Conservation Education Manager

Seeking Conservation Education Manager

Are you interested in helping to protect fish and wildlife? Would you enjoy working with a small team of energetic interns, professional educators and conservation scientists? If you answered yes to these questions, Creek Lands Conservation may be your next gig!

Creek Lands Conservation (CLC) currently seeks an educational professional to oversee development and implementation of cross-curricular, standards based conservation science lessons that integrate with existing curriculum. Our program, called Protecting Our Watersheds, aims to strengthen regional conservation through place-based outdoor learning for all students living in Central Coast watersheds.

Creek Lands Conservation envisions Central Coast ecosystems and communities where nature and people thrive. Our mission is to conserve and restore freshwater and near shore marine ecosystems throughout California?s Central Coast, from Monterey to Ventura. CLC is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) governed by a board of directors, operated by a professional staff and supported by its members and volunteers. The organization's work is funded by private donations and public conservation funding.

We generate revenue each year through contracts and government grants. We are part of a larger state-wide conservation community and have strong relationships with agricultural operators, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. Our staff is committed, creative, collaborative and diverse. We produce amazing results and have a lot of fun along the way.

Position Title: Conservation Education Manager

Office Location: Arroyo Grande, CA with local remote work possible

Reports to: Executive Director

Pay Range: $26-29/hour depending on experience

Organizational Summary: CLC is a nonprofit public benefit corporation located in Arroyo Grande, California. Our mission is to conserve and restore watersheds and coastal marine ecosystems for the benefit of people and the environment.

Position: The Conservation Education Manager works with the Executive Director and San Luis Coastal Unified School District staff to implement Protecting Our Watersheds (POW) for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade. The focus of the program is to bring integrated, equitable environmental learning to every Central Coast student, with minimal disruption for classrooms and teachers. The growth zone for this program includes expansion into 6th and 7th grades, then into additional school districts throughout the Central Coast region with emphasis on underserved communities. The position interacts with CLC science staff to ensure that lesson materials have accurate and rigorous science backing. The position interacts with government agency staff, community funders, research scientists, other nonprofits, and the public. The ideal candidate will have a degree in science, experience with both classroom and outdoor learning, and love of nature. Teaching credential a plus.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The Conservation Education Manager has three primary responsibilities:

• Implement Protecting Our Watersheds (POW), a regional environmental literacy project
• Creating communications content for fund development to support CLC?s education mission
• Coordinating with internal and external stakeholders to develop and implement outdoor restoration/education opportunities for public and school-aged audiences

Regional Conservation Education

The Conservation Education Manager will work with staff, school districts, teachers, other education nonprofits, funders, volunteers, and other stakeholders to build, implement, and adapt Protecting Our Watersheds, an environmental literacy curriculum for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. A middle school and CTE component is also coming online and this position will direct the process, creating content and ensuring articulation with school district staff.

Requires strong teamwork and communication skills to keep the project on schedule and adapt to changing pandemic conditions. The project runs on a continuous-improvement process cycle that will repeat in coming years:

• Development: current curriculum is adapted to include unique, Central Coast-centered content with guidance from the school district and a small team of teachers;
• Training: teachers are trained in the POW curriculum and given the guidance and resources they need to incorporate the new lesson materials into their classroom schedule;
• Implementation: teachers deliver the POW lessons to their students with whatever support they need from CLC, and CLC leads participating classes on year-end POW field trips;
• Revision: based on feedback from the school district, teachers, volunteers, and project partners, the POW curriculum and resources are adjusted to run more smoothly. And the cycle repeats.

The 3rd grade curriculum is complete and this 2021-2022 school year is its third year of operation. The 4th grade curriculum is in its second year with 75% curriculum completion, with more development and teacher training still to come. 5th grade development will begin in spring 2022. Additional lesson development and cross-curricular integration is ongoing for all grades, including pandemic adaptations, to achieve an equitable, immersive learning experience that matriculates from year to year and meets teacher needs.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

This job requires expertise and experience in both natural sciences and education:

• Bachelor?s degree or higher in biology, ecology, environmental science, or a related field
• Familiarity with local species and habitats: competent to build curriculum and lead field trips.
• Experience working in education with teachers and children. Familiarity with NGSS and other teaching standards is a plus.
• Great writing skills; comfort in front of camera; willingness to present learning concepts with energy to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards!
• Competence in software and design to work remotely with team members from different organizations and to build compelling and effective presentations and learning materials.
• Creatively solve problems and learn new skills.
• Demonstrate excellent organizational skills and ability to work under multiple deadlines and flexibility to handle changing priorities.
• Driver?s license with no restrictions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs especially Excel, Word, and Powerpoint.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and supervise staff and volunteers.
• Ability to walk on uneven terrain and carry 50 lbs.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Enjoy working with diverse people and organizations to get things done.
• Ability to read, understand, and follow oral and written instruction.
• Effectively communicate complex scientific findings orally and in writing to a younger audience.
• Possess some environmental knowledge, such as California native plants and wildlife; watershed and marine ecology; hydrology and soils.
• Ability to work in both a team environment and independently.
• Integrity and ethics beyond reproach.
• Commitment and enthusiasm to carry out the Creek Lands Conservation mission.

ADDITIONAL FAVORABLE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Orientation toward inspiring others through sharing environmental knowledge and passion
• Experience with project management software and time management software
• Comfort with collaborative online environments including G-Suite, Teams, Zoom, etc.
• 3-5 years work experience in environmental management, environmental science, marine science, environmental education, biology, ecosystems, water quality, or related field
• Environmental education to traditionally underserved populations
• Field experience collecting biological, biotic, hydrologic, geologic, or water quality data is a plus.
• Fluent in Spanish

To Apply

Email (1) cover letter describing qualifications for this position and interest in CLC,(2) complete CV/resume, (3) writing sample, and (4) contact information for three references. Applicants may be subject to background checks. The position will remain open until a successful candidate has been identified.

Creek Lands Conservation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Salary and benefits commensurate with experience.

For more information, please visit www.creeklands.org

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $26.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

COVID-19 considerations:
Staff have option for remote work and all follow CDC guidelines for all work tasks.

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Conservation Education: 3 years (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Certified Arborist (Preferred)

Work Location: One location