School Garden Coordinator- New York City

Organization: GrowNYC

Position Title: School Garden Coordinator

Location: 51 Chambers Street, Room 228, New York, New York, 10007, United States

Hours and Compensation: The School Garden Coordinator position is full-time with benefits. Salary commensurate with experience.

Application Deadline: September 30, 2013

Start Date: October 7, 2013

Organization Overview

GrowNYC is a hands-on non-profit which improves New York City’s quality of life through environmental programs that transform communities block by block and empower all New Yorkers to secure a clean and healthy environment for future generations. GrowNYC was originally created in 1970 as the Council on the Environment of New York City. Born out of the spirit of the first Earth Day, the Council was initially a policy-based organization, writing comprehensive reports about quality of life issues like air quality, traffic, and noise. Over the past 40 years we’ve worked to become more engaged with New York City and its citizens. Whether it’s operating the world famous Union Square Greenmarket, building a new community garden, teaching young people about the environment, or improving recycling awareness, if you’re a New Yorker, GrowNYC is working near you! For more information, visit us at www.grownyc.org.

Description

GrowNYC is seeking a School Garden Coordinator for Grow to Learn NYC: The Citywide School Garden Initiative. Working under the direction of the Citywide School Garden Director and the Open Space Greening Program Director, the School Garden Coordinator will work with school administrators, teachers, parents, and government and non-government organizations to administer a mini-grant program and help learning gardens grow in New York City’s communities experiencing high rates of childhood obesity and diet-related illness.

The School Garden Coordinator will be tasked with promoting and administering a mini-grant program to help establish sustainable school garden programs in high-needs communities through direct, hands-on assistance. Specifically, this person will recruit, support, and assist a minimum of 30 schools in high-needs communities apply for a mini-grant and establish garden programs.

Responsibilities

Job responsibilities include (but are not limited to): partnering with government and non-government organizations to identify interested schools; working directly with school administrators, teachers, parents, and volunteers to build community support and establish a dedicated garden committee; walking the school through the garden registration and mini-grant application process; providing technical training to support the creation and maintenance of garden programs; connecting these schools with additional needed garden resources; and administer the grant application process as well as provide general program support. This person will also design and carry out evaluation of these school garden programs and provide recommendations, and assist in developing informational tools and website content.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree required
• At least three (3) years experience in community organizing
• Experience in education and/or working with schools
• Basic gardening/farming and horticulture knowledge
• Experience and networks among community and/or school gardeners in Bronx, Brooklyn and/or Harlem
• Knowledge of food policy, including environmental, health, and social issues
• Strong verbal and written communications skills, including clear and effective public presentations and materials development
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple assignments, deadlines, and responsibilities
• Willingness to travel throughout the City to meet with diverse groups and individuals
• Ability to conduct community meetings and events, which sometimes occur at night or on weekends
• Valid New York State Drivers license
• Ability to pass security clearance procedure including fingerprinting and criminal history review by the NYC Department of Education
• Comfortable working outside in inclement weather and in a variety of conditions
• Team player who works well with others as well as independently
• Computer literate with proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• Experience with website maintenance preferred
• Second language skills preferred

How to Apply

Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, resume and two references by September 30, 2013 to [email protected] with “School Garden Coordinator” in the subject line. Interviews will be ongoing.  GrowNYC is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer and hires without regard to race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation or physical disability.

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