Employment

ABOUT THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM GROUP

The Children’s Museum main campus has recently moved across town to a new temporary location at 180 Mohegan Drive in West Hartford, CT. For 97 years, we have offered hands-on fun with STEM/STEAM exploration for children and families, school and community groups, and home-schooled children. At the Museum, Nature Center, Museum Preschool, and in classrooms throughout Connecticut, we encourage children to become creative thinkers and lifelong learners. All the while, supporting families and the community in their role in our children’s advancement. The Children engage in our interactive labs, workshops, multi-sensory exhibits and demonstrations, a live wildlife sanctuary, vacation camps, birthday parties, scout activities, and special events. Our unique Children’s Museum Preschool, co-located within our West Hartford Museum, integrates science experiences into early childhood learning and a play-based curriculum. Our Roaring Brook Nature Center in nearby Canton offers environmental exhibits, nature programs, and acres of outdoor hiking, bird watching, and winter cross-country skiing, alongside a wildlife rehabilitation clinic and animal sanctuary.

The Children’s Museum Group will inspire life-long learning among children and their caregivers by providing experiential learning programs covering STEAM/STEM, health, nature, and the environment. Entertaining, stimulating, and unique to the area, our programs will assist the development of curious, confident, and innovative children creating the basis for successful adults. In so doing, The Children’s Museum group will continue to be a valued asset and partner in the community.

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Posted 09/15/2024

Director of Development – Full-time

The Director of Development will oversee all of the day-to-day activities of the development department including designing, shaping, and leading all fundraising initiatives to advance The Children’s Museum’s annual and strategic goals. Reporting to the Executive Director and working closely with the volunteer Board of Directors, outside consultants, and other staff members, the Director of Development will be an integral member of the senior management team. Playing an active role in developing and communicating The Children’s Museum’s mission and vision to cultivate new and existing donors and supporters, the Director of Development will also oversee fundraising for capital projects, individuals, and institutions in the Greater Hartford area, along with all grant initiatives, and will grow The Children’s Museum’s culture of philanthropy by expanding and implementing overall fundraising efforts. The Director of Development will work closely with the Board’s Development and Capital Campaign Committees and will help shape the board nominating and board development effort.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Development Program Oversight and Management

• Create a formal fundraising plan with quantified goals and timelines and establish processes and infrastructure to support plan execution.
• Develop and execute donor cultivation and stewardship initiatives and prospect research.
• Partner with the Executive Director, Board of Directors and established fundraising committees to strategize relationship building initiatives and outreach to current, prospective, and lapsed donors and draft talking points and prospect research profiles for Executive Director and Board / committee members in advance of donor meetings and events.
• Perform full audit of the database and manage all fundraising related data in Blackbaud Altru with attention to accuracy, timely gift processing, acknowledgment, and reporting.
• Create annual budget for Development, providing quarterly status updates to Executive Director.
• Oversee recruitment, training, and support of key development staff and volunteers.
• Network with other development professionals and identify strategies for collaborative fundraising where appropriate.
• Participate in the following Board Committees: Development, Governance, Capital Campaign

Individual Giving and Major Gifts Management

• Draft, design, initiate, and record all donor communications.
• Ensure prompt, personal, and meaningful donation acknowledgements.
• Foster relationships with new donors through immediate personal phone call follow-up for any first-time donations.
• Identify and establish processes for various methods and procedures for giving (i.e. – matching gifts, volunteer grants, planned giving, crowdfunding, appreciated securities, payroll deduction).
• Collaborate with finance to ensure all donations are accurately integrated into financial management software.
• Implement prospecting and stewardship initiatives to meet or exceed fiscal and donor retention goals.

Grants Management

• Provide administrative oversite for grant writing.
• Research and identify new grant application opportunities, working closely with leadership team to determine program and opportunity alignment.
• Maintain updated standard organizational documents, files and materials required for grant applications.
• Develop and write grant proposals as needed.
• Work closely with Director of Operations, Director of Education, and other department heads to develop budgets for grant proposals and provide necessary reporting data once grants are secured.
• Review all grant contracts prior to facilitating execution.

Corporate / Foundation Engagement and Management

• Collaborate with staff leadership, Development Committee and Board to identify opportunities for revenue generation through sponsorship solicitation and other forms of corporate support.
• Develop and design sponsorship packages to include case for support, giving levels and corresponding benefits, and sponsorship agreements.
• Develop tracking processes to ensure accuracy and timeliness of benefit distribution.
• Develop and implement sponsor engagement and acknowledgement processes with attention to frequent, timely communication.

Capital Campaign and Events Management

• Maintain effective day-to-day administration of capital campaign initiatives including prospect pipeline, plan, timeline, fundraising progress reports, and goals.
• Schedule, attend, and support all capital campaign planning and steering committee meetings.
• Manage and maintain records of cultivation strategies, evaluations, solicitations, contact reports, and results of all contacts with campaign prospects.
• In coordination with capital campaign consultants, write, design, and produce campaign-related correspondence including letters, reports, newsletters, presentation pieces, campaign packets for prospect and donor visits, and other materials as needed along with applicable follow-up correspondence.
• Foster and maintain successful interpersonal relationships with campaign prospects, donors, volunteers, and staff.
• Work with the Executive Director, Development Committee, and campaign volunteers to plan and execute fundraising and campaign-related events.

Communications Management

• Implement an integrated, donor-centric communications plan, including a strong case for giving, email and social media, newsletters, website language, annual report, and other compelling cultivation, solicitation and stewardship materials.
• Increase frequency and quality of donor communications.
• Develop, maintain and share updated internal communications materials (i.e. elevator speech, case for giving) to better ensure consistency of message and provide tools necessary for Board and staff to serve as successful ambassadors.
• Create narrative and content for all print and digital appeal fund solicitations.
• Collaborate with website manager, providing copy, content, and design recommendations for fundraising corporate/foundation support and governance pages on organization website.

Qualifications:

• At least 4 years of nonprofit fundraising/development experience, with demonstrated success in obtaining support from corporations, foundations, and individuals.
• Bachelor’s Degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Computer proficiency; Microsoft Office programs, donor database management – Blackbaud Altru experience a plus.
• Excellent foundation research and grant writing skills.
• High levels of organization and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Media savvy, with warmth and a sense of humor.
• Comfort with public speaking and the ability to deliver a message concisely and effectively.
• Strong networking skills and with proven track record establishing diverse networks.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent timelines and projects.
• Experience with budget management and preparation of financial reports.
• Capital Campaign management experience with proven track record of securing major gifts.

Compensation and Benefits: The Children’s Museum offers competitive compensation with an anticipated annual salary range between $100,000 to $110,000. Employee benefits include paid vacation, sick leave, personal days, and holidays; health and life insurance; and participation in My CT Savings retirement savings options, among other benefits equitably afforded to all employees.

This position directly reports to the Executive Director.

Status: Exempt, Full-Time

Schedule: 8 hour shift, Monday – Friday and other flexible hours

Location: The Children’s Museum, 180 Mohegan Drive West Hartford CT 06117

Interested candidates should send all of the following materials for consideration:

Resume, cover letter, writing sample, and three references:

Email: HR@thechildrensmuseumct.org

Mail:
Human Resources Coordinator
The Children’s Museum
180 Mohegan Drive
West Hartford, CT 06117

(No phone calls please)

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Posted 08/14/2024

Visitor Services Coordinator – Full-time

As a customer support team member, you will have the opportunity to welcome and educate children and their caregivers through exploratory opportunities. As a friendly and supportive Customer Service representative, you provide the first contact with museum guests; in person, by phone, and through virtual modes. As a dynamic and energetic facilitator, you will make each child and family experience one that is informative, rewarding, and fun. This role oversees Visitor Services Associates and coordinates the support necessary from other departments to successfully provide services to our museum guests. At times when the museum is closed to the public, this coordinator will have responsibility for administrative and marketing tasks that will assist the organization and support continued customer service to our patrons. Tasks involve answering phones, admitting preschool caregivers and business guests, data entry and membership mailing processes, and assisting with other administrative functions. The ideal candidate will have an interest in marketing and experience designing and coordinating social media for businesses and will assume daily posting goals.

Primary Responsibilities:

Visitor Services

• Facilitate the process of admitting children and their caregivers into the museum and successfully address customer service needs as they arise.
• Proactively identify opportunities for membership, program registration, and event ticketing, in-person, by phone, and through electronic communications.
• Maintain accurate cash control during the entry and sales processes. Reports daily on financial transactions and is responsible for oversight of the cash handling process at admissions.
• Open and close cash drawers, accurately document daily financial receipts, and secure funds.
• Prepare and maintain exhibit manipulatives and materials for museum exploration and program delivery.
• Assist in disinfecting, cleaning, and maintaining general public and exhibit spaces.
• Maintain an organized lobby and entry area for visitors.
• Answer main phone line and direct calls.
• Coordinate visitor services shifts and daily activities among all visitor services associates.

Membership

• Work closely with the Family Programs and Membership Engagement Specialist to support policies and programs, that focus on increasing active family museum memberships.
• Answer membership inquiries via phone, e-mail, social media, and in person.
• Receive and enter new and renewal membership data into the constituent database.

Administrative and Marketing

• Receive mail and packages and distribute as needed.
• Maintain a program/event marketing calendar and coordinate marketing-focused meetings with department leads.
• Design and post routine social media posts and analyze return on investment.
• Assist department leads in special projects, data entry, and processing of mailings.

Essential Skills:

• Excellent customer service and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong organizational and planning skills.
• Experience with donor databases, ticketing databases, and membership databases (Blackbaud-supported systems preferred; ALTRU, Raisers Edge, Patron Edge, Financial Edge)
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to use new technology and programs. A desire and willingness to educate oneself on the Blackbaud Altru Software currently used by the organization
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office products. Must demonstrate efficiency in designing, managing, and creating spreadsheets, mail merging Word documents, and designing simple presentations.
• Working knowledge of graphic design programs. Experience with Canva preferred.
• Effective with social media marketing. Including scheduling, posting, and evaluating engagement.
• An efficient self-starter, who is organized, remains calm, and high functioning to meet deadlines.
• Must demonstrate effective communication skills via phone, in person, and through written communications.
• Must show discretion and the ability to maintain confidentiality when required.
• Solid understanding of routine office technology including basic skills to identify issues, troubleshoot basic fixes, identify, and coordinate outside support quickly and efficiently.
• Not-for-profit experience preferred.

Additional Preferred Experience:

• Undergraduate degree (acquired or in the process) preferred.
• Customer service and cash handling experience
• Experience working with a diverse group of learners.

Job Type and Schedule: Position is full-time/non-exempt. Insurance and PTO benefits are available. Required full-time hours Wednesday- Sunday 8:30 am-5 pm. Flexibility to cover alternate shifts for special events, meetings, and general museum support during busy visitation times is required.

Salary range: $19/hour

Location: The Children’s Museum, 180 Mohegan Drive West Hartford CT 06117

This position directly reports to the Director of Operations and works collaboratively with the Altru Administrator/Membership Coordinator/Financial Assistant and Family Programs and Membership Engagement Specialist.

Interested candidates should send all of the following materials for consideration:

Resume, cover letter, and three references:

Email: HR@thechildrensmuseumct.org

Mail:
Human Resources Coordinator
The Children’s Museum
180 Mohegan Drive
West Hartford, CT 06117

(No phone calls please)

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Updated 08/30/2024

Preschool/Pre-K Assistant Teachers

Full-time and Part-time available

We are hiring qualified Preschool/Pre-K assistant teachers to support the Lead Teachers in the classroom. All Preschool staff must have great love and patience for children. Qualifications needed to teach them effectively include knowledge of best practices and preschool educational methods as well as the ability to engage them and earn their trust and attention. The goal is to contribute to the healthy mental and emotional development of the child so they can more easily acclimate to the next level of education.

Responsibilities

• Deliver engaging and creative activities suitable for preschool children.
• Employ a variety of educational techniques (storytelling, educational play, media, etc.) to teach children.
• Observe each child and help them improve their social competencies and build self-esteem.
• Encourage children to interact with each other and resolve occasional arguments.
• Guide children to develop their artistic and practical capabilities through a carefully constructed curriculum (identify shapes, numbers, or colors, do crafts, etc.).
• Organize nap and snack hours and supervise children to ensure they are safe at all times.
• Track children’s progress and report to lead teachers.
• Communicate with parents regularly to understand the children’s background and psyche.
• Collaborate with other educators.
• Maintain a clean and tidy classroom consistent with health and safety standards.

Skills

• Proven experience in a childcare setting.
• Basic Understanding of the principles of child development and preschool educational methods.
• Familiarity with safety and sanitation guidelines for classrooms.
• Excellent communication and instructional skills.
• Ability to act as a mediator between children.
• Cool-tempered, friendly, and reliable.
• A balance between a creative mind and a practical acumen.
• Certification in child CPR and first aid is preferred prior to hire. New employees who do not possess valid certification will be taken into consideration and will need to acquire certification within a period of three months from their date of employment.

Qualifications

• Associate (Preferred)
• Teaching: 1 year (Preferred)
• Early childhood education: 1 year (Preferred)
• First Aid Certification (Preferred)

Schedule: The Museum Preschool is open Monday to Friday 8 am-5 pm. Shifts range from 12-40 hours per week. Full and part-time positions are available.

Location: 180 Mohegan Dr, West Hartford, CT 06117

Job Type: Part-Time or Full–Time and is Non-Exempt. A benefits package is available for full-time.

Pay: Ranges from $15.69-$17 per hour. Entry wage will be determined by candidates level of education and qualifications as outlined in the CT Office of Early Childhood experience levels.

Interested candidates should send all of the following materials for consideration:

Resume, cover letter, and three professional references to:

Email: jbostrom@thechildrensmuseumct.org

Mail:
Human Resources Coordinator
The Children’s Museum
180 Mohegan Drive
West Hartford, CT 06117

Apply in person: Monday – Friday 9:30 am – 4 pm

(No phone calls please)

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