Community Gardens Manager - Part Time

COUNTY OF LEHIGH PENNSYLVANIA•Allentown, PA

About The Position

This part-time position manages and coordinates the Lehigh County Community Gardens Program. Lehigh County has two community garden sites, one in the Jordan Creek Parkway and one near the Cedarbrook nursing home facility. There are 200 + individual garden plots managed by Farm Preservation.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED.
Vegetable gardening experience.
Employees assigned to this position will be required to possess and maintain a valid and current motor vehicle operator's license.
Knowledge of vegetable gardening techniques.
Knowledge of clerical practices and procedures commonly employed in administrative, government or similar offices.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse group of community gardeners.
Ability to operate personal computers and to use word processing (Microsoft Word), spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel), and presentation (Microsoft PowerPoint) software.
Ability to organize workload, establish priorities and complete technical/clerical assignments.
Ability to work outdoors in hot/cold or inclement weather.
Ability to read, write, speak, understand or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position.
Ability to conduct meetings and give informational presentations to large groups.
Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Responsibilities

Prepares and mails garden plot registration forms, plot assignments, rules and other correspondence to gardeners.
Maintains garden plot assignments and payment records.
Communicates with gardeners through direct personal contact, phone, email, and on-site notices.
Monitors garden plots for rule compliance through at minimum, 2X / week onsite inspections during the growing season. And at minimum once per week inspections weather permitting.
Works with gardeners to resolve and correct rule violations.
If required, notifies gardeners that they must abandon their plots if they have repeated uncorrected rule violations.
Organizes and assists with the maintenance of the community garden common areas.
Coordinates and assists in the clean-up of abandoned garden plots.
Organizes and conducts community garden meetings.
Mediates disputes between gardeners.
Assists in the writing and administration of grants benefiting the community gardens.