Job Description
Palacios Preservation Association (PPA)
Job Title:
Project Manager Location:
Palacios, TX (Hybrid:
Office, community, and outdoor site work) Reports To:
Executive Director Duration:
36-month grant-funded initiative (Palacios Pathways) Position Summary The Project Manager serves as the primary operational leader for the "Palacios Pathways:
Where History Meets the Horizon" initiative. This role seamlessly blends high-level project management, historical research, curriculum design, and public engagement to transform Tres Palacios Bay into a "living classroom". The successful candidate will lead the development and execution of educational programs, permanent outdoor exhibits, and community-based historical projects that connect the public to the region's heritage and coastal ecology, ensuring all activities are inclusive, sustainable, and fully compliant with grant requirements. Core Responsibilities 1. Project Leadership & Grant Management Operational Oversight:
Lead day-to-day operations of three core grant projects: Living Currents (oral histories), Tales & Trails (outdoor heritage interpretation), and The Soul of the Bay (working waterfront exhibits). Strategic Planning:
Manage detailed project timelines (including Gantt charts), budgets, and deliverables to ensure absolute alignment with grant priorities and milestones. Stakeholder Liaison:
Act as the primary point of contact and coordinate with city/county officials, contractors, fabricators, and regional partners, including Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Matagorda County Historical Commission. Risk Management:
Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks (e.g., supply delays, weather, permitting, content sensitivity, staffing); maintain a project risk register and ensure contingency plans are actively in place. Grant Compliance & Reporting:
Ensure all activities strictly comply with grant requirements; compile data and prepare/submit required programmatic reports (monthly, quarterly, and final) to funders and stakeholders. 2. Financial Oversight Budget Tracking:
Monitor project expenditures, track line-item allocations, and ensure all spending directly aligns with approved grant budgets. Financial Reporting:
Prepare regular financial statements and reports for funders and the PPA Board, guaranteeing transparency and adherence to administrative grant guidelines. 3. Education & Programming Curriculum Development:
Design and develop educational materials and curricula aligned with both Texas state and Palacios Independent School District (PISD) standards for diverse student audiences. Youth Leadership:
Launch, coordinate, and support three specific youth tracks ( Explorers , Navigators , and Adventurers ); organize monthly workshops and summer heritage/ecology camps. Public Engagement:
Deliver engaging, creative learning experiences, traveling exhibits, tours, and youth camps that successfully bring the history of Palacios to life. Inclusivity & Representation:
Ensure all educational programs, materials, and community outreach efforts are deeply inclusive and representative of Palacios' multicultural community (including English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and African American populations). 4. Research, Archival Systems & Evaluation Historical Research:
Conduct rigorous primary research utilizing local archives, regional history resources, and state libraries to ensure all exhibit content is historically accurate and culturally representative. Digital Preservation:
Build, optimize, and maintain PPA's archival systems, including the management of centralized digital hubs and mobile-first, QR-linked interpretive media. Evaluation & Metrics:
Systematically collect, analyze, and report on project metrics (such as attendance, digital engagement, youth participation, and outcomes) as outlined in the grant to drive continuous program improvement. 5. Site, Exhibit Oversight & Maintenance Exhibit Development:
Collaborate closely with designers and fabricators to create high-quality, trilingual (English, Spanish, Vietnamese) and ADA-compliant interpretive signage and waterfront displays. Installation & Permitting:
Identify optimal exhibit locations, navigate local/state legal compliance, and secure all necessary city resolutions and physical permits. Maintenance & Sustainability:
Develop and oversee proactive maintenance plans for physical outdoor exhibits and digital assets; plan for long-term project sustainability, including the strategic activation of the 10-year maintenance fund. 6. Community Engagement & Communications Volunteer Management:
Recruit, train, and lead volunteers and program support staff operating out of the PPA Preservation Resource Center. Marketing & Public Relations:
Create press releases, flyers, and promotional materials; manage social media accounts, newsletters, and website updates to cultivate robust community support and corporate sponsorships. Partnership Building:
Foster strong, lasting relationships with local schools, regional stakeholders, sponsors, and community organizations. Qualifications Education:
Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in History, Education, Museum Studies, Nonprofit Management, or a closely related field. Experience:
2-4+ years of professional experience managing projects, public programming, historical research, or educational curriculum design—ideally within a museum or nonprofit ecosystem. Core Skills:
Exceptional organizational, public communication, and operational leadership capabilities. Technical Proficiency:
Demonstrated experience managing digital media and mobile-first digital archives (QR code deployments, web hubs, etc.). Cultural Competence:
Proven ability to work effectively with diverse socioeconomic and cultural groups, including multicultural residents, local sub-populations, and descendants of early settlers. Domain Knowledge:
A deep, demonstrable commitment to historical preservation, coastal ecology, and community resilience. Grant Expertise:
Direct experience managing grant compliance, tracking performance metrics, overseeing budgets, and executing risk management registers is highly desirable. Pay:
$40,000.00 - $50,000.00 per year Benefits:
Flexible schedule Health insurance Work Location:
Hybrid remote in Palacios, TX 77465
