Museum Program Manager supporting the USCG

Ruchman and Associates, Inc.•New London, CT

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Ruchman and Associates, Inc. (RAI) is seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead daily operations, workforce management, and service delivery for a high-visibility, 80,000 sq. ft. federal museum expected to host 300,000 visitors annually. The Program Manager is responsible for day to day operational oversight in visitor services, education programming, IT/AV technical support, and surge staffing.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in management, public administration, museum studies, business, or related field.
5–8 years of experience managing operations, programs, or staff in a museum, cultural institution, visitor-center, federal facility, or high-volume public attraction.
Demonstrated experience supervising multi-disciplinary teams (visitor services, education, technical support).
Proven ability to manage staffing schedules, shift coverage, and high-turnover roles.
Strong background in quality assurance, risk management, and customer-facing operations.
Ability to obtain and maintain a Tier 1 (T1) / NACI Public Trust clearance.
Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and conflict-resolution skills.
Ability to support occasional extended hours during peak events.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a relevant field.
PMP certification or equivalent project management credential.
Experience supporting federal museums, military heritage institutions, or government cultural programs.
Familiarity with IT/AV exhibit systems, digital interactives, or technical troubleshooting workflows.
Prior experience leading project phase-in or standing up new operational programs.

Responsibilities

Provide overall leadership, quality control, scheduling, and risk management for all museum support functions.
Direct daily operations across Visitor Services, Education & Public Programming, and Technical/AV Support.
Manage staffing plans, shift coverage, and performance for a year-round operating schedule.
Oversee recruitment, onboarding, and training of baseline and surge personnel.
Support new hire onboarding including Tier 1 NACI background check
Maintain operational readiness and ensure rapid response to technical outages, exhibit issues, and visitor-flow challenges.
Coordinate with USCG stakeholders, museum leadership, and contractor team members.
Lead project phase in activities to achieve full operational capability.
Monitor SLAs, produce performance reports, and implement corrective actions.
Manage risk, safety stewardship, and crowd control strategies during peak visitor periods.
Support event operations, VIP visits, and high-visibility public engagements.