JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Community Programs Manager
Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ) is a place-based nonprofit organization which for 20 years has strengthened at-risk communities and the natural environment in Southeast San Francisco, with an emphasis on engagement with children and youth. Our work has ranged from campaigns to addressing food deserts in the Bayview/Hunters Point District, organizing grassroots momentum to close polluting energy plants, developing San Francisco’s first net zero energy and Bayview Hunters Point’s first LEED Platinum-Certified green building, and spearheading a major park infrastructure and habitat improvement project for Candlestick Point State Recreation Area on the SF Bay Shore including the creation of new ADA walkway, boat, and hike in only campsites. LEJ collaborates with public agencies, BVHP non-profits, grassroots community allies, and corporate partners. We received an Environmental Justice award from the US EPA in 2011, among other awards and recognition.
Our core programming is grounded in connecting marginalized youth and other San Franciscans with nature by getting their ‘hands on the land’ through experiential environmental education, service-learning, habitat restoration, outdoor recreation, and ‘urban greening’ workforce development for upwards of 600 mainly low-income youth/young adults of-color annually. The two programs through which LEJ achieves this are:
- Eco-Adventures – A combined culturally relevant environmental education, service-learning, and outdoor recreation program, inclusive of classroom presentations, overnight campouts, habitat stewardship sessions, kayaking, hiking, and more for several hundred low-income youth ages 9-18 annually. The Eco-Adventures Program includes camping, other recreational opportunities, a new interpretive center, and habitat parcels which we’re creating and partnering with at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, along with local open-space tracts & Southeast San Francisco’s shoreline.
- Eco-Apprentices – Prepares 16-25 high-school, local college and disadvantaged transition-aged youth annually for entry into the rapidly-growing ‘green-collar’ employment sector, in response to climate change and the environmental impact. Training focuses on green infrastructure approaches to water conservation, habitat restoration, and drought-resistant landscaping and living seawalls. Our own rapidly-growing mission-related commercial native plant nursery and increasing role in local urban greening projects provide well-aligned venues for Eco-Apprentices’ training.
LEJ also engages Southeast San Francisco community residents in parks planning & development, advocacy, and decision-making regarding urban parks. We host hundreds of volunteers from corporate, civic, environmental and faith-based service organizations in the restoration of San Francisco’s rich urban biodiversity ecosystems and legacy.
The Community Programs Manager will support implementation of our public engagement programs in collaboration with the Urban Green Team during a time of organizational growth and development.
Program Management and Development 70%
Community Programs Manager has shared responsibility for LEJ’s public serving programs: Eco-Apprenticeship, Eco-Adventures (including Eco-literacy), and Special events. The Community Programs Coordinator reports to the Program Manager to provide administrative and programmatic support. The Community Program Manager reports to the Executive Director. The Program Manager collaborates with the Director of Stewardship, the Habitat Restoration Coordinator and is supported by the Director of Finance and Operations, and the Director of Communications and Development. This includes:
- Planning; preparation and execution of programs and record-keeping; providing content for social media updates to consultants; and regular daily check-ins with program, nursery, and restoration staff;
- Implements and manages data collection and documentation for program evaluation reports on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis;
- Co-mentor to LEJ Interns following best practices;
- Lead for program purchasing and budget tracking;
- Support staff who manage travel to and from sites on program days;
- Supports the development and management of strategic partnerships in coordination with LEJ ED and board;
- Integrates restoration, nursery operations, advocacy, youth enrichment, youth development, environmental education, and recreation values into all programs under the direction of LEJ’s Executive Director, and in close collaboration with the Urban Greening Team;
- Meets with Nursery Coordinator and Restoration Coordinator around programmatic activity, planning, & development every month; and as needed with Executive Director and Director of Finance and Operations Finance Manager regarding grant billing, expenses, program deliverables, and compliance;
- Maintains calendar for LEJ and CA State Parks. Maintains rapid response to emails, calls and texts on a daily basis;
Facilities and Equipment Maintenance 10%
- Coordinates all recreation-based gear, vehicle and program equipment purchase, upkeep and maintenance and seeks support from LEJ staff as needed. Tasks includes record-keeping and regular check-ins with Executive Director and appropriate LEJ staff on these topics;
- Works with the Urban Greening Team to identify, propose, and plan for infrastructure and facilities improvements. Works with LEJ team to develop and support light in-house construction projects.
Administration and Budget Management 5%
- Creates, operates under, and maintains an Executive Director-approved Annual Work Plan for the position’s scope of work by July 1st each year;
- Manages tracking of billable activities on earned income contracts and program grants.
- Evaluates effectiveness of programs quarterly and shares results with LEJ team to better inform program design and implementation
- Creates and enhances program structure
- Under ED guidance and direction develops new programs and improves existing programs
- Responsible for developing outreach materials and branding material for programs
- Creates forums to listen to LEJ audiences and stakeholders to better inform program design and implementation
Organizational Support 10%
- Fully participants in organization-wide development and professional development opportunities;
- Lead support staff for “people care” and light administrative duties for onsite staff at 1150 Carroll Avenue;
- Serves as an ambassador to LEJ’s mission and programs, and participates in active networking and stakeholder engagement, as called-upon. Seeks relevant outreach opportunities to further LEJ’s work.
- Meets weekly with LEJ’s Urban Greening Team, and as needed with LEJ’s Director of Development and Communication Teams.
Special Events 5%
Position plays support role for LEJ special events such corporate workdays, groundbreakings/openings, seasonal youth crews, 25th Anniversary Celebration, Coastal Clean-up Day, Earth Day, and other special events on an as-needed basis.
Attributes
- Knowledgeable and enthusiastic about community outreach among underrepresented urban stakeholders.
- Understanding learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
- Cultural competent communication and pedagogy with underrepresented youth.
- Possesses a health and wellness lens for health disparities in vulnerable urban communities of color.
- Promotes stakeholder engagement, advocacy and decision making on community health and environmental issues.
- Collaborative team player. Understands the phrase, ‘power with – not power over.’
- Balances big-picture and detail thinking and action; can lead the activity & then do the paperwork.
- Embraces cultural diversity, and speaks with one voice about diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Comfort with difficult conversations that address underrepresented communities of color and the impact of crises and current events.
- Competency in managing multi-level programming.
- Passionate about outdoors and access to recreation, physical activity, (e.g. sidewalks, bicycle lanes, kayaking, fishing) and sharing that enthusiasm with others.
- Learning involves patience and time.
- Works well in a fast-paced environment.
- Is goal-oriented.
Additional qualifications
- Proficient with Online Excel, Google Office. Familiar with Quicktime reporting.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- Ability to manage multiple simultaneous projects
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Schedule– Five days a week with occasional overnight youth activities and evening meetings. General schedule is Tuesday through Saturdays 8:00am to 4:00pm.
Special Events– Lead coordinator and personal support for the execution and reporting of all LEJ special events such as monthly Saturday workdays, corporate workdays, seasonal Internship crews, Coastal Cleanup days, Earth Month events and other annual community events.
Compensation:
Commensurate with experience.
Preferred start date: As soon as possible. Tuesday through Saturday schedule required.
Full Time Position, Non-Exempt
Apply by e-mail- Please email your resume and thoughtful cover letter describing your achievement of the requirements to: Dr. Hollis Pierce-Jenkins, Executive Director Literacy for Environmental Justice, hollis.pierce@lejyouth.org. Application open until filled. Please no phone calls about this position.
LEJ is committed to inclusion and representation of cultural diversity in our staffing. Applicants who represent the diverse audiences who LEJ serves are strongly encouraged to apply.