Nature for All is hiring an Outdoor Education Program Manager and become an integral player of the Nature for All team.
Full-Time, Exempt
Salary Range: $66,650-$70,000
Reports to the Workforce Development Manager
Position Summary
The Outdoor Education Program Manager is an integral member of the Nature for All team. This position will train and guide participants, naturalists, stewards, and volunteers to ensure achievement of program goals; to create memorable overnight camping experiences for participants from Southeast Los Angeles communities.
The Outdoor Education Program Manager will balance their time between managing, planning, coordinating, staffing, and facilitating Nature for All’s commitment to the Community Connections to Wildlands program, attending internal and external meetings and assisting with other training programs. The position will ensure the implementation of this program during this year, with the possibility of an additional year.
The ideal candidate for this role has proven experience with overnight camp program management, interpretive program facilitation, community engagement, risk management, and is comfortable speaking and presenting to the public and audiences. The role requires a highly responsible, organized, detail-oriented, and self-motivated individual who can learn quickly and work independently and as part of a team. The Outdoor Education Program Manager will regularly exercise independent and good judgment, high ethical standards, and a high degree of diplomacy and discretion in all matters of significance and confidentiality, at all times.
Key Responsibilities
Program Management
- Work closely with Workforce Development Manager and Director of Programs in the day-to-day implementation of the Community Connections to Wildlands program and other Nature for All programs as assigned;
- Develop the Community Connections to Wildlands program and manages the planning, implementation, and evaluation of program activities; including scheduling transportation, meals, coordinating and training of support team members, and post-event reporting and follow-up;
- Maintain standards of excellence for all programs, ensuring high-quality implementation and achievements of goals for participation and desired outcomes;
- Manage host locations and relationships, making sure that locations and partners are treated with respect;
- Ensure risk management and best practices are carried out for in class, virtual, and outdoor activities;
- Ensure all staff, campers, and parents are safe and have a positive experience in our program;
- Communicate with parents as needed, to make sure they are up to date on what their kids are experiencing at camp;
- Evaluate programming to ensure it is engaging, relevant, and meets the emerging needs of the communities we work with;
- Provide recommendations, alterations, and improvements to program implementation and development;
- Research, plan, develop and deliver interpretive programs, which demonstrate the best practices of interpretation and visitor service for programs;
- When program activities require it, prepare and share knowledge about specific points of interest, their natural history, local flora, fauna, and geology of the San Gabriel Mountains, Watersheds, and other locations as presented;
- Oversee collection and analysis of program evaluation data, including; participation and trip data, participant pre and post-program questionnaires, and other data collection tools;
- Take photos on programs to support communications and social media content,
- Ongoing review and development of program curricula and training materials; while adhering to communications and marketing guidelines established by our funder;
- Work in partnership with all staff, Policy/Advocacy, and Communications staff to collect, distill and share learnings on various topics pertaining to our program;
- Participate in pre-camp training, professional development, and coordinate, train, supervise, and manage part-time team members as needed;
- Fill in for program team members and their tasks when needed;
- Staff all overnight camp programs;
- Make purchases of all gear, and oversee maintenance and inventory;
- Attend Nature for All meetings and maintain positive, punctual, and clear communication with all team members regarding updates and announcements;
- Other duties as assigned related to the organization’s mission and programs.
Community Engagement and Outreach
- Ensure community engagement activities and recruitment of a diverse group of stakeholders that includes but is not limited to residents, community-based organizations, faith-based groups, youth groups, parent centers, neighborhood associations, schools, advocacy groups, businesses, public agencies and public officials;
- Manage relationships with community partners with Nature for All’s mission and strategic vision in mind;
- Create educational materials on topics and issues relevant to the natural resources of the San Gabriel Mountains which are consistent with environmental education and resource interpretation best practices;
- Serve as a liaison by actively participating and representing Nature for All at meetings, fundraisers, community events and partner events;
- Integrate into or build coalitions, coordinate activities with coalition partners and coordinate the content and logistics of public events and large-scale mobilizations; and connect organizing work with research, public policy and communications designated campaigns.
Operations
- Maintain project calendars, program data, and budgets for up-to-date program updates and reporting purposes;
- Ensure the program operates in compliance with funding sources so that intended results are achieved;
- Tracks deliverables, maintain files up to date, and ensures that expenditures and receipts are safeguarded;
- Ensure the tracking and safekeeping of program advances, invoices, check requests, purchase requests and travel and expense reimbursements, for accounting, invoicing and audit purposes;
- Contribute information and writing to donor and program reports, including collaborating in the writing of grant reports, proposals and summaries;
- Work closely with team members in the development of new grant proposals and opportunities
- Attend required staff, one-on-one meetings, training, and other events to support the mission of Nature For All;
- Work closely with team members to represent Nature for All at existing partner events, and activities and assist with the development of new strategic collaborations;
- Execute administrative and operations functions in a timely fashion and according to Nature for All protocol, including time recording, expense reporting, internal and external correspondence, and vendor management.
Development / Communications
- Work closely with staff responsible for communication to push out effective content, and photos and highlight our programs externally
- Support cultivation of fundraising efforts
- Maintain and provide information about past and planned events for planning and external communications purposes
- Provide information about the program and other stakeholders and manage program and region contact lists that will help advance communication and development goals
Requirements
- A commitment to Nature for All’s mission, vision and values.
- Significant coursework from an accredited college or university, or degree in related fields educational/recreational or environmental capacity, or;
- At least 3 years of professional experience working with issues related to conservation, public lands, environmental education, interpretation, youth programs, regional habitats, environmental justice, and other environment-related experience, including internship or volunteer experience.
- Previous experience with staffing overnight outdoor education/camp programs.
- Experience supervising staff and youth.
- Experience leading workshops, training, and creating experiential lessons.
- Experience with community engagement and relationship building and ability to relate to, and work well with people of diverse backgrounds and experiences.
- Bilingual: the ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English and Spanish, or another dominant language as it relates to the service population in the Southeast Los Angeles region.
- Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills, with an ability to write, read and speak with diverse audiences.
- Strong organizational skills that reflect the ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail.
- Creativity and flexibility to undertake new assignments and identify new opportunities.
- Ability to be effective independently in a remote environment, while also being a resourceful team-player.
- Ability to effectively train, mentor, and coach people of all ages.
- Create work plans, evaluate, and supervise field staff.
- Maintain open and positive communication with coworkers and supervisors.
- Ability to work independently and carry out assignments with little or no supervision.
- Ability to receive constructive feedback and interact with a variety of people working on diverse levels across the organization and extended network.
- Possess reliable transportation, a valid California Driver’s License, and insurance coverage to travel within Los Angeles County.
- Ability to pass a background check including fingerprinting.
Highly Preferred
- Strong experience with environmental education curriculum development, with knowledge of BEETLES, Project Wet, Project Wild, Project Learning Tree, and Leave No Trace curricula. Experience with engaging camp programs and activities, and/or Coyote Teaching.
- Previous experience as a Camp Director/Lead.
- Knowledge of California cultural history, tribal history (Gabrielino, Chumash, Tataviam), conservation, and climate issues, environmental justice, flora, fauna, ecology and geology of the LA area.
- Certified Interpretive Guide or Certified Interpretive Guide Trainer.
- Wilderness First Aid (WFA), Wilderness First Responder (WFR), or advanced medical training.
Workload and Physical Demands
Work is accomplished in outdoor and indoor settings, and includes sitting for extended periods of time. Travel to work sites, workshop sites, events in the greater Los Angeles area which includes the local parks, communities, local mountains, watershed areas and coast is expected and required. Note that not all job sites are accessible via public transportation.
This position will require weekend and evening work, local travel, and overnight travel. The physical demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this position successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions. While performing this position, the employee is regularly required to operate a personal computer for up to 8 hours a day, to talk on the telephone or webcam for multiple hours per day, and to have the ability to talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to support outdoor events and to lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.
Equal Opportunity Policy
Nature For All is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We recruit, hire, upgrade, train and promote for all positions without regard to race, color, gender, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or characteristics or any other consideration protected by federal, state or local laws. We value a diversity of experiences and welcome BIPOC+ and LGBTQI+ community members as part of our team and extended network.
Work Site
This position is hybrid. Work will be performed at various work sites within Los Angeles County, and remotely from home as appropriate to the circumstances.
Benefits:
- Health, dental and vision benefits including health options that are at no cost to the employee
- 14 paid holidays, paid sick leave, and 10 days of vacation accrual in first year
- Employee Life Insurance Policy