Management

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Posted July 16, 2026
Executive Director
New England Air Museum
Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Salary Range: $220,000 – $225,000

The New England Air Museum (NEAM) seeks an accomplished leader with demonstrated success in fundraising, strategic leadership, and organizational management to serve as its next Executive Director. One of the nation’s premier aviation museums and the largest aerospace museum in New England, NEAM preserves and presents the remarkable story of flight while inspiring future generations through immersive exhibitions, nationally recognized aircraft restoration, engaging public programs, and hands-on STEM education. Home to more than 100 historic aircraft and aerospace artifacts ranging from early flying machines to supersonic jets and spacecraft, the Museum occupies a unique place at the intersection of history, science, technology, and innovation.

The Opportunity
The New England Air Museum has made significant strides in strengthening its exhibitions, educational programming, marketing, and public visibility over the past several years. The next Executive Director will have the opportunity to build upon this momentum while leading several important institutional initiatives that will shape the Museum’s future, including:

• Strengthen the Museum’s long-term financial sustainability. Working closely with the Board and development staff, the Executive Director will expand philanthropic support, diversify revenue streams, and build the financial resources necessary to support the Museum’s ambitious educational, exhibition, and preservation goals.
• Prepare for a future capital campaign. The Board envisions a campaign to construct an additional exhibition hangar and associated visitor amenities that will allow the Museum to display more of its nationally significant collection, improve the visitor experience, and create new opportunities for exhibitions, programs, and events. The next Executive Director will help determine the timing, scope, and readiness for this transformative initiative.
• Lead the Museum’s next strategic planning process. Building on the organization’s recent accomplishments, the Executive Director will work with the Board, staff, volunteers, and stakeholders to develop a shared vision and strategic roadmap for the Museum’s next chapter.
• Advance exhibition renewal and interpretation. Building upon recent investments in exhibitions, the Museum seeks to continue refreshing its galleries through new permanent installations, rotating exhibitions, enhanced digital interpretation, and storytelling that broadens the Museum’s appeal while highlighting New England’s historic and ongoing contributions to aviation and aerospace.
• Expand the Museum’s leadership in STEM education and aerospace workforce development. The Museum has become an increasingly important educational resource for schools, families, and industry partners. The next Executive Director will have the opportunity to deepen these partnerships while further positioning NEAM as a leader in aviation education and career exploration.
• Deepen partnerships throughout Connecticut’s aerospace ecosystem. The Museum’s proximity to Bradley International Airport and many of the world’s leading aerospace companies presents exceptional opportunities for collaboration, sponsorship, workforce initiatives, and public engagement.
• Pursue accreditation. The Executive Director will have the opportunity to evaluate and, if appropriate, position the Museum for future accreditation and other initiatives that demonstrate excellence.

Responsibilities and Expectations
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director serves as the Museum’s chief executive officer and is responsible for advancing its mission through strategic leadership, financial stewardship, organizational management, and external engagement. The Executive Director is expected to be a highly visible leader who inspires confidence among staff, volunteers, donors, members, and community partners while ensuring the Museum’s long-term sustainability and continued growth. Expectations include:
Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Provide visionary and strategic leadership for the Museum, working closely with the Board of Directors to establish organizational priorities, implement strategic initiatives, and position the Museum for continued growth and relevance.
• Serve as the Board’s principal advisor, ensuring that trustees receive timely, accurate, and meaningful information to support sound governance and informed decision-making.
• Cultivate a productive and collaborative partnership with the Board, engaging trustees as ambassadors, advocates, and philanthropic partners in advancing the Museum’s mission.
• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, innovation, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.

Fundraising & Resource Development

• Serve as the Museum’s chief fundraiser by actively cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors, corporate sponsors, foundations, government agencies, and community supporters.
• In partnership with the Board and development staff, expand philanthropic support through annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, sponsorships, grants, special events, and future campaign initiatives.
• Personally represent the Museum in cultivating relationships that translate into meaningful financial investment and long-term institutional support.
  Financial & Operational Leadership
  • Provide prudent financial leadership by developing and managing the annual operating budget, monitoring organizational performance, safeguarding assets, and ensuring responsible stewardship of financial resources.
  • Identify opportunities to diversify and strengthen earned and contributed revenue while maintaining fiscal discipline and long-term financial sustainability.
• Ensure effective oversight of Museum operations, including facilities, visitor services, collections stewardship, and technology.

Staff Leadership & Organizational Culture

• Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain a talented and diverse professional staff while fostering a positive, collaborative, and high-performing workplace.
• Establish clear expectations, encourage professional growth, promote accountability, and support a culture of teamwork, respect, and continuous learning.
• Recognize and celebrate the Museum’s extraordinary volunteer community, ensuring that volunteers remain fully integrated into the organization.

External Relations & Community Engagement

• Serve as the Museum’s principal spokesperson and ambassador, strengthening relationships with members, donors, elected officials, educators, veterans’ organizations, aerospace leaders, cultural institutions, and community partners.
• Promote the Museum throughout Connecticut, New England, and the national museum and aviation communities through effective communication, public speaking, and active civic engagement.
• Build strategic partnerships that enhance the Museum’s educational mission, broaden its audience, and reinforce its role as a leader in aviation history, STEM education, and aerospace workforce development.

Mission & Collections

• Champion the Museum’s mission to preserve and present the history of aviation and aerospace while ensuring the responsible stewardship of its nationally significant collections.
• Support excellence in exhibitions, educational programming, collections care, restoration, and visitor engagement, encouraging innovation while maintaining high professional standards.
• Ensure that the Museum’s programs and initiatives remain relevant, engaging, and responsive to the interests of diverse audiences.

Experience, Skills, and Attributes

• The successful candidate will bring a combination of executive leadership experience, fundraising success, strategic thinking, financial acumen, and a passion for the Museum’s mission. While no single candidate is expected to possess every qualification listed below, the Search Committee seeks an individual whose experience and personal qualities align closely with the following:

Required Qualifications

• Verifiable success securing major gifts from individuals, corporations, foundations, and public agencies.
• Senior executive leadership experience within a nonprofit, museum, educational institution, or similarly complex organization.
• Demonstrated financial acumen, including budget oversight, long-range planning, and the ability to make difficult resource-allocation decisions.
• Experience working effectively with governing boards and leading professional staff.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to translate strategy into measurable results and organizational performance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience raising funds for cultural, educational, or heritage organizations.
• Familiarity with aviation, aerospace, manufacturing, STEM education, or related industries.
• Experience securing government grants and other public funding.
• Experience leading or working with a substantial volunteer organization.

Personal Characteristics

• An energetic, optimistic, and engaging leadership style that inspires confidence among donors, staff, volunteers, and community partners.
• Sound judgment, integrity, and the confidence to make difficult decisions while fostering a culture of accountability and high performance.
• Strategic thinker with a strong sense of financial stewardship and urgency regarding long-term organizational sustainability.
• Intellectual curiosity, openness to new ideas, and a willingness to challenge assumptions while respecting the Museum’s history and culture.
• Diplomatic, collaborative, and emotionally intelligent, with the ability to build trust, navigate differing perspectives, and communicate candidly with both the Board and staff.
• A genuine passion for the Museum’s mission and enthusiasm for preserving aviation history while inspiring future generations through education and innovation.

How to Apply
To apply in confidence, submit an application online HERE by September 9, 2026. A complete application should include:

1. A cover letter expressing interest in the position and giving brief examples of past related experience.
2. A resume.
3. The names and contact information for three professional references, indicating your relationship with them, preferably supervisors and/or direct reports.
4. Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as candidates will be considered on a rolling basis. All applications and nominations are kept confidential; we will not contact references without your permission. Nominations are welcome. Questions should be directed to Dan Yaeger, Senior Search Consultant, Museum Search & Reference, via SearchandRef@museum-search.com.

View the complete description.

Posted July 16, 2026
Vice President of Museum
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Huntsville, Alabama
Salary Range: $120,000 – $140,000

OVERVIEW
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center proudly serves as a Smithsonian Affiliate. We not only house Smithsonian’s largest artifact, we also curate the world’s largest assemblage of space hardware. Our roots trace back to the dawn of space exploration, and we are home to the world-renowned Space Camp. The Vice President of Museum provides executive leadership for the museum experience, ensuring the U.S. Space & Rocket Center delivers engaging, educational, and mission-aligned experiences for guests while safeguarding the institution’s collections, archives, exhibitions, and planetarium programming. This role oversees Museum Visitor Services, Planetarium, Exhibition Management, and Collections and Archives. The Vice President of Museum leads cross-functional museum strategy, operational execution, exhibit development, guest engagement, collections stewardship, and interpretive planning in alignment with the Center’s mission, strategic plan, and standards of excellence. The ideal candidate is a collaborative, data-informed executive leader with strong museum management experience, sound judgment, financial acumen, and the ability to translate institutional vision into high-quality visitor experiences and sustainable museum operations.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership and Museum Oversight

• Provide executive leadership for the museum division, including Museum Visitor Services, Planetarium, Exhibition Management, and Collections and Archives.
• Develop and implement museum strategies that advance the Center’s mission, improve the guest experience, strengthen educational impact, and support long-term institutional growth.
• Lead planning and execution for new, refreshed, and traveling exhibitions, with emphasis on compelling storytelling, accessibility, visitor flow, interactivity, and operational sustainability.
• Ensure museum programs, exhibitions, planetarium experiences, and interpretive activities reflect high standards of scholarship, guest engagement, safety, and mission alignment.
• Use data, financial analysis, audience feedback, and operational metrics to guide priorities, allocate resources, improve performance, and enhance the visitor experience.
• Collaborate with executive leadership, Education, Marketing, Facilities, Development, Finance, and external partners to align museum initiatives with institutional priorities.
• Represent the museum with internal and external stakeholders, including the Smithsonian Institution, aerospace partners, donors, community organizations, peer museums, and professional associations.

Museum Visitor Services

• Oversee the visitor-facing museum experience, ensuring consistent, welcoming, safe, and engaging service from arrival through departure.
• Establish and monitor service standards, operating procedures, staffing models, training expectations, and performance goals for visitor services functions.
• Support ticketing, admissions, guest wayfinding, docent and volunteer engagement, crowd flow, accessibility, and front-of-house coordination.
• Partner with Facilities, Security, Exhibit Maintenance, and other operational teams to ensure public spaces, exhibits, and guest pathways are clean, functional, safe, and visitor-ready.
• Work with Marketing and Membership teams to support admissions initiatives, visitor communications, promotions, and audience development.

Planetarium

• Provide executive oversight for the planetarium, ensuring programming is educational, engaging, scientifically accurate, and aligned with the Center’s mission.
• Guide the development of planetarium programming, special presentations, collaborations, and revenue-generating opportunities that enhance STEM education and visitor engagement.
• Ensure planetarium operations are properly staffed, scheduled, maintained, and supported by appropriate training and professional development.
• Support technology planning, equipment maintenance, system upgrades, and capital planning necessary to sustain a high-quality planetarium experience.
• Coordinate with Education, Marketing, and museum leadership to promote planetarium offerings and integrate them into the broader guest experience.

Exhibition Management

• Provide strategic direction for exhibition planning, design, fabrication, installation, maintenance, evaluation, and deinstallation.
• Lead cross-functional coordination among curatorial, creative, education, facilities, marketing, collections, and operations teams to deliver high-quality exhibitions on time and within budget.
• Oversee exhibit content development and interpretive planning to ensure exhibitions are accurate, engaging, inclusive, accessible, and aligned with institutional priorities.
• Establish project management practices, schedules, budgets, and decision-making structures for exhibition development and implementation.
• Assess exhibition performance through visitor feedback, attendance data, maintenance needs, educational impact, and operational outcomes.

Collections and Archives

• Provide executive oversight for collections and archives stewardship, ensuring responsible care, documentation, preservation, access, and interpretation of institutional assets.
• Support policies and practices related to acquisitions, loans, deaccessions, conservation, registration, archival management, and collections documentation.
• Ensure collections and archives work is aligned with applicable museum standards, donor expectations, legal requirements, and Smithsonian Affiliate responsibilities.
• Promote appropriate access to collections and archives for exhibitions, research, education, public programs, digital initiatives, and institutional storytelling.
• Partner with Development and executive leadership on donor relations, artifact-related opportunities, grants, sponsorships, and strategic collections initiatives.

Leadership, Budgeting, and Collaboration

• Direct, mentor, and evaluate senior museum leaders, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, professionalism, innovation, and guest-centered service.
• Lead annual planning, budgeting, forecasting, procurement, and resource allocation for assigned museum functions.
• Identify operational risks, staffing needs, capital priorities, and process improvements, and recommend practical solutions to the CEO and executive leadership team.
• Communicate clearly with staff, executive leadership, board members, visitors, donors, industry partners, and community stakeholders.
• Champion the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s commitment to education, innovation, preservation, and the celebration of human space exploration.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
The Vice President of Museum holds executive-level supervisory responsibility for assigned museum functions. Direct reports include Museum Operations, Planetarium, Museum Creative Director, and Curator. The role is responsible for aligning these teams around strategic priorities, operational excellence, fiscal responsibility, guest experience, exhibition quality, and collections stewardship.

Travel Requirements:
This role may require occasional travel for industry conferences, professional development, partnership meetings, donor or stakeholder engagement, exhibition planning, collections-related work, and business development opportunities. Travel may also be necessary to collaborate with Smithsonian affiliates, aerospace industry leaders, peer institutions, and other museum professionals to advance the strategic initiatives of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

QUALIFICATIONS
Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree in museum studies, public history, history, science, education, business administration, nonprofit management, hospitality management, or a related field. Graduate degree preferred.

Required Experience

• At least five (5) years of high-level museum management experience, preferably in a leadership role within a high-traffic museum, science center, cultural institution, visitor attraction, or related public-facing organization.
• Ten (10) or more years of progressive senior leadership experience in museum operations, visitor services, exhibition management, collections, archives, planetarium operations, education, guest experience, or related institutional leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and align creative, curatorial, operational, educational, and guest-facing functions around shared strategic goals.
• Experience overseeing budgets, revenue and expense management, forecasting, procurement, contracts, project timelines, and operational performance metrics.
• Knowledge of museum standards and best practices related to visitor experience, exhibition development, collections care, archives, interpretation, accessibility, and safety.
• Strong strategic planning, problem-solving, analytical, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage complex priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, including the ability to engage effectively with executive leadership, staff, board members, donors, partners, vendors, and the public.
• Experience working with or within Smithsonian Affiliates, science museums, aerospace organizations, or STEM-focused institutions is preferred.
• Passion for space exploration, science, education, history, and public engagement is strongly preferred.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Physical Requirements
This role requires:

• Ability to stand, walk, and move throughout the facility for extended periods.
• Occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds for operational needs.
• May involve climbing stairs, bending, stooping, and reaching as necessary for inspections, event setup, exhibition oversight, collections-related reviews, and overall operational leadership.
• Role requires flexibility to work extended hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, particularly during special events, exhibition openings, peak visitation periods, and high-profile institutional engagements.
• Occasional travel may be necessary for industry conferences, partnership meetings, exhibition planning, business development, and professional networking.

Eligibility Qualifications

• Must be authorized to work in the United States.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Environmental Factors
This role works in a dynamic, fast-paced, visitor-focused environment at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, a high-traffic museum and educational facility. The position involves a combination of office work, on-site operational oversight, and hands-on leadership across public spaces, exhibitions, planetarium areas, collections and archives environments, event spaces, and outdoor areas. The Vice President of Museum regularly collaborates with internal teams, executive leadership, external partners, vendors, donors, and museum professionals to ensure high-quality museum operations and guest experiences. This position requires the ability to work in indoor and outdoor settings, with exposure to varying temperatures and weather conditions during events, inspections, or operational needs. The role demands flexibility, including evening, weekend, and holiday hours, to accommodate the museum schedule, major events, exhibition openings, and peak visitation periods.

Expected Hours of Work
While standard business hours typically apply, the Vice President of Museum must be available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed, particularly during peak visitation periods, exhibition openings, special events, and high-profile engagements. Occasional extended hours may be required to ensure seamless operations, address urgent matters, and support major museum initiatives.

DISCLAIMERS

• The U.S. Space & Rocket Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer
• All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment in accordance with applicable equal employment opportunity laws and organizational policy.
• Duties and Responsibilities May Change with or Without Notice

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new
ones may be assigned at any time, with or without notice.

View the complete description.

Featured

Posted July 13, 2026
President & Chief Executive Officer
Grand Rapids Public Museum
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Salary Range: $275,0000 – $290,000

Overview
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) seeks an innovative, engaged, and forward-thinking leader who is passionate about the role of a dynamic museum in a thriving community to serve as its next President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Museum has become a model museum, serving as a community hub for education and engagement with history, science, and culture, past, present, and future. The Chief Executive Officer is the Museum’s senior leadership position and reports to the GRPM Foundation Board of Trustees and the Board of Art and Museum Commissioners. The CEO has executive oversight authority and responsibility for all Museum operations, staff, finances, and community relations.

The next President and CEO will embrace the mission of the Museum and its ability to provide an entertaining and educational experience to students and members of the public, building on the Museum’s successful educational approach and striving to enhance it through programmatic planning. The new CEO will embrace the unique capacity of the Museum to use its collection for the betterment of the Grand Rapids community and will seek out additional partnerships and opportunities to expand on this mission. As a relationship builder and leader, the new CEO will embody the Museum’s values and communicate its vision, mission, and strategic goals to partners in order to grow and expand into the future. As the Museum’s chief executive fundraiser and leading community advocate, the next CEO will work to sustain current partnerships and grow new ones.

The GRPM is the oldest and second-largest museum in Michigan. It was created under the city charter in 1854, just four years after the City of Grand Rapids was established. The Museum traces its roots to the 1868 merger of the Grand Rapids Lyceum of Natural History and the Grand Rapids Scientific Club, which became the Kent Scientific Institute and later evolved into the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Today, the Museum and Collections occupy more than 226,000 square feet and house over 250,000 artifacts and specimens that tell the stories of Grand Rapids, West Michigan, and beyond, as well as the 55-acre historic Indian Mounds site. It was the first museum in the nation to be accredited (1971) and was most recently re-accredited in 2024.
A complete Leadership Profile with additional information may be found here: https://www.agbsearch.com/searches/president-chief-executive-officer-grand-rapids-public-museum

Nominations and Applications
Review of applications for the GRPM President and CEO will begin immediately and continue until an appointment is made. To ensure full consideration, applications should be received by September 4, 2026, and must include:

• A letter of interest addressing the priorities and expectations for leadership identified in the profile;
  • A current curriculum vitae; and
  • The contact information (email and phone) for five professional references, including their relationship to the candidate. References will be contacted at a later stage in the search, and only with the candidate’s permission.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum is being assisted by AGB Search. Please direct nominations and expressions of interest or any questions regarding the application process to: GRPMCEO@agbsearch.com or to one of the AGB consultants listed below:
• Andrew Bowen, MA, Executive Search Consultant, andrew.bowen@agbsearch.com
• Nancy Targett, Ph.D., Executive Search Consultant, nancy.targett@agbsearch.com
• Lynn DellaPietra, Ph.D., Executive Search Associate, lynn.dellapietra@agbsearch.com

The Grand Rapids Public Museum is an equal-opportunity employer. It is the Public Museum’s policy to provide equal employment opportunities at all times without regard to age, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, language differences, nationality, parental status, physical, mental and developmental abilities, race, religion, sexual orientation, skin color, socioeconomic status, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Each employee is responsible for assisting the Public Museum in maintaining a climate that provides equal employment opportunities for all employees.

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Featured

Posted July 7, 2026
Executive Director
Virginia Discovery Museum
Charlottesville, Virginia
Salary Range: $115,000 – $135,000, commensurate with experience

About the Virginia Discovery Museum
The Virginia Discovery Museum (VDM) is a vibrant, hands-on children’s museum located on Charlottesville’s historic Downtown Mall. For more than 45 years, VDM has sparked curiosity, creativity, and discovery in young children and the adults who care for them. Through interactive exhibits and programs grounded in early childhood development, the museum creates joyful learning experiences that help build confident learners and connected families. VDM serves approximately 60,000 visitors annually and operates with a commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and community impact, ensuring that all children can explore, imagine, and discover together.

Position Summary
The Executive Director (ED) is the strategic and visionary leader of VDM, responsible for advancing its mission, ensuring financial sustainability, and strengthening its role as a cornerstone of early childhood experiences in the region. Leading a dedicated team of six staff members and 200 plus volunteers, and working in close partnership with an engaged Board of Directors, the ED balances big-picture vision with hands-on execution. This leader will drive fundraising and community engagement while maintaining excellence in daily operations and the visitor experience. The ED will play a critical role in shaping the museum’s next chapter—expanding its reach, deepening its impact, and exploring opportunities for growth in programs, partnerships, and potentially physical space. The Virginia Discovery Museum seeks to welcome its next Executive Director in Summer 2026, with some flexibility based on candidate availability.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Partner with the Board to develop and implement a multi-year strategic plan to expand the reach and mission of VDM
• Identify opportunities for growth in audience, programming, and facilities
• Measure educational impact and organizational success and integrate into strategic planning

Fundraising & Financial Leadership

• Lead and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy through individual giving, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, and events
• Maintain and foster new relationships with major donors and community supporters
• Oversee grant strategy, including research, writing, and reporting
• Develop and manage an annual operating budget of approximately $900,000
• Ensure strong financial controls, reporting, and compliance, including audit and tax filings
• Partner with the Board to manage long-term financial planning, including endowment oversight

Community Engagement & External Relations

• Serve as the museum’s primary ambassador and public voice
• Build strategic partnerships with schools, universities, nonprofits, and businesses
• Represent VDM with local, regional, and state government entities
• Elevate the museum’s visibility and reputation through museum associations and non-profit leadership and community organizations

Operations & Visitor Experience

• Support Director of Operations in day-to-day museum operations, ensuring a high-quality, safe, and engaging visitor experience
• Oversee exhibit maintenance and evolution of exhibits, including the historic carousel
• Spearhead collaborations with local government officials, public leaders, university partners, and others to highlight and expand VDM facilities and programming
• Uphold compliance with safety, ADA, and nonprofit regulations, and ensure equal access to programs and facilities

Team Leadership & Culture

• Retain and develop a high-performing team of staff including development and professional opportunities
• Recruit high-performing volunteers and staff as needed
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and mission-driven workplace culture
• Support staff in delivering innovative, high-quality programs and exhibits.

Qualifications
Required:

• 8–10+ years of senior leadership experience, ideally in a nonprofit, museum, education, or mission-driven organization
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, including major gifts and institutional support
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting
• Experience managing and developing teams
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or relevant professional certifications preferred

Preferred:

• Experience in non-profit management, education, or cultural institutions
• Familiarity with government relations and public funding environments
• Advanced degree (e.g., MBA, M.Ed., MNM, Museum Studies, or related field)

How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter outlining their interest in the role and alignment with the Virginia Discovery Museum’s mission to: edsearch@vadm.org. Applications will be reviewed by a search committee of the Board of Directors. All inquiries and applications will be handled confidentially.

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Posted June 26, 2026
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mystic Aquarium
Mystic, Connecticut
Salary Range: $450,000–$480,000 base, plus performance-based annual bonus of up to 20%

For more than 50 years, Mystic Aquarium has been a beloved institution, driven by a singular, urgent purpose: to protect aquatic life and empower communities to save our oceans. Home to 325 animal species and nearly 3,500 individual animals, including beluga whales, Steller sea lions, African penguins, and sand tiger sharks, the Aquarium draws nearly 800,000 visitors each year to its campus along Connecticut’s scenic shoreline. Voted among the nation’s top five aquariums, Mystic Aquarium is an AZA-accredited leader in marine science, animal care, animal rescue, and immersive public engagement, with deep community roots and a growing national and international presence.

Mystic Aquarium is seeking a seasoned, mission-focused President and CEO to guide the organization into a new era marked by greater conservation efforts, increased philanthropic support, and deeper community engagement. The candidate must be an inspiring leader with the authority, business insight, and social skills to steer a revered, complex institution. Applicants from diverse sectors such as aquariums, zoos, science museums, conservation organizations, higher education, foundations, or the private sector—particularly those with experience in mission-driven or complex nonprofit environments—are encouraged to apply. Success depends on the ability to unite internal teams and external stakeholders around a common vision, cultivating enthusiasm, trust, and dedication. This prominent leader will represent the Aquarium’s mission externally, strengthen fundraising efforts, and nurture an authentic, transparent culture internally, earning staff trust and fostering a mission-oriented workplace. Collaborating with a dedicated community, the new President and CEO will shape Mystic Aquarium’s next chapter, enhancing its visibility within philanthropic, scientific, and civic circles and ensuring its role as a vital advocate for ocean conservation for future generations.

View the complete description.