Growing to Green Educator

Franklin Park Conservatory•Columbus, OH

14d•$20

About The Position

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens offers world-class horticulture, art & nature-based exhibitions and educational programs. The 13-acre indoor and outdoor facilitysituated two miles from downtown Columbusfeatures glasshouses including the historic John F. Wolfe Palm House; botanical gardens including the Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Childrens Garden and Scotts Miracle Gro-Foundation Community Garden Campus; and event venues. The Conservatory is home to the largest collection of Chihuly glass in a botanical garden and Light Raiment II by internationally renowned artist James Turrell. Committed to the community, the Conservatory strives to provide an accessible and welcoming experience to all. MISSION As a premier botanical garden destination, we connect people to nature and create life enhancing experiences. VISION Envision a world that celebrates nature as essential to the human experience. JOB SUMMARY The Growing to Green Program Educator is primarily responsible for assisting the Growing To Green Manager. This includes developing and teaching garden-related classes or programs, managing the on-site rental plot gardens at the Conservatory, consultation site visits for local community gardens, and administering community garden grants. The ideal applicant is organized and adept at communicating with various neighborhood organizations, civic associations, community gardeners, food banks, donors, grantors, school teachers, and government officials. The Educator is an engaged and contributing member of a dynamic education team, working to support departmental goals and initiatives. Additional Information: This is a full-time, non-exempt position. This position is eligible for the Conservatory's benefit package offered to full-time employees, which includes medical, dental and vision insurance, company paid Life/AD&D/Short-Term and Long-Term Disability insurance, participation in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement Program (OPERS), optional 457(b) Deferred Compensation plan, generous Paid Time Off (PTO), and complimentary membership to the Conservatory. Compensation: $19.50/hour

Requirements

High School Diploma/GED required.
Experience working with vegetable gardening or urban agriculture is a must.
Must be available days, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Valid Drivers License.
This position requires the ability to travel using a company-provided vehicle to local community gardens, primarily for consultation programs and grant follow-up.
Excellent verbal and written communication, customer service, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to work independently and in a team setting.
Some ability to do programmatic work and research offsite (computer, web access).
Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office software including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Proficient in teleconferencing software programs (Microsoft Teams).
Ability to maintain accurate records, databases, and documents, and to meet deadlines and stay on an exact schedule of events.
Ability to occasionally deliver educational programming that follows departmental goals and benchmarks.
Ability to walk up to 5 miles/day and lift up to 25 pounds with or without accommodation.
Flexible with the ability to effectively adapt to change and shift gears comfortably, embracing change with a "can-do" attitude.
Self-awareness: knows personal strengths and weaknesses, seeks feedback, and is open to constructive feedback as an opportunity for improvement.

Nice To Haves

Associate or Bachelors degree in Horticulture, Botany, Agriculture, Education, or related field is preferred.
Experience working in urban and ethnically diverse neighborhoods and organizations is desirable.
Knowledge of local community organizations and existing community partnerships is a bonus.
Demonstrated knowledge in gardening and experience presenting to groups.

Responsibilities

Delivers pertinent programs and onsite consultation for community gardens, schools, and local community and civic organizations to provide for their garden needs.
Creates and delivers education programs related to community gardening and horticultural practices.
Maintains Conservatorys Community Garden plot holders database and tracks plot fee payments.
Organizes monthly events for Conservatorys Community Garden plot holders.
Provides ongoing communication with Conservatorys Community Garden plot holders via email and printed media.
Responsible for tool maintenance and compost program associated with the Community Garden plots.
Actively communicates and provides outreach to various community and civic organizations about the Growing to Green Program and Conservatory partnerships, emphasizing results through active relationship building.
Assists in planning and organizing the yearly events, such as the Growing to Green Harvest Awards, Seed Swap, and Garden Mixer.
Provides consultation and resources for grants, financial planning, and grant writing.
Works cooperatively with grant funders and partners on grant-related programs and fulfills requirements associated with grant administration.
Works with volunteers and support organizations, such as the Womens Board, to expand programming and resources for Growing to Green.
Prepares, copies, collates, distributes, and retrieves teaching and other support materials.
Tracks expenses, participation, statistics, and trends related to all programming as applicable.
Maintains record keeping, database management, and administrative tasks for the Growing to Green program.
Performs other duties as assigned.