National Geographic

How You’ll Contribute

The National Geographic Society headquarters, based in Washington, D.C., is undergoing a significant renovation project on its campus (called Base Camp), which will be completed in 2026. The public-facing portion of this renovation will be the new National Geographic Museum of Exploration. Components of the new guest experience will include a state-of-the-art pavilion entrance, auditorium, iconic photo gallery, exhibition space, immersive walk-through attraction, retail, food and beverage, education center, archives, tours, and exciting new event space. The capstone of the renovation is a one-of-a-kind nighttime experience in the courtyard.

In addition to this new on-campus experience, National Geographic Society has an existing businesses of touring speaker series, exhibitions, and immersive experiences that will be growing and expanding. The departments that are responsible for the development, production, operations, and profitability of these products are a part of the Campus & Experiences Division.

The Chief of Staff reports to the Chief Campus & Experiences Officer (CCEO) and serves as a crucial centralized point of communication, coordination, and management of key division programs, projects, goals, and budgets. This role will be a strategic partner to division leadership, creating and streamlining processes, managing special projects, and ensuring we are communicating well within our division and with colleagues across NGS.

Your Impact

Responsibilities Include:

Management of Division Initiatives and Projects (30%)

• Develop, establish, and maintain systems and processes for division planning, CCEO and other leadership reviews, and task tracking (utilizing Monday.com)
• Drive the development of C&E management and culture initiatives; working with leadership to create an action plan and then working with various team members to execute against it
• Develop and lead the division-wide onboarding process for new hires, ensuring equity and consistent approach so that staff are equipped with the tools and information that they need and managers are well-trained and enabled to take ownership of job-level training
• Work with other divisions on cross-functional projects as assigned by the CCEO
• Lead, organize, and execute special projects as needed
• Serve as division privacy liaison

Communication and Stakeholder Management (30%)

• Serves as a liaison between the CCEO and colleagues, team members, customers, and other key stakeholders; help to assess opportunities and issues for those that require the CCEO’s attention vs. those that are best handled by others; ensure items sent for CCEO review are vetted and complete
• Manage division meeting cadence, creating strategy and agendas for Division All Staff Meetings, regular Leadership Meetings, Direct Report Meetings, and others; lead meetings as required; manage meeting / event planning and execution as required; take notes and ensure action items are assigned promptly are fulfilled appropriately
• Recommend the best cadence and forms of internal division communication to a diverse audience of desk staff and non-desk / floor staff; lead efforts to develop and execute these channels
• Manage division presentations to NGS executives and teams, full NGS staff, and external audiences; develop outlines, slide decks, talking points, and executive briefings

Strategic Planning and Goals Management (20%)

• Lead the goals / objectives / activities development and consolidation process for the division
• Lead the development of action plans for goals
• Establish a cadence and process for tracking progress on goals and ensuring they are completed on time; summarize progress across critical metrics to deliver on strategy and mission
• Identify areas of risk for the division and for specific projects / issues; recommend mitigation actions

Budget Management (20%)

• Lead budget planning and consolidation process for the division; serve as centralized liaison to the Finance department on budget issues
• Review and monitor budgets on a regular basis; work with cost center managers to ensure spending is below budgeted amounts
• Develop and maintain a strategic view of division financial resources; looking for opportunities to reduce costs and / or making recommendations to reassign funds as needed
• Manage Campus Leadership cost center

Educational Background

Bachelor’s degree required; Advanced degree preferred.

Minimum Years and Type of Experience

12+ years related experience with 5+ years’ management experience; experience in museums, attractions, exhibitions, touring entertainment, facilities, and/or construction a plus. Prior Chief of Staff experience in a highly fast pace environment preferred.

Necessary Knowledge and Skills

• Prior experience serving as a Chief of Staff in a highly fast-paced environment preferred
• Excellent organization skills and deep attention to detail
• Thrives in a fast-paced, multi-phase project environment with shifting priorities, and delivering results under pressure
• Strong emotional intelligence, relationship building with executives and staff at all levels, and stakeholder management
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent ability to craft a message (both verbal and visual) for its intended audience
• Exceptional ability to orchestrate strategic and complex cross-functional work with sharp business acuity and creativity
• High level of integrity, judgment, and discretion to handle sensitive and confidential information
• Deep experience and skill in overseeing work and outcomes in a matrixed organization, without direct reporting structures in all cases
• Willingness to work nights and weekends as needed and be on call 7 days per week
• Excellent budget development and management skills; knowledge of profit and loss statements
• Works quickly and with urgency; extremely responsive to all internal and external customers and stakeholders
• Ability to anticipate problems and find creative solutions to challenging situations
• Extraordinary interpersonal skills and ability to communicate professionally in a fast-paced, dynamic team environment
• Ability to exercise good judgment and while working independently

Supervision

1+ direct report

Salary Information

The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry-specific market data for similar-sized nonprofit organizations.

The salary range for this position accounts for a wide range of factors including but not limited to organizational need; specific skill sets; experience and training; certifications; and more. At the National Geographic Society, individuals are typically hired at or near the starting point of the salary range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

The salary range for this position is $190,000.00 - $200,000.00.

In addition, the National Geographic Society offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; engaging and comprehensive wellness program; 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment; flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year) and 10 days of sick leave; 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31 (May not apply to all roles that are required to work during high volume seasons or essential workers. Please check with the hiring manager for confirmation.); paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits; learning and development opportunities; Lifestyle Spending Account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy; employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit; and a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks.

Job Designation

On-Site Flex - Staff members who must be physically present at Base Camp to do the vast majority of their work supporting overall building and museum operations. On-Site Flex staff hours are determined in consultation with supervisors, and are responsive to the needs of the MOE and other building operations, often including nontraditional (M-F, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) work hours.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.