Volunteer & Interpretive Programs Supervisor

Oregon Metro • Oregon Zoo, OR

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

The education department of the Oregon Zoo is looking for a volunteer & interpretive programs supervisor to oversee the vision, management, and evaluation of the zoo’s established interpretive messaging, coaching, and volunteer program strategy. As a key member of the education leadership team, this role will supervise staff, support the success of our volunteer community, and collaborate closely with the education manager and fellow supervisors to foster a strong, mission-driven team culture focused on impact. This role supports the zoo’s strategic plan by ensuring that every guest interaction, whether a conversation at an animal habitat, a special program, or a volunteer-led experience, advances the zoo's mission of conservation, education, and community connection.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in education, biology, conservation, or other related field; AND 3 years progressively responsible experience that includes increasing responsibility for program development, audience engagement, staff or volunteer training, coaching, and/or supervision
• Any combination of education, professional, volunteer and lived experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the classification duties and responsibilities.
• The candidate selected for the position must be enrolled in the Office of Child Care’s Central Background Registry.
• The background check process includes a criminal background check through the Oregon State Police, a record check through Department of Human Services Child Protective Services and the fingerprint based criminal background check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Nice To Haves

• Strong knowledge of informal interpretation practices and theory
• Familiarity with AZA volunteer programming and volunteer best practices
• Knowledge of basic animal and conservation information, consistent with current scientific consensus
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Skill in personnel management and scheduling
• Skill and experience in change management
• Ability to coach interpreters of all skill levels, and train others to be effective interpretive coaches
• Ability to work with zoo guests and interpreters of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures
• Ability to organize work, manage time, prioritize tasks effectively, and meet deadlines
• Skill in strategic planning, including long-term goal setting, analytical thinking, and clear communication of vision
• Prior experience working in education, interpretation, and/or volunteer management at an AZA-accredited facility
• At least 3 years managing full-time direct reports
• Previous experience working in a union environment.
• Prior experience with volunteer management software, such as Better Impact or Volgistics

Responsibilities

• Build on the established interpretive framework and conduct an analysis of existing programming to create a long-term vision for person-to-person interpretation at the zoo
• Bring creativity, strategic thinking, and a commitment to continuous improvement as you refine programs, strengthen training, and measure impact
• Provide interpretive coaching and resources to staff and volunteers, with a focus on training program coordinators to provide effective coaching to program participants
• Lead evaluation efforts to measure impact of interpretive messaging on grounds and in programs
• Create monthly schedules for the interpretive team, with input from the education supervisors
• Supervise the full-time volunteer coordinator and up to three part-time interpreters, ensuring strong performance and professional development
• Work closely with the volunteer coordinator to set overall goals and vision for the volunteer program, and evaluate progress towards benchmarks and outcomes
• Support volunteer operations through interpretive training, educational workshops, and routine daily coverage; ensure the volunteer coordinator has the resources needed to conduct recruitment, training, and onboarding for all volunteers
• Work closely with other zoo departments, including guest services, events, animal care, and the dive team to coordinate volunteer engagement opportunities in service of the zoo’s mission and vision
• Create annual reports for the interpretive and volunteer programs
• Support other Oregon Zoo teams to ensure guest engagement best practices

Benefits

• The full-salary range for this position is step #1 $ 89,563.73 to step #7 $ 120,023.26.
• The appointment will likely be made between Step #1 $ 89,563.73 to the equity range Step #4 $ 103,680.77.
• This position is not eligible for overtime and is non-represented.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager