Programs & Events Manager  | Galveston, TX

Programs & Events Manager  

About The Bryan Museum 

The mission of The Bryan Museum is to bring the history of Texas and the American West to life through art, education, and preservation. The Museum’s world-class collection, engaging exhibitions, and outstanding educational history and literacy programs offer visitors the opportunity to explore the multicultural stories of the past while inspiring them to shape the stories of the future. The Bryan Museum houses one of the largest collections related to Texas and the American West with over 70,000 historical artifacts, documents, and artwork spanning 12,000 years. The Bryan Museum is a public charity non-profit 501c(3). 

Job Description:  

The Bryan Museum seeks an energetic and highly organized Programs & Events Manager to lead the development, planning, and execution of mission-driven public programming and events. This position plays an important role in advancing the Museum’s educational mission by creating engaging programs and events that connect audiences with the history, culture, and stories of Texas and the American West. Working within the Education Department, the Programs & Events Manager develops and manages a dynamic calendar of lectures, workshops, exhibition-related programs, community events, and member experiences that expand public access to the Museum’s collections and Texas history. The ideal candidate is a strong project and event manager who thrives in a fast-paced environment and has experience coordinating complex events, managing vendors and budgets, and collaborating across departments to deliver engaging public programming. 

Responsibilities 

• Plan, coordinate, and execute the Museum’s full calendar of public programs and events, including lectures, workshops, community days, exhibition-related programs, and member events aligning programming with exhibitions and educational goals. 

• Manage all logistical planning for programs, including scheduling, facility setup and breakdown, staffing, volunteers, vendors, bar service, book sales/signings, and on-site coordination. 

• Plan and coordinate the Museum’s monthly lecture series, including identifying and booking speakers in collaboration with the Education team, as well as coordinating travel and scheduling and managing event logistics such as setup, volunteers, and book sales or signings. 

• Lead the planning and execution of major annual events, including Holiday Delights and other large-scale community and family programing. Responsibilities include vendor recruitment, community partnerships, volunteer coordination, event logistics, and budget management. 

• Coordinate the “I Am Texas” Art & Writing Contest Winners Reception and Student Art Expo exhibition, and collaborate on the overall management and logistics of the contest, which receives approximately 1,000 student submissions annually. 

• Manage all event logistics including scheduling, facility setup and breakdown, staffing and volunteers, vendor coordination, and on-site event management. 

• Facilitate logistical planning and execution for member events held at the Museum in collaboration with the Development department. 

• Identify, contract, and manage vendors and community partners associated with programs and events. 

• Develop and manage program and event budgets, track expenses, and ensure programs are delivered efficiently and within budget. 

• Implement systems to track participation, evaluate program success, and support the continued growth of the Museum’s educational programming. 

• Lead weekly internal program meetings with museum staff to coordinate timelines, logistics, and responsibilities across departments. 

• Work closely with the Development Department to provide program information, narrative content, and support for grant proposals and case-for-support documents. 

• Contribute and write program descriptions and educational content to support marketing, communications, and social media promotion. 

Qualifications: 

• 3–5 years of experience in public programming, event management, Museum education, or nonprofit programming. 

• Genuine interest in and commitment to the Bryan Museum’s mission, with an appreciation for Texas history, art, culture, and education.  

• Must know or be willing to learn basic Texas History and maintain proficiency in knowledge of Museum’s collection and history of Texas and the American West.  

• Demonstrated experience managing public events and program logistics, including vendors, budgets, scheduling, and on-site execution. 

• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple programs simultaneously. 

• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues across departments and with external partners and community organizations. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 

• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends for programs and events. 

Job Type: Full-Time, Exempt 

Location: Galveston, TX, onsite  

Salary: $45,000–$55,000, commensurate with experience 

Benefits: 

• 401(k) 

• Health insurance 

• Dental insurance 

• Vision insurance 

Company's website: www.thebryanmuseum.org   

To Apply:  Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to: education.jobs@thebryanmuseum.org  

The Bryan Museum is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.