Program Manager, Learning Gardens High School Internships

Position Summary

The Learning Gardens High School Training Program is STEM-based and trains 10th - 12th-grade students in basic horticulture, urban agriculture, garden maintenance, and peer instruction. Reporting to the Associate Director of Environmental Education (ADEE) for our Learning Gardens, the Program Manager will oversee and implement a weekly after-school training program in the spring across our Learning Garden sites. Between 30-40 trainees will transition to a paid summer internship program in which the Program Manager will be a lead educator at 1 Learning Garden site and continue to supervise interns during weekly professional development trips. The Program Manager will act as a mentor leading instruction in horticultural science concepts while integrating authentic hands-on practice that contributes to the overall care and maintenance of the gardens. She/he/they will work with the ADEE and the Learning Gardens team to seamlessly integrate programming into our four Learning Gardens located in Brownsville, East New York, South Jamaica, and the South Bronx dividing his/her/their time between the gardens, office, and educational settings. During the off-season, the Program Manager will collaborate with the Gardens Coordinator in garden maintenance, overseeing up to 12 interns in winterizing the gardens in late fall. She/he/they will focus on planning, recruitment, and full enrollment for the Learning Gardens intern training program during the late fall/early winter. To meet the demands of a considerable workload during our busy seasons (spring/summer), the ideal candidate will be an excellent time manager, well-organized, and an effective communicator.

Compensation: 48k - 55k commensurate with experience

Requirements

The Learning Gardens High School Internships Program Manager will:

• Effectively adapt, implement, and collaborate on lessons and overall curriculum that interweave environmental science, agroecology, food justice, climate justice, job readiness, and youth development
• Assist in maintaining all 3 main Learning Garden sites, and facilitating workday events in our program partner sites year-round with the Learning Garden team
• Attend and lead training activities and community events representing CPF Learning Gardens, as called upon
• Research, identify and schedule weekly spring and summer trips with professional partners in the field of urban agriculture as part of professional development training for interns
• Maintain partnerships with high schools and community-based organizations, including interfacing with ExpandED School Options staff team, school administration, teachers, parents, and community-based leaders to facilitate retention of students and program implementation
• Plan and oversee summer internship trips
• Maintain attendance records and other administrative duties
• Implement evaluation, assessment, and reporting processes for both Spring and Summer seasons
• Spearhead recruitment and selection of High School Spring Training Program participants; school meetings, recruitment events, interviewing, and selection
• Maintain database of employment paperwork for interns
• Work with ADEE and ADYD, to support general internship training year-round
• Participate in internship College/Career Readiness training sessions
• Be flexible with limited communication with students and partners outside of normal working hours
• Provide direct instruction during Learning Gardens Spring training program, summer internship, and fall internships
• Integrate maintenance of garden equipment inventory, compost maintenance, and garden-related issues (i.e. pest control, compost issues, etc.) into the weekly practice and final projects of trainees
• Work with ADEE, Garden Coordinator, LG educators, and trainees/interns to implement seasonal plans for the gardens
• Work to successfully transition all high school trainees to summer internships

Qualifications

• Horticulture skills include, but are not limited to, plant selection, maintenance, integrated pest management, organic biodynamic gardening, master composter, etc
• General building, carpentry, and construction skills are a plus
• Willingness to be in outdoor settings in hot/cold/rainy weather
• BA/BS degree in a related field, such as Plant Science, Agriculture, Environmental Education, or Botany or 5+ years of experience with ability to demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills
• Understanding of the principals and experience with positive youth development strategies
• Ability to work weekends and evenings on an occasional basis
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong skills in program administration, communication, and time management
• 2 years experience delivering instruction to teens, preferably in a mentorship capacity
• Experience engaging youth and low-income communities in urban food-justice activities
• Proficiency in Google Office Suite, specifically Sheets, Slides, Forms, Hangouts Meet, and SLACK
• Have strong interest in culturally responsive teaching/facilitation
• Valid New York State driver license
• Bilingual Spanish or other language is a strong plus

WORKING FOR CITY PARKS FOUNDATION

Benefits include excellent healthcare and dental package, vacation, paid holidays, 403(b) Retirement Plan and flexible spending plan. City Parks Foundation is a collegial, mission-focused organization that values its employees and encourages professional growth and advancement.

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.

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