Learning Gardens School Day Program Manager

POSITION DESCRIPTION

City Parks Foundation seeks a Program Manager for our Learning Gardens school day program.  The Program Manager is a primary educator in one or more of CPF’s multiple citywide Learning Gardens.  CPF Learning Gardens are the centerpiece of comprehensive curricula across multiple programs for 2nd-12th graders that promotes hands-on learning in urban ecology, horticulture, food justice and stewardship.  Key responsibilities for this role include contributing to curriculum development and all lesson planning, as well as managing partnerships with schools and community-based organizations (CBOs) and supervising seasonal educators and interns.  The Program Manager reports to the Senior Manager of School Partnerships. 

COMPENSATION - $53,000.00 to $60,000.00 per year

RESPONSIBILITIES

Teaching/Lesson Planning/Curriculum Development: 

During the school year:

• Serve as a primary educator for the school-year program with regularly scheduled classes in gardens and school classrooms
• Coordinate program schedule (and rescheduling) and field experiences for your portfolio
• Assist to train and supervise the seasonal lead educator
• Lead and/or contribute to workshops and professional development sessions
• Review and adapt curriculum as needed to ensure engaging, exciting, experiential lessons that are:
  • Relevant and scaffolded
  • Meet curricular goals and mandated standards, (i.e NY Scope and Sequence, and Next Generation Science Standards)
  • Tailored to each class (grade, special education, inclusion and English language learners).
• Serve as model experiential educator for teachers in each of our participating schools

During the summertime and fall winterizing period:

• Serve as a primary educator for interns and summer camp groups as well as occasional public events
• Model instructional techniques and create opportunities for interns to provide direct instruction to younger students on a daily basis
• Provide fun, experiential learning opportunities in the garden that meet curricular goals while promoting leadership, teambuilding and positive relationships
• Guide interns’ work based on each garden maintenance plan established by the LG staff team

Assessment:

• Work with the Director of Environmental Education and Director of Youth Development (internship only) on design and implementation of assessment strategies and tools
• Gather relevant baseline data for use in measuring program impact and outcomes; ensure and report accurate, comprehensive records and statistics on your portfolio

Ongoing Professional Development:

• Continually investigate best practices through your own professional development
• Actively participate in staff development within and across education programs

Partnership Development:

• Act as the key liaison in cultivating and securing school partnerships through outreach, contracting, and planning
• Collaborate with Director of Education and each partner to clarify and execute a shared vision, goals, roles and responsibilities
• Help strengthen relationships with key garden-operation partners (ie: GreenThumb, partnering community gardens) in conjunction with the staff team
• Contribute to the fundraising and marketing processes, as needed
• Represent program at community, education or industry events, as needed

Gardens and Resources:

• Assist to purchase, maintain and account for shared program materials  
• In collaboration with the LG staff team, integrate garden design and maintenance into lesson plans and activities that support both student and LG garden goals
• Assist with maintenance tasks in Learning Gardens growing spaces including weeding, transplanting, direct seeding, compost, etc as schedule allows
• Provide logistical support and complete general administrative duties, as needed

Strategic Planning and Program Evolution:

• Actively participate in department-wide and program meetings
• Collaborate with the Director of Education to define vision, goals, benchmarks, tactics, opportunities and program modifications for Learning Gardens

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Agriculture, Sustainability, Environmental Education/Science, Environmental Studies or equivalent direct experience in environmental science education in non-formal settings
• A minimum of two years of experience in outdoor teaching that includes experiential learning practices
• Strong experience with elementary and middle school age students essential; some formal classroom experience preferred
• A strong background in inquiry-based methods and developing interdisciplinary curricular materials 
• Demonstrated success working with diverse students, especially youth from low-income communities
• Experience evaluating programs and tracking student learning
• Proven track record in curriculum development (competency with "backward design" models a plus)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong proficiency in Google Drive and office applications (docs, sheets, slides); as well as data collection and analysis applications such as Survey Monkey and SalesForce
• Self-starter with a positive, can-do attitude and consistent follow-through
• Strong desire to grow with the job and organization
• A strong interest in teaching culturally relevant gardening lessons and promoting sustainable eating
• Willingness to travel alone on public transportation to sites throughout New York City
• Willingness and ability to work outdoors in sometimes uncomfortable weather conditions
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team is essential
• Driver's license with willingness to travel throughout NYC alone, when called upon
• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends as needed (flex time available)

ABOUT CITY PARKS FOUNDATION

At City Parks Foundation (CPF), we are dedicated to invigorating and transforming New York City parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through arts, environmental education, sports, and community building programs for all New Yorkers. Our ethos is simple: we believe thriving parks mean thriving communities.

Community engagement includes Partnerships for Parks, a public-private program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks, which supports and champions a growing network of community leaders who care and advocate for the transformation of our neighborhood parks and the Parks and Open Space Partners-NYC coalition of conservancies and alliances. We also administer the NYC Green Fund, a regranting program for parks and open space nonprofits and grassroots organizations.

We produce SummerStage, the iconic free, outdoor performing arts festival in NYC, presenting world-class artists from across the globe and our own neighborhoods on our mainstage in Central Park and in local parks in all five boroughs, and our Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre and roving PuppetMobile present marionette puppet theater throughout New York City.

We connect youngsters to nature in the urban environment through progressive, experiential teaching. Using parks as classrooms, we provide learning experiences and hands-on activities in urban forests, coastal areas, and gardens.

Free golf, tennis, track & field, soccer, and fitness programs bring high-quality instruction and equipment into areas where few organized athletic opportunities exist. We offer leveled training, year-round scholarship coaching, and special pro events.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. City Parks Foundation does not offer visa sponsorship.