Community Engagement Associate

Job Description

The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens seeks a dynamic Community Engagement Associate to join our dedicated, energetic team. This newly created position will play an important role in connecting the community-at-large with the mission of the Friends – strengthening existing offerings as well as establishing new programs and events to engage and cultivate a wide range of new and returning visitors.

The ideal candidate has an outstanding work ethic, excels at independent as well as group work, and enjoys collaborating with others. The Community Engagement Associate will report to the Director of Education & Community Engagement and will work closely with the entire Friends team, including staff, Board members, and volunteers, as well as City of Birmingham staff and external stakeholders. This is a full-time position and requires in-person work.

About Us

About Birmingham Botanical Gardens
A facility of the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board, Birmingham Botanical Gardens is the result of a public/private partnership between the City of Birmingham and the nonprofit Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The Gardens encompasses 67 acres featuring two dozen garden spaces that reflect the region’s rich and varied terrain and showcase the many plants that thrive in Southern gardens. Annual attendance exceeds 300,000 visitors.

About the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens
A mission-driven membership organization, the nonprofit Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens seeks to protect, nurture, and share the wonders of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. We are dedicated to serving the Gardens; serving the community; serving our visitors; and inspiring a passion for plants, gardens, and the environment. The Friends’ work centers around Communications & Marketing, Education & Community Engagement, Gardens Support, and Fundraising.
For more information, visit bbgardens.org.

Duties & Responsibilities

Help build and implement a strategic community engagement plan that supports the Friends’ distinctive mission
-Manage the implementation of our community micro awards initiative, including identifying partnerships, completing the grant cycle, and offering support
-Identify and engage community partners of varying ages, abilities, and backgrounds in programming throughout the Gardens and in our Outdoor Classroom and Garden Lab spaces
-Plan, coordinate, and conduct varied awareness, organizational, and educational activities including in-person meetings, virtual programs, and on site consultations with participants
-Create a collective sense of community, curiosity, appreciation, and knowledge of plants and the environment
-Monitor and analyze visitor data to broaden and strengthen the reach of the Friends’ mission across our region

Increase relevance and accessibility of the Gardens
-Help to grow the breadth of our community partners and audiences to reflect the unique backgrounds, interests, and abilities in the region
-Analyze trends in public gardens and cultural institutions to ensure relevance and engagement; actively engage in networking with industry peers to understand and implement innovative strategies
-Shape visitor experiences through community events
-Design, plan, and coordinate innovative special events that reflect our collections, profession, and community
-Oversee program logistics, planning, and execution of small and large events such as festivals, conferences, performances, and other cultural events
-Support and strengthen relationships with allied partners
-Manage communication with partners, vendors, artists, and visitors
-Utilize Altru software to schedule programs and create customer registrations

Provide institutional support and synergy
-Serve as an internal resource and provide support to staff, volunteers, members, and visitors, prioritizing customer service
-Professionally represent the Friends at meetings, including those of FBBG staff, committees, Board, and professional organizational associations, as required
-Be a part of the collective success of the Friends’ Education & Community Engagement team; forge constructive partnerships with other staff members; foster productive interdepartmental teamwork

Education and Experience

-Excellent written and verbal communication skills
-Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
-Ability to work independently, set priorities, manage concurrent projects, and meet deadlines
-Strong customer service focus
-Demonstrated collaborative team player and ability to rally the team to produce exceptional results
-Ability to excel in a fast-paced and physically demanding environment
-Enthusiasm for the Friends’ mission and readiness to assist beyond this job description
-Preference will be given to candidates with two or more years of related experience in education, community engagement, or horticulture

Application Instructions

Please submit letter of interest, resume, and three references in one pdf to careers@bbgardens.org.