Director, Operations and Outreach - National Mall Gateway at Trust for the National Mall in Washington, DC, USA

Job description

• The Director of Operations and Outreach, National Mall Gateway, leads the day-to-day coordination, outreach, and operational delivery of the National Mall Gateway. Working closely with the Vice President of Programs, Senior Product Manager, Communications team, and external partners, the Director translates strategic priorities into clear work plans, timelines, partnerships, and measurable outcomes. The Director is responsible for keeping Gateway initiatives moving across teams, coordinating content and education partnerships, expanding awareness and use of the platform, and representing the Trust with educators, cultural institutions, funders, and other stakeholders. This role combines strong project management with relationship building, communications, and a commitment to creating accessible and meaningful learning experiences connected to the National Mall.
• Salary Range: $140,000-150,000

Responsibilities

• National Mall Gateway Program Operations (50%)
• Partner with the Vice President of Programs to translate Gateway strategy into annual priorities, work plans, timelines, benchmarks, and measurable outcomes.
• Coordinate the day-to-day implementation of Gateway initiatives across Programs, Projects, Communications, Philanthropy, and external partners, including grant and other support management.
• Drive project planning and execution by maintaining clear priorities, timelines, and communication processes that support informed decision-making and successful outcomes.
• Monitor progress toward program goals and provide clear, data-informed updates and recommendations to the Vice President of Programs.
• Identify operational risks, resource needs, and potential delays early and work with relevant colleagues to resolve them.
• Support the planning and delivery of Gateway education initiatives, including virtual learning, educator resources and professional development, and partner-supported programming.
• Establish consistent processes for launching, documenting, evaluating, and improving Gateway initiatives.
• Coordinate Gateway-related vendors and consultants, including deliverables, timelines, communications, and alignment with project goals.
• Support budget planning, expense tracking, and resource allocation for Gateway programs and outreach activities.
• Partnerships and Content Development (20%)
• Build and manage relationships with education organizations, cultural institutions, content partners, subject-matter experts, and other organizations that can advance Gateway goals.
• Lead the identification, cultivation, and coordination of content and education partnerships in collaboration with the Vice President of Programs and Senior Product Manager.
• Develop clear scopes, expectations, timelines, and follow-up plans for partner-supported projects.
• Coordinate the development and ongoing engagement of a Gateway Advisory Council or other stakeholder groups.
• Organize partner meetings, working sessions, and stakeholder convenings that support program development and desired outcomes.
• Maintain accurate records of impact for partner relationships, commitments, deliverables, and next steps.
• Outreach and Audience Growth (20%)
• Develop and implement an annual outreach plan designed to increase awareness, adoption, and continued use of the National Mall Gateway.
• Work with the Communications team and external marketing partners to coordinate Gateway messaging, campaigns, social media, email communications, and promotional materials.
• Maintain a consistent outreach calendar tied to Gateway launches, educational priorities, conferences, events, and partner activities.
• Represent the Trust at educator conferences, partner meetings, presentations, webinars, and other outreach opportunities.
• Identify opportunities to reach educators, students, families, and other priority audiences through trusted networks and partner organizations.
• Coordinate the production, inventory, and distribution of Gateway collateral and outreach materials.
• Gather feedback from users and partners and share practical recommendations with Programs, Technology, and Communications colleagues.
• Use available audience, outreach, and platform data to assess results and refine outreach activities.
• Supervise assigned staff, interns, fellows, consultants, or other project support, providing clear direction, regular feedback, and accountability.
• Contribute to Programs team planning, budgeting, reporting, and cross-functional coordination.
• Support the preparation of internal updates, leadership briefings, funder reports, and presentations related to Gateway progress and impact.
• Collaborate with the Development team on donor and partner activations connected to the National Mall Gateway.
• Build productive working relationships across the Trust and contribute to a collaborative, accountable, and inclusive team culture.
• Represent the Trust at events, meetings, and gatherings as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Strategic leadership- ability to develop and implement long-term strategies aligned with the Trust's mission and vision.
• Program development and evaluation- ability to design, implement, and evaluate programs that align with the Trust's mission and goals.
• Stakeholder engagement- strong relationship-building skills with diverse stakeholders, including board members, donors, volunteers, community leaders and beneficiaries.
• Partner and vendor management- experience in managing relationships with external vendors and partners.
• Key Competencies
• Project management.
• Strong verbal and written communication and storytelling skills, both internally and externally.
• Effective people manager and developer.
• Proactive collaboration and ability to anticipate needs with a flexible mindset.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Bachelor's degree or commensurate experience.
• Minimum of 7-10 years' professional experience.
• Minimum 3 years' experience in program development and implementation. (Required)
• Minimum 3 years' managing a team. (Required)

Skills

Required

• Strategic leadership
• Program development and evaluation
• Stakeholder engagement
• Partner and vendor management
• Project management
• Effective people manager and developer