Exhibition Project Manager II

Monterey Bay Aquarium•Monterey, CA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

At the Monterey Bay Aquarium, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that celebrates and values diversity. We firmly believe that having a team of diverse backgrounds and voices, working together, increases our capacity to serve our visitors and fulfill our mission.â¯We welcome people from all backgrounds into our team and strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, and people with disabilities to apply. Priority deadline for applications is March 9, 2026. Due to the volume of incoming applications, the role may be closed earlier than March 9, 2026. Job Summary: Under general supervision, manage small to medium exhibition projects from initial planning and design through construction and installation. Responsible for overall project communication and coordination to deliver public-facing exhibition projects and public programs, often in collaboration with Guest Experience & Education, and generally without major life support components. Bring expertise to managing effective cross-divisional teams as well as subcontractors and consultants as appropriate. Perform other duties as required. The mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of the oceans. All work will be conducted in a way that promotes animal welfare, environmental sustainability, as well as a sustainable culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Requirements

BA or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
Minimum 2-3 years of project management experience
Knowledge of exhibition project management and visitor-centered museum practice
Ability to keep creative and complex projects focused, on track, and in line with our goals and mission
Leadership qualities with strong team building, communication, and active listening skills required
Contributes to an open, inclusive, and collaborative environment on project teams for all disciplines to contribute their best work in line with project constraints and parameters
Ability to build positive relationships with personnel from other Aquarium divisions, leadership staff, contractors, and stakeholders
Capable of adhering to critical project timing while using good judgment, problem-solving skills, and follow-through
Ability to maintain safety standards on all site work for projects, including internal staff and contractors
Ability, with training, to work with contractors and to learn to recognize and direct remediation of common construction hazards such as elevated work, confined spaces, hazardous chemicals, the hazardous release of stored energy
Excellent computer skills (i.e. Google Docs, preparing presentations, creating budget spreadsheets, database management, email)
Experience organizing and tracking project budgets from conceptual square-foot budgets and detailed estimates, through cost-to-complete tracking
Knowledge and experience reading and interpreting technical exhibit drawings
Ability to work within, and maintain Monterey Bay Aquarium's Core Values
Typical office equipment
Constant sitting, standing, walking, bending
Occasional unassisted lifting up to 50 lbs.
Typical office environment, main aquarium and exhibits, active installation and construction sites, occasional offsite events and/or subcontractor visits

Nice To Haves

Project Management certification or equivalent experience preferred
Ability to learn facilitation and design thinking techniques
Practical knowledge of Agile, Waterfall, and/or Spring project management methods

Responsibilities

Develop and manage project plans (e.g. project objectives, action plans, responsibility charts, detailed requirements, etc.) for small to medium public-facing Exhibition projects from design through construction.
Develop and manage scope, schedule, budgets and estimates, and identify resources needed for exhibition projects.
Update key project documentation throughout each project.
Produce quarterly status reports related to progress, budget, and schedule, developing risk mitigation strategies at all phases.
Participate in collaborative processes (e.g. brainstorming, feedback and decision-making sessions, creative development, workshops, and retrospective reviews).
Schedule and host cross-functional project meetings across multiple departments and divisions, managing overall project communication and coordination.
Track project deliverables (from content, design, animal care, exhibit fabrication, and general construction) against project requirements (e.g., scope, timelines, budget) from initial planning through completion.
Review the work of other staff and project managers throughout the Aquarium working on Exhibition projects to obtain necessary approvals from others.
Communicate expectations across key stakeholders to individual team members to ensure deadlines are met and quality standards are achieved.
Develop scopes of work, requests for proposal, and award of contracts for subcontractors and specialty fabricators.
Manage select subcontractors, ensuring consistency, and adherence to project parameters.
Provide project support to larger Exhibition projects and other project managers, including material and vendor research, compiling data, meeting notes, or other project documentation support.