Community Education Coordinator

Job Description

Under the guidance of the Manager of Youth Education, the Community Education Coordinator will lead efforts in developing and coordinating community partnerships and educational programs for youth and family audiences. The Community Education Coordinator is responsible for connecting with key community partners, and developing, teaching, and evaluating mission-related, audience focused learning experiences. This programming includes on and off-site school programs, community events, community programming on and off-site, and programs for youth and families in grades PreK – 12. As a part of the education team, the Community Education Coordinator assists in other areas of the department as needed to support the Garden in achieving its mission and commitment to creating a diverse and welcoming organization. This is a full-time position with benefits.

About Us

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill (NEBG at TH) believes diversity in nature promotes a healthy, vigorous garden. We believe that diversity among our staff promotes a healthy work environment and a vigorous organization. We recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law. We believe in diversity of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, ability, and all the other traits that make us unique. New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill is an equal opportunity employer.

NEBG at TH does not require its staff to be vaccinated for Covid-19, but we urge everyone to receive an updated dose which became available in September 2023 to protect themselves and each other.

The Community Education Coordinator is expected to carry out their responsibilities in ways that support NEBG at TH’s mission and its commitment to creating a diverse and welcoming organization.

• Being welcoming to all staff and the public
• Be respectful of staff differences and preferences
• Use gender neutral communication styles
• Respect everyone’s pronouns
• Attend IDEA (Inclusion Diversity Equity Accessibility) workshops and training sessions
• Make efforts to support a diverse work force
• Develop and support a culture within the department that recognizes and supports NEBG at TH’s IDEA initiatives.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Coordinate and lead on- and off-site educational programs and lessons relating to climate change, ecology, botany, arboriculture, conservation, environmental justice, and other topics as determined by the Manager of Youth Educationfor audiences in grades Pre-K to 12.
• Lead and coordinate programs for community partners, including but not limited to Project Bloom and Growing Green programs.
• Collaborate with the Manager of Youth Education to develop new and evaluate existing curriculum for community partnerships.
• Ensure programs meet educational standards and desired outcomes. Continuously reference and update programs using the Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering standards and the Next Generation Science Standards.
• Evaluate and analyze data for current and future programs.
• Build relationships and cultivate lasting partnerships with educators, community leaders, and youth organizations.
• Promote the Garden’s community outreach programs, represent the Garden at local and state events, and identify outreach opportunities from a community relations perspective.
• Collaborate with Education and Horticulture staff and community stakeholders to plan and execute community focused events on and offsite.
• Assist with coordination of the Community Advisory Committee.
• Manage, track, and fulfill grant requirements.
• Assist with the planning and development of innovative programs, activities, and exhibitions including drop-in, free, and paid programs, family classes, traveling programs, birthday parties, summer camps, and scout programs.
• Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Education and Experience

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in education, community development, museum studies, environmental studies, or related field, or equivalent experience and at least 2 years relevant work experience.
• Two years of professional teaching experience in a formal or informal setting.
• Experience working with young audiences from diverse backgrounds, including school groups, PreK-12 community groups, and families.
• Demonstrated experience and creativity in developing, implementing, and evaluating educational programs for youth audiences.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously and work independently.
• Knowledge of the Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering curriculum standards a plus.
• Experience working in the non-profit sector, grant writing experience, and evaluation experience a plus.
• Experience with Microsoft Office suite, Microsoft Teams, Google Suite, and web-based customer/donor relationship management (CRM) tools a plus.
• Experience assisting in the development and coordination of events is a plus.
• Commitment to New England Botanic Garden’s mission and demonstrated interest in teaching youth about plants and the natural world.

Qualifications

• Able to organize workflow and manage time to meet deadlines, juggle priorities, achieve goals, and support the mission of Youth Education.
• Able to speak and write effectively to ensure functional communication with co-workers, community partners, and program attendees.
• Demonstrated classroom management skills that are effective in engaging and educating diverse learners in grades PreK-12.
• Able to strengthen and build effective working relationships with a diverse community of educators, visitors, students, volunteers, instructors, and staff, demonstrating cultural competence and inclusion.
• Able to work collaboratively with members of the Education team and other NEBG departments.
• Adaptable and flexible; can shift gears comfortably and embrace change.
• Assist with volunteer and instructor training, coordination, and management.

Additional Information

Schedule

The Community Education Coordinator is an hourly, full-time position and is non-exempt from overtime. The standard work schedule for this position is 40 hours per week. This position requires great flexibility and the ability to work on weekends and occasional evenings. On and off-site work will be required.

Salary Range: $19-$19.95 per an hour

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

This job operates primarily in an office environment and in classrooms. However, the employee will often work outdoors.

• Must be able to lift 25 pounds and work outdoors in all seasons.
• Must be able to bend, kneel, stand, and walk for extended periods of time and to navigate uneven grounds and stairs evenly.
• Must have a valid driver’s license, access to a car, and be comfortable with local travel. Travel mileage will be paid.
• Must be able to operate computer and other office communications equipment, including computers, printers, telephones, and radios.

 Note: Duties described above, other duties and physical demands have been identified as essential functions as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Safety                                                                                                                                                  

•  Works with an awareness of surroundings and vigilant to any possible threat to the safety of staff and the public, or to NEBG at TH property. Ensure all concerns are reported promptly.
• Reports all accidents and injuries immediately to an immediate supervisor and/or Chief Financial & Operations Officer, or designee.
• Complies with provisions of the current Employee Handbook, all published personnel policies, and the requirements of the job description.

Application Instructions

Visit https://nebg.isolvedhire.com/job for more information. Open until filled.