Arctic Museum Outreach Coordinator

Arctic Museum Outreach Coordinator

Posting Number S01495JP

Department Arctic Museum Arctic Studies

Job Summary

The Peary MacMillan Arctic Museum seeks a welcoming and organized professional to lead front-line visitor services and educational outreach. The person in this multifaceted role is responsible for managing the museum’s reception desk and retail shop accounts, coordinating K–12 school tours and community visits, and supporting docent training. The Coordinator also supervises casual staff and student employees, ensuring a high-quality visitor experience. In collaboration with the Curator and Director, the role develops and delivers creative, family-oriented programs that connect diverse audiences to the Arctic’s rich cultural and scientific heritage.

Essential Functions :

Reception desk duties – Opens and closes the receptionist desk and museum shop promptly on a pre-determined schedule. Greets visitors and briefly orients them to the Museum exhibits and programs. Maintains daily a record of museum attendance and program attendance. Supervises work-study students and casual workers working as receptionists and tour guides. Coordinates opening and closing activities with Security Officers. Compiles monthly and end of the year fiscal reports. Answers reception desk telephone.

Education outreach duties – Manages the museum’s K-12 school tour program by encouraging, facilitating, and scheduling school groups’ tours of the Arctic Museum’s exhibitions. In consultation with the Curator and Director, develops educational outreach materials available in the museum and on the museum’s website, and develops and oversees special programs for families .

Museum shop duties – Identifies products appropriate for sale in the museum shop. Orders merchandise for the shop, tracks invoices, maintains shop expense and income records. Keeps the museum shop stocked and in good order. Handles cash, checks, and credit card receipts related to the sale of items in the shop, donations in the donation box, and photo orders. Makes deposits having reconciled shop accounts, prepares monthly and annual budget reports.

Supervisory duties – Train, hire, onboard, and oversee work study students and casual employees (receptionists and docents).

The hourly range for this position is expected to be : $24.00 –$25.50 / per hour. Compensation is based on skills and experience.

BENEFITS AND PERKS

A variety of health insurance plans (Medical – effective date of hire, Vision, Dental)

Generous Retirement Plan – 10.12% annual compensation contribution (Eligible after 1 year of service and age 26), no match or vesting required!

Life and Disability Insurance

Paid Time Off : 10 days of vacation (1st year), 15 days (2nd year), 12 days of personal / sick time ( PTO accruals based on hours worked).

Paid Holidays and Special Days Off :

Paid Parental Leave (Available after one year of service)

Access to many of the College’s facilities including the gym and pool (Including household members)

Free fitness and wellness classes!

And more :

Education / Skills Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree is required.

Excellent verbal, and written communication skills

Multi-tasking and problem-solving skills in a busy front desk setting

Ability to interact with a diverse audience.

Ability to create engaging educational outreach materials and programming for a wide range of age groups

Proficiency in Microsoft Office products.

Experience Requirements and / or Equivalents

A minimum of two years of experience as a museum outreach worker; shop manager, receptionist / secretary, or teacher / educator.

Knowledge of K-12 education theory and interpretive techniques applicable in a museum setting.

Knowledge of anthropology, history, art history, education, environmental studies, or Arctic Studies. Knowledge of best practices in retail management.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications in this posting to be considered for hire.

Standard Work Days and Hours

This is a full-time position working 37.5 hours / 52 weeks, (0.94 FTE ) with occasional evening or weekends as required. Standard operating hours are Monday – Friday, 8 : 30 am to 5 : 00 pm. Occasional weekends and evening hours may be required.

We regret that Bowdoin College is unable to provide visa sponsorship for staff positions.

Employment at Bowdoin College is contingent upon satisfactory completion of applicable background checks including but not limited to : criminal records, educational verifications, driving records (when job-related), and / or credit history (when job related).

About Bowdoin

Bowdoin embraces diversity in all forms, and the College is home to talented students, faculty and staff—with a variety of racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds; religious beliefs; and gender identities, among other factors.

We encourage applications from candidates committed to the support of an inclusive campus community and those who will enrich and contribute to the College’s multifaceted diversity. We value a community in which individuals of all backgrounds are warmly welcomed and encouraged to succeed.

Founded in 1794, Bowdoin has maintained its commitment to the liberal arts for well over 200 years. Bowdoin’s reputation as a preeminent liberal arts college rests on the excellence of its faculty, students, and staff; intimate size; strong sense of community; and connections to the people, history, and natural beauty of Maine.

Bowdoin’s campus is situated in a beautiful natural setting. Located in Brunswick, Maine, a town of approximately 20,000, the College is a short drive from the Maine coast, twenty-five miles from Portland and 120 miles from Boston.

Shift

Employment Category Full Time Year Round

FTE 0.94

Benefits Eligible Yes

Pay Type Hourly

Background Check Package Requirements Support Staff + Credit

Is driving a vehicle (e.g. Bowdoin vehicle or off road vehicle, rental car, personal car) an essential function of this job? No

Is a pre-placement physical required for this position? No

Posting Date 11 / 03 / 2025

Applications Accepted Until

Open Until Filled No

Type of Posting Internal / External

Special Instructions to Applicants

If selected as a finalist, you will be required to submit information for three references, including name, email address, phone number and how you know the reference.

EEO Information

Bowdoin College complies with applicable provisions of federal and state laws that prohibit unlawful discrimination in employment, admission, or access to its educational or extracurricular programs, activities, or facilities based on race, color, ethnicity, ancestry and national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and / or expression, age, marital status, place of birth, genetic predisposition, veteran status, or against qualified individuals with physical or mental disabilities on the basis of disability, or any other legally protected statuses.

Supplemental Questions