Job Announcement, November 2015
Garden Coordinator
Lower Columbia School Gardens
Lower Columbia School Gardens (LCSG) is a non-profit organization in Cowlitz County that helps schools start and sustain dynamic, thriving garden programs. LCSG has helped create and sustain 13 school gardens in Southwest Washington, and engages over 3,000 students each year in hands-on, garden based learning activities. Find out more on our website, http://www.lowercolumbiaschoolgardens.org/.
The Garden Coordinator facilitates a wide variety of hands-on learning for children in multiple school gardens by leading a wide variety of garden-based learning activities, including teaching garden and cooking lessons tied to curriculum standards. The Garden Coordinator promotes the LCSG mission with our partners, stakeholders and the general public. This is a full-time, 40 hour per week position with occasional evening and weekend hours. We are seeking a kind, creative, energetic person who is passionate about real food, kids, plants, and soil.
Essential Functions:
- Develop and facilitate garden-based lessons and activities for elementary and middle school children including cooking lessons, arts and crafts activities and lessons tied to curriculum standards
- Recruit, coordinate and retain LCSG volunteers
- Integrate garden-based curricula into existing educational settings
- Create and share garden resources for teachers, children and garden volunteers such as planting guides, lesson plans and volunteer training resources
- Promote LCSG through marketing, social media, community outreach, teacher and parent engagement
- Coordinate LCSG events such as fundraisers, volunteer appreciation events, harvest festivals, produce sales, after-school garden clubs, community outreach and others
- Participate in program evaluation and research
- Collect and maintain data on volunteer and student participation and other metrics
- Participate in fundraising and grant writing to support the on-going work of LCSG
- Perform garden maintenance tasks—watering, weeding, mulching, soil and compost, cleaning and organizing garden classrooms, sheds and outdoor spaces
- Maintain a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in the school garden field
Qualifications:
- High School diploma
- Bachelor’s degree in relevant field preferred
- 2 years in environmental education or children’s program development, or equivalent experience and skills.
- Demonstrated ability to develop successful outdoor education programs, and facilitate hands-on learning and dynamic programming for elementary through middle school children
- Strong interpersonal skills, leadership and teamwork
- Excellent writing and communication skills
- Ability to work independently
- Experience with volunteer management
- Event planning and coordination experience
- Flexible, and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, sometimes unpredictable setting
- Proficiency with computers and basic software programs including google drive, Microsoft office
- Experience working with diverse populations and across disciplines (parents, teachers, school garden staff, community members, students)
- The ability to lift 25 lbs, operate garden tools (shovels, wheelbarrows, etc.), assist in construction (retaining walls, garden beds, trellises, sheds, etc.)
- Willingness to work in an outdoor environment in a variety of weather conditions
- Driver’s license and willingness to drive LCSG vehicles
Compensation: $12/hr.
Position is open until filled.
To apply for the position, please email a cover letter and resume to Ian Thompson, Executive Director for Lower Columbia School Gardens at ian@lcschoolgardens.org.
If you have questions, please contact Lauren Henricksen, henricksenl@co.cowlitz.wa.us or 360-414-5599 ext. 6434.
Download PDF: Garden Coordinator Job Description