proven skill in logistics-heavy program operations, including scheduling, load-in/load-out systems, equipment management, and safety.
• Experience working with diverse communities across Los Angeles; multilingual ability preferred but not required.
• Background in partnership development, community outreach, or cross-agency collaboration.
• Experience in team leadership, staff supervision, or training.
• Fundraising, grant-writing, or sponsorship experience a plus.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and serving diverse populations through culturally responsive programming.

Compensation & Benefits

• $90-$100k annually, commensurate with experience
• Commuter and electronics benefits

The Cayton Children’s Museum is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. This position complies with California wage and hour laws and Cal/OSHA workplace safety standards.

Reasonable Accommodation

The Cayton Children’s Museum provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities or medical needs, consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and all applicable laws. Applicants requiring accommodation may contact HR during any stage of the application or employment process.

Job Description Disclaimer

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the position. Duties may be modified at any time to meet the evolving needs of the organization, in accordance with applicable employment laws.

How to Apply

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter showcasing your experience to hr@caytonmuseum.org with Program Director-Mobile Museum Fleet in the subject line. If you’re excited about the role but don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply.