Education Programs Manager, Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment
A Bit About Us
Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment seeks to transform our relationship with farming and food for a healthier planet. On our 626 acres of diverse ecosystems, we farm, conduct agricultural research on soils and climate change, and invite visitors to engage with the food system and the role we all can play in building a more just and sustainable future. The farm is a beautiful and inspiring place for visitors of all ages to learn and play. We offer a diversity of ways to engage with agriculture and the food system, including numerous education programs, a community garden, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, a farm store and Farm Café, an oceanfront campground, several seasonal community events and festivals, and our Organic Dairy Research and Farmer Training Program. Our educational programs are growing and currently include our summer day camp, school programs, school vacation and after-school programming, a variety of informal programs for campground guests and day visitors, and internships focusing on farming and farm-based education. Education is at the heart of Wolfe’s Neck Center, and we’re looking for someone to join our farm-based education team manage the day-to-day implementation of our education programs and support continued innovation.
What We’re Looking for in an Education Programs Manager
We’re seeking an organized and effective manager to oversee current programs and proactively collaborate throughout the organization to achieve educational and organizational goals. In addition to continuing to develop existing programs, the Education Programs Manager will create new offerings, including playing a critical role in developing residential opportunities. The Education Programs Manager reports to the Director of Education, and provides regular program updates and seasonal reports.
The Education Programs Manager’s responsibilities include overseeing program budgets, coordinating program logistics, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations, helping set and achieve registration goals, connecting with existing partners and new audiences, supporting communications and marketing, meeting grant-funded goals, overseeing data collection and record keeping, performing seasonal program evaluation and reporting, and working with all staff and programs to maximize synergistic possibilities. Our summer day camp (Farm Camp) is a significant focus for the Education Programs Manager, who serves as the Camp Director.
While we’re looking for someone who will willingly jump in to lead programs when needed, the Education Programs Manager primarily supervises seasonal educators and cultivates engaging, passionate, and stellar seasonal staff, including our AmeriCorps service member. This includes hiring fantastic people, effectively providing a solid foundation in program content and pedagogy, and nourishing a commitment to our mission and farm-based education. Being attuned to morale, facilitating professional development, and effectively supporting and energizing seasonal staff is a core responsibility of the Education Programs Manager.
Overall, we’re looking for a collaborative leader and talented educator to inspire, support, and empower dozens of seasonal and year-round staff. We hope to work with a motivated self-starter who is excited to contribute to our growth and mission. A good candidate for this position has the creativity and enthusiasm to envision possibilities and, then, turns good ideas into reality.
Requirements for this position include:
- Flexibility and adaptability to the changing needs of a flourishing educational working farm will be important, including adjusting well under pressure on a day-by-day basis while maintaining confident and patient leadership.
- Ability to accommodate occasional evenings and weekend work. This includes assisting with special events and programs.
- Ability to earn Wilderness Advanced First Aid certification will be required.
- Technological ease, including experience with all software within the Microsoft Office suite. Must be able to learn our camp registration software and basic SalesForce functions.
- Must be able to safely operate a tractor towing a haywagon and program participants (we will train you). A clean driving record and ability to pass a license check for insurance is required.
- Must pass background checks required to work with youth and AmeriCorps.
Relevant Qualifications and Skillsets include:
- Years of experience as an educator, including working with youth. A background in experiential education is required. Experience with summer camp and residential education programs is desired.
- Supervisory experience and the ability to effectively recruit and train staff, manage staffing logistics and scheduling, provide immediate and helpful feedback, and update staff handbooks and materials. Attentiveness to supporting staff and morale is required.
- Proven experience with program and/or curricular development. Ability to collaboratively develop program plans and effectively shepherd them to fruition. Well-organized, including time management, adeptly prioritizing and managing multiple projects simultaneously, proactively adjusting as circumstances and projects shift, and a desire to create systems that facilitate for seasonal transitions and program development.
- Exceptional interpersonal and public communication skills that effectively adapt to working with various audiences (e.g. facilitating staff training, leading a visitor program, mentoring youth interns, contacting camp families, working with school teachers, updating or creating a staff manual or resource, and working with other Wolfe’s Neck staff to maximize synergistic possibilities). We appreciate a communication style that is proactive, clear, and compassionate.
- Experience with budgets, and the ability to manage and help develop program budgets.
- Understanding of agriculture, ecology, and the food system, and the desire to continue learning and engage thousands of people with these topics. The ability to facilitate hands-on engagement with a working farm, including familiarity with small livestock or the ability to gain comfort.
- Ability to professionally manage relationships with program participants and their families, the community, and partners, and to cultivate new strategic relationships with the community and potential partners.
- Ability to meet or exceed all relevant local, state, and federal regulatory standards and striving to align with best practices for a diversity of programming. This includes meeting all requirement for state health inspections and licensing.
- A related degree, relevant higher education experience, and/or considerable related experience as an educator.
The Education Programs Manager is a year-round position. As a year-round employee the Education Programs Manager is eligible for benefits offered by Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment including: health insurance, dental insurance, paid vacation and holidays, and our retirement savings plan.
Non-Discriminatory Selection Process
The Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment, in accordance with federal Equal Opportunity Laws does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, sexual orientation including gender identity or expression, veteran status, or physical or mental disability in the hiring of its employees. Applicants are selected based on their ability to perform the essential functions of the job, prior related work experience, and references from previous employers.
To Apply
Please submit your resume, contact information for three references, and a cover letter highlighting how your background and skills make you a good fit for this position. Email your materials to education@wolfesneck.org with Education Programs Manager in the subject line. We will begin reviewing applications immediately and will accept applications until the position is filled.
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