The Chief Learning Officer (CLO) position was created in the fall of 2024 as part of developing the Garden’s next 5-year strategic plan. That plan will focus almost entirely on the Garden’s four mission pillars—Conservation, Research, Exhibition and Education. The Garden is widely recognized as a national leader in the first three of these mission pillars. However, we lag behind the best public gardens in the nation with respect to education, due mostly to the impact the COVID pandemic had on nearly all of our educational programming. The Garden is now poised to become a national leader in education and has sufficient resources (both human and financial) to invest in the following areas in order to be recognized as a national leader by 2035. (A more detailed listing of the Garden’s goals in the next 5 years is available.

The Garden has made a commitment to becoming a national leader among public gardens in education in the following areas by 2031: 

1. Innovation in K-8 STEM education for school districts, classroom teachers and students

2. Providing in-depth desert horticulture learning through the Desert Landscape School for entrepreneurs, home owners and public employees in “green scape” positions

3. Opening a $10 million state-of-the-art Children and Family Garden

4. Implementing the Garden’s comprehensive Interpretive Master Plan

5. Maintaining the quality of its acclaimed Volunteers in the Garden program

6. Designing and launching a comprehensive informal learning program for adults

The CLO will lead and expand the Garden’s education department and will also serve as the newest member of the Garden’s “C suite” leadership team. The CLO will play a key role in developing the Garden’s next strategic plan, and will work closely with the officers of the Board of Trustees, and other members of the Board.

The CLO will also be a member of the Garden’s 14-person senior management team, which collaboratively implements all aspects of the Garden’s operations, planning, and budgeting.  While being primarily responsible for the leadership of the Education department, the CLO must also develop a strategic understanding of all aspects of the Garden’s mission and operation, and work seamlessly with the senior leadership team in managing the overall operation of the Garden.  

Essential Duties

• Continuously benchmark other “top tier” botanical gardens and develop direct knowledge of best practices throughout the sector
• Envision, prototype, evaluate and refine new programs that address the six priorities listed above 
• Convene and co-lead Board committees that provide support and oversight for achieving the six priorities listed above 
• Supervise, mentor, coach, and evaluate Education department employees 
• Participate fully in all activities related to maintaining accreditation by the AMA
• Create and manage the annual education department revenue and expense budgets 
• Identify and, in collaboration with the Membership & Philanthropy Department, submit proposals to funding sources appropriate for the education department’s programs, including IMLS, NEA, NEH, and local, regional, and national foundations. 
• Fully participate in the daily activities and rhythm of the Garden. Attend Garden staff meetings, Board meetings, and VIG leadership meetings 
• Continue professional development and participate in appropriate museum organizations and annual conventions; encourage all staff in the department to do the same 
• Serve as an ambassador for the Garden and all of its programs; regularly attend community events to authentically engage with our core audiences and, particularly, with the three audiences identified as priorities in the current strategic plan—Latinx, millennials, and children and their families

Salary range: $166,500 - $274,700

• Bachelor’s degree in museum studies, education, plant science, business administration, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience; master’s degree preferred
• Minimum of five years’ experience supervising mid and upper-level managers, a large department, and multi-faceted, complex projects in a highly integrated environment
• Experience in strategic planning, organizational development, and systems thinking within an organization
• Passion for science education and informal learning
• Commitment to achieving all of the Garden’s IDEA goals
• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver engaging educational experiences, preferably in a visitor attraction or related informal educational experience
• Experience using established assessment metrics for educational effectiveness and financial strength
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and teambuilding skills
• Strong business acumen; able to build relationships, share knowledge, embrace ambiguity, and thrive with changing priorities
• Superior analytical and research skills; the ability to make decisions and manage course corrections as necessary are required
• Superior time management, attention to detail, and follow-up skills are a must
• Patience, tact, and the ability to build rapport throughout the organization; high emotional intelligence and the art of persuasion required
• Ability to work off-hours with occasional evenings, weekends, and/or holidays

Equipment Used

Typical office equipment.

Scope of Authority

Review, negotiate, sign and enforce contracts under direction of the Executive Director. Create and enforce policies and procedures as needed. 

Financial Authority

Overall responsibility for assigned budgets. Authority to approve expenditures up to amount determined by Executive Director. 

Internal Communication

Frequent interaction with all Garden employees and members of the Board of Trustees.

External Communication

Frequent communication with vendors and partners. 

Working Conditions

Potential for tight deadlines or time periods of high workload may require additional hours. The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal. Must be able to walk, sit, stand, stoop, kneel, bend, see, hear, speak, read and type. Manual dexterity and the ability to lift up to 10 pounds required. Reasonable accommodations may be made, when necessary and feasible, to allow a qualified individual to perform essential job functions.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Desert Botanical Garden is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by law.

The Garden fosters and supports workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion to honor the unique perspectives, experiences, and contributions of all, to celebrate successes, and to cultivate individual and institutional excellence.
All employees will help add to the Garden’s diversity and fully embrace it. 

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and deliverables of the role. This is not a contract and should not be viewed as such. Other duties may be assigned by supervisor and/or his/her/their designee.