Exhibitions Planning Coordinator at The National Geographic Society

Who We Are

The National Geographic Society uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world.

Our mission is only complete when our staff, explorers, educators, youth and partners are seen, valued, and heard. We embrace each person’s identity, experiences, and abilities, and we commit to cultivating an environment where everyone benefits from opportunity, mutual respect and a sense of belonging.

We are committed to cultivating an environment that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion for our staff, explorers and educators and partners.

How You’ll Contribute

NGS Education supports educators and students in learning about the world and how it works, understanding the interconnectedness of the earth’s systems, and cultivating empathy for all who inhabit it. The Education department also includes the Museum & Experiences team, which oversees the Washington, D.C. museum and store as well as traveling exhibits.

The National Geographic Society is an impact-driven global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education, and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonders of our world. For 132 years, we’ve pushed boundaries to further understand our planet and empower us all to generate solutions for a more sustainable future. We’ve lead groundbreaking scientific pursuits and explorations such as Hiram Bingham’s discoveries at Machu Picchu, Robert Ballard’s quest to find the Titanic, and Jane Goodall’s lifetime study of chimpanzee behavior.

And our pursuits continue. National Geographic believes young people, and the educators who reach them, are key to addressing the planet’s most pressing challenges. Our goals are ambitious, but achievable, and are anchored by a team of dedicated individuals driven by purpose and hope. We seek to equip millions of educators with the tools and resources they need to help young people develop an explorer’s mindset and cultivate empathy for the earth. We seek to connect with millions of young people and give them the knowledge, skills, and support they need to become solution-seekers and tomorrow’s leaders. And we seek to help the world understand the importance of geography – seeing the connections and patterns that shape humanity and its habitat; a foundational element that underpins all learning.

The coordinator role is a generalist position that contributes to shared initiatives that cut across the education team. It requires an understanding of the overarching strategy and how their specific expertise contributes to achieving the goals of National Geographic. Coordinators are team collaborators, contributors, and are adept at working on multiple tasks that span multiple teams. The coordinator may also serve on internal cross-platform workgroups.

The Coordinator, Exhibitions Planning provides essential administrative support and performs diversified duties to ensure a productive and efficient exhibition planning process. This position assists with exhibition planning and scheduling; maintaining and archiving exhibition assets; and supports tracking expenses and revenue against exhibition project budgets. The Coordinator, Exhibitions Planning reports to the Director, Exhibitions Planning and works closely with the Director, Museum Partnerships and the VP of Public Programming.

Your Impact

Responsibilities Include

Exhibition Planning and Development (40%):

• Assist exhibition development by procuring and tracking exhibition materials and equipment; preparing artifact and image checklists; and conducting research.
• Support the maintenance of the exhibition master schedule for the Museum and Traveling Exhibitions departments. Coordinate and update multiple exhibition development project schedules.
• In collaboration with Legal and Business Affairs, Creative, Finance and Planning, Traveling Exhibitions, and Museum divisions, coordinate licensing images and video for exhibitions and virtual experiences.
• Communicate contractual and licensing requirements with Museum, Traveling Exhibitions, and NG Departments.

Budget and Project Support (30%):

• Monitor and track expenses and revenue against budget and contractual requirements. Process invoices, set up purchase orders, requests for proposals, and invoice requests.
• Process special billing requests and track invoice payments from Traveling Exhibition venues and partners.
• Oversee exhibition digital asset management and the archiving of project files for Museum and Traveling Exhibitions. Facilitate the transfer of final files from Creative.

Traveling Exhibition Support (20%):

• Support the Traveling Exhibitions division in a variety of administrative ways, including assisting with gathering assets and the creation of exhibition checklists.
• Monitor and respond to incoming inquiries regarding traveling exhibitions and maintain the CRM database.

Skills Concentration (10%):

• Make travel arrangements for contractors, installation/de-installation teams, and special visitors.
• Oversee everyday administrative operations of the Museum, Traveling Exhibitions, NG Store, and Visitor Experiences. Responsibilities include maintaining and archiving project files, scheduling team meetings, ordering office supplies, and maintaining the non-staff database.