Community Programs Manager Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

Program Educator and Summer Program Coordinator

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt, Full Time, Regular 

REPORTS TO: Program Manager 

POSITION SUMMARY:

This year-round position is a combination of teaching academic education programs to school groups (Weekdays from 8:00am-2:00pm, September-May) as well as facilitating community education programs for adults and families. Occasional weeknights and Saturdays are required. 

In the late spring and summer season (May-August), this position transitions into conducting the Summer Program Coordinator duties while continuing as a Program Educator. The Summer Coordinator portion is responsible for scheduling and planning recreational and educational environmental programming to parks and community spaces throughout Kent County. Additionally the position coaches a part-time summer seasonal Program Educator to implement off-site programming and on-site community programs at BNC throughout the summertime. 

The Programs Team at Blandford Nature Center offers a wide array of programming to the West Michigan community. Much of the school year (September-May) is dedicated to field trip programming for preschool and elementary-aged students. We also offer year-round programming to the general community, including arts and crafts programs, nature and STEM-focused programming, bilingual (Spanish) programming, and Michigan history-focused programming. Program Educators at BNC participate in all of the varying program content but may focus on specific areas depending on their personal skillsets.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Educational Programming 

Including but not limited to: 

• Lead outdoor environmental education programs for school and youth groups at Blandford Nature Center year round

• Lead in the delivery of community education programs for children, adults and families

• Maintain high standards of safety and well-being of program participants

• Assist in the development of environmental education curriculum and materials, including lesson plans and learning aids

• Assist in documentation and evaluation of all programs, including participant demographics, satisfaction and program effectiveness 

• Assist in the maintenance and storage of program equipment, supplies and facilities

• Assist with organization-wide special events and community programs as a member of the Programs Team

• Maintain a high level of professionalism and safety when working directly with animal ambassadors

• Assist with other program duties as assigned

 Community Programming

Including but not limited to: 

• Lead in the delivery of community education programs for children, adults and families 

• Provide interpretation at festivals, community events, and other specialty programming as needed

• Assist in the development of community programs and materials, including lesson plans and festival planning

 Summer Coordinator Responsibilities

Including but not limited to: 

• Lead the coordination, scheduling and delivery of  ongoing off-site programs at local parks and other identified community sites

• Use BNC’s registration system to schedule off-site programs, monitor registrations, communicate with registrants, and prepare program rosters

• Assist in planning marketing needs for off-site programs

• Assist in the purchasing, maintenance and storage of program equipment, supplies and facilities

• Collaborate with Programs Manager to hire, train and coach one seasonal Program Educator to deliver summer programs both on-site and off-site

• Lead outdoor educational and recreational programs at Blandford and at off-site settings

• Maintain high standards of safety and well-being of program participants

• Assist in documentation and evaluation of summer programs, including participant satisfaction, participant demographics, and program effectiveness 

• Revise community summer programs curriculum as needed

• Assess curriculum relevance for the community

• Broaden the scope of BNC’s summer program offerings, when possible

Qualifications:

Minimum Required Qualifications 

Including but not limited to: 

• Coursework and/or experience in the fields of outdoor recreation, youth development, education, environmental or natural sciences or other related disciplines

• Previous experience working with children and adults in a non-formal education environment

• Ability to communicate factual, scientific information simply and enthusiastically to a broad audience

• Demonstrated ability to implement standard outdoor risk group management techniques