Chicagoland Community Garden Coordinator
About The Position
At Mather, a nationally recognized wellness-focused organization, we believe healthy aging thrives through connection, purpose, lifelong learning, and meaningful community engagement. Through our Community Initiatives team, we bring innovative wellness, educational, social, creative, and volunteer opportunities to older adults throughout Chicagoland, creating pathways for engagement, personal growth, and lifelong connection. We are seeking a passionate Chicagoland Community Garden Coordinator to help grow a network of inclusive community gardens that foster wellness, creativity, accessibility, and connection. In this unique role, you'll build partnerships, coordinate impactful programming, and help create welcoming outdoor spaces where older adults can learn, connect, and flourish through gardening, nature, and community. This is a full-time, hourly position that combines virtual work, in-person meetings, community partner engagement, and occasional program facilitation. Frequent local travel throughout Chicagoland is an essential function of this role, as the Community Gardens Initiative Coordinator will regularly visit partner garden sites, attend meetings, assess garden needs, and support programming across the Chicagoland area.
Requirements
- 2+ years work experience related to gardening or related work.
- 2+ years work experience related to project coordination or management.
- Strong verbal and written communications skills, including presentation skills.
- High level of dedication and personal responsibility.
- Interest in working with older adults from diverse backgrounds.
Nice To Haves
- Experience working with older adults in an educational, gardening, or wellness setting.
Responsibilities
- Builds and maintains relationships with existing community gardens across Chicagoland.
- Works with garden partners to determine material and programming needs of partners and participant population and match with Mather opportunities and offerings.
- Works with garden facilitators to coordinate and schedule program offerings.
- Provides support for program logistics/planning (e.g., works with partner to ensure seating is available; work with CI team to manage program registration; order needed materials/supplies, etc.).
- Assists with garden programming facilitation on occasion as needed.
- Must possess valid driver’s license and reliable personal transportation, or have the ability to arrange alternate reliable transportation, to travel to Mather Headquarters (Evanston, IL) and off-site locations for daily essential job functions.
Benefits
- A generous paid time off (PTO) program including vacation days/personal days, sick days, and holidays. This is an “earn-as-you-go” plan that rolls over year to year, offering long- and short-term flexibility.
- A 401(k) program with per pay-period employer match and annual employer contribution (available to those age 21 or better)
- Convenient, subsidized parking (or public transportation for certain locations)
- Wellness Spending Account: up to $300 available annually for Wellness related expenses such as gym memberships, financial planning, etc.
- Medical, dental, and vision plans
- Paid Parental Leave
- Adoption Assistance Reimbursement
- Tuition reimbursement for continuing education
- Extended illness benefits
- Employee wellness programs
- Short- and long-term disability insurance
- Life insurance is available to benefit eligible team members.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
