Lower Columbia School Gardens is seeking to hire a Full Time School Garden Coordinator to begin prior to our Spring 2023 program season.

Reporting to the Management Team, the Garden Coordinator position is a full-time, 38-40 hour per week position with occasional evening and weekend hours.

Hiring is contingent on applicants passing the Longview and Kelso School District background checks. LCSG will assist selected applicants in the background check process. Must be willing to comply with changing vaccine requirements of school districts.   

Essential Functions:    

• Facilitate hands-on learning for K-8 students in multiple school-based gardens. Lead groups of elementary and middle school students in a wide variety of gardening and cooking activities, including planting seeds, turning compost, propagating plants, watering, weeding, fertilizing, transplanting, harvesting, mulching, planting fruit trees and berry bushes, general garden maintenance, practicing safe kitchen skills, and making snacks from garden produce. Garden activities also incorporate a variety of socio-emotional learning strategies.
• Coordinate garden programming and serve as the lead garden facilitator at 2-4 schools. Communicate with teachers, school administrators, and volunteers to plan and schedule programs, develop teaching resources, share relevant updates about the garden and facilitate positive, productive partnerships between school district personnel and School Gardens. 
• Assist with planting, harvesting, and processing fresh garden produce on a 1-acre farm and in our other 19 school gardens. Help distribute food to the community by delivering to farm stands, food banks, meal programs, and non-profit agencies.
• Work with the rest of the LCSG team to ensure organizational programming and outreach specifically meets the needs of traditionally marginalized populations in the community and promotes equitable access to garden-grown food and to our programs. Conduct community outreach and engagement about our programs.
• Translate program, social media and outreach materials from English to Spanish. 
• Assist with LCSG events such as fundraisers, volunteer appreciation events, harvest festivals, produce sales, after-school garden clubs, community outreach and others.
• Participate in program evaluation activities and data collection.
• Consistently collect and maintain data on volunteer and student participation and other metrics.
• Perform general garden maintenance tasks, including planting, watering, weeding, mulching, hauling soil & debris, spreading leaves and manure, turning compost, cleaning and organizing garden sheds and greenhouses, building trellises, propagating plants, and pruning. Maintain gardens using sustainable, renewable, and organic practices. 
• Share in facilities maintenance responsibilities; such as cleaning, organizing, and servicing garden tools, kitchen equipment, LCSG vehicles, shared kitchen space, and our shared office/meeting space.
• Maintain a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in the school gardens and educational fields. 

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, kind, creative, patient, and flexible, have a passion for outdoor learning and working with K–8 students and their families. 

Required Qualifications: 

• Experience working with diverse individuals and groups (families, teachers, school garden staff, community members, students, etc.)
• Flexible, and able to thrive in fast-paced, sometimes unpredictable settings
• Willingness to work year-round in an outdoor environment in a variety of weather conditions
• The ability to lift 25 pounds and operate garden tools (shovels, wheelbarrows, trailers etc.)
• Strong interpersonal skills, leadership skills, and the ability to function as part of a team as well as independently
• Engaging and dynamic teaching skills and a desire to mentor and nurture curiosity in children K–8 grade
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Openness to continuously examine and learn about how systemic issues including food insecurity, racism, climate change, poverty, and other social justice issues, intersect with our work
• Basic proficiency with computers and software programs including Google Drive, Microsoft Office
• Current driver’s license and willingness to drive LCSG-owned vehicles. (If a candidate does not currently have a driver’s license, it will be required that they obtain one shortly after securing employment with LCSG. We are happy to help!) 
• Access to a personal vehicle that can reliably get to and from school work sites

Desired Qualifications: 

• Bi-lingual English/Spanish strongly desired; additional languages could also be helpful
• High School diploma or equivalent experience
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in relevant field
• 2 years in environmental education or children’s program development, or equivalent experience and skills
• Demonstrated ability to develop successful outdoor education programs, and facilitate hands-on learning and dynamic programming for elementary through middle school children
• Experience with volunteer management
• Event planning and coordination experience

**Prior gardening or farming experience is NOT required**

Lower Columbia School Gardens is committed to the promotion of race, gender, ability and class equity through our hiring process. To this end we are an equal opportunity employer. Candidates from historically and presently underrepresented communities are highly encouraged to apply.

Compensation: Starts at $19/hr, or $20/hr for bilingual candidates in Spanish/English

Benefits: 

• Paid sick and vacation time
• Paid holidays
• Eligibility for LCSG’s health insurance plan (medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage)
• Eligibility for LCSG’s IRA retirement plan and 3% employer matching contribution after 12 months
• Cell phone stipend

Position is open until filled. Review begins February 3.