NATURE BASED CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS MANAGER

New Haven Ecology Project Inc•New Haven, CT

6d•$55,165 - $60,000•Onsite

About The Position

Common Ground is a center for environmental learning in New Haven, Connecticut. Farm meets forest meets city on Common Ground’s 20 acre campus at the base of West Rock Ridge. The site abuts the 1800 acre West Rock State Park, sharing hiking trails, wildlife, and diverse natural habitats with the surrounding forests. Common Ground’s urban farm produces sustainably grown food for programs and our community and is home to our friendly farm animals. Common Ground’s Charter High School uses the site as an organizing principle of its curriculum which is guided by an ecological framework highlighting the connection and interdependence of all living and non-living things. Each year, more than 10,000 community members participate in festivals, field trips, after-school programs, and other educational opportunities on site. For more information visit www.commongroundct.org. This is a rare opening for a leadership role at Common Ground. We are seeking a Program Manager who loves kids, wants to be physically active (outside, year-round!), and whose ideal job includes a mix of direct teaching, program administration, and hands-on work like feeding chickens and weed whacking the garden. Our biggest priority is a candidate who is an experienced program manager and outdoor educator, with strong skills and employment history in these areas. This position works weekdays through 6 PM and also works most holidays (with compensatory PTO for holiday work). After school programs, summer camp, and school vacation day programs are core responsibilities of this job. The workload may vary seasonally, with some seasons of up to 50 hours per week and other seasons with a lighter schedule - the work is intended to average no more than 40 hours per week over the year.

Requirements

Ability and willingness to engage in all of the listed responsibilities
A minimum of two full time years of experience in a program manager position with responsibilities that reflect the duties in this job description, including both the admin side of the work and the child facing teaching and leadership work.
A minimum of two full time years (or seasonal equivalent) of experience with planning and leading nature based lessons and activities for groups of children in a formal or informal setting (school, camp, nature center).
Excellent communication skills, including speaking with children and adults and professional written communications including emails to parents and other external audiences.
Ability to work independently and be self directed as well as to compromise, communicate, be flexible, and work closely with a staff team.
Strong critical thinking and problem solving skills and ability to use sound judgment as part of routine daily work.
Commitment to working joyfully and inclusively with children and adults of all identities, with much of our work serving a racially and economically diverse urban community.
Comfort with working in a setting with farm animals and native wildlife
Ability and willingness to engage in the physical requirements of this role, including being physically active for the majority of an 8 hour day, safely navigating outdoor terrain, carrying a backpack with teaching supplies, and working outside in all weather conditions.
Be a leader in cultivating and modeling a productive, positive staff culture. We are a small, hard working team with a norm of showing up, having a “let’s make it happen” mindset, being great teammates for each other, and knowing that the work we do is meaningful and joyful!

Responsibilities

Manage day to day program needs including communication with bus routes, attendance, activity planning, materials prep, first aid, safety decisions, caring for emotional and medical needs of children, supervision of staff, and parent communications.
Manage all aspects of vacation day programs including activity planning, materials prep, first aid, safety decisions, caring for emotional and medical needs of children, supervision of staff, planning and facilitating the flow of activities and transitions, and parent communications.
Work in a leadership role to support camp operations, including admin work, staff training and supervision, and direct camper and parent facing responsibilities.
Calendaring, communications, and supplies management
Manage budgets, reports, and deliverables for programs and any relevant grants
Use Active Network to manage enrollments, payment, and account notes
Checking email and voicemail and responding to messages during working hours is a daily requirement of this role, including responding to time sensitive parent or staff needs outside of regular hours when necessary.
Be the primary responder to child conflict, parent concerns, and other sensitive situations.
Participate in staff supervision as it relates to the programs managed by this position, including hiring, scheduling, time card administration, adherence to the terms of the union contract, and providing ongoing performance feedback to staff. Plan and lead staff meetings and trainings as relevant to program management assignments.
Planning and leading nature based lessons and activities for groups of children
Meeting social and emotional needs of children, including behavior management and modifying plans and schedules to meet the needs of individual children.
Use excellent communication skills, including speaking with children and adults and written communications including emails to parents and teachers.
Maintenance of program teaching and play areas (may include mowing, weed whacking, firewood management, management of program supplies, children’s garden care, small repairs, and other needs as they arise)
Animal Care as needed, which may include a regular weekly task list. This will routinely include PM animal chores at the end of after school program and summer camp days.