School & Offsite Programs Coordinator

Job Title: School & Offsite Programs Coordinator

Department:  Education 

Reports to:   Assistant Director of Youth Engagement 

Classification:   Salary, full time

Salaried Rate:  $51,000-54,000/year

Benefits Include:

• Medical insurance: 100% payment of premiums for medical and dental insurance, for employees only
• Competitive leave benefits including vacation, sick, and family leave
• 401(k) 3% match 
• Ability to attend free or subsidized courses at Bird Alliance of Oregon 
• Substantial discount at our Nature Store, including optics
• Ability to sign children up prior to registration opening for all camp programs 

About Bird Alliance of Oregon 

Bird Alliance of Oregon has been a leading voice in conservation for over a century. Through conservation advocacy, environmental education, and wildlife rehabilitation, we promote the understanding, enjoyment, and protection of native birds, other wildlife and their habitats. We are located in a 172-acre wildlife sanctuary next to Forest Park, just minutes from downtown Portland. 

Bird Alliance of Oregon Education builds inclusive flyways between joy, learning and advocacy in nature to empower a diverse new generation of environmental champions. Through school programs, camps, adult classes, trips, youth leadership, free events and deep collaborations, we expand access to the outdoors; amplify connections between birds, people and place; and create opportunities for all people to care for the natural world in ways that are meaningful for them. Each year, we reach over 10,000 people  with programs at our Portland Sanctuary, our cabin near Mt. Hood, and in wildscapes throughout the region and beyond. 

Just as birds connect landscapes across an ecosystem, we understand our work in a rich context of cultural communities, neighborhoods and networks across our region. We seek to build connectivity, common purpose and impact through collaboration. We value the profound legacy of stewardship that people who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color have brought to this work for generations, and we see partnership and mutual aid as essential to everything we do. We’re grateful to spend our days looking up in wonder, and we believe joy is a powerful driver of change, both personal and collective. Together, we hope to foster a lasting, resonant sense of place in the outdoors, and invite everyone to take action for conservation in their own community and throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Position Summary

Bird Alliance of Oregon’s School & Offsite Programs Coordinator will work to coordinate all of our School and Offsite camp programs. They are a creative and visionary nature educator with a strong background working in Outdoor/ Nature Education, culturally responsive teaching methods and relationship building. They will be in charge of creating and modifying curriculum to deliver high quality educational programming that reflects Bird Alliance’s strong commitment to racial equity and inclusivity. 

The School & Offsite Programs Coordinator is a relationship-builder who values the deep connection between nature, schools, and communities. They celebrate the vital insights that teachers, students and families bring to their learning and are excited to work with whole communities as collaborators developing nature science education. They have a passion for Pacific Northwest ecology and connecting kids to nature, and see environmental justice as inseparable from outdoor education. It’s essential that the School & Offsite Programs Coordinator views advancing equity, inclusion, and racial justice as central to their practice. 

The School & Offsite Programs Coordinator will also work as a vital member of the education team, providing critical administrative leadership and excellent customer service for school programs. They will work closely with school administrators and teachers to help them register and schedule their classes for our school programs. They will manage all communication, invoicing, cancellations and phone inquiries as it relates to school programs. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

School Program Coordination & Instruction: 

• Own the coordination, scheduling and registering of all school programs including field trips, in-school programs, and some day long and/or overnight school partnerships 
• Strategize with the Assistant Director of Youth Engagement to plan our school and outdoor school offerings to ensure budgetary and programmatic goals are met
• Support the Assistant Director in maintaining high standards of excellence for all off-site school programs and redesigning or reimagining curriculum.
• Support recruitment, onboarding and training of seasonal educators for all programs (including outdoor school, tours, field trips, camps, etc.) Help oversee and support educators in their work delivering off site programs  
• With the Youth Education team, help deliver youth education programs including in-school programs, programs at our Sanctuary, partnership programs both on and off site, overnight programs at Marmot Cabin, and camp programs
• Responsible for all Marmot logistics including but not limited to: food, materials, updating the Sanctuaries team on any updates/repairs that are needed 
• Collaborate with the Youth & Family Partnerships Manager to support Green Leader Programming. 
• Collaborate with the School Partnerships Coordinator to create and revamp current and future partnerships 

Camp Programming: 

• Work with the team to create and lead culturally responsive camps that build an inclusive and welcoming environment for all children. Camp includes: Summer Camp, Spring Break Camp and School Break Camp
• Plan and lead 1-2 big expedition camp programs during the summer season. These could include backpackers, trips to the Redwoods or new trips that give 6-12th graders a unique outdoor experience 
• Work as the Camp Director for East Side camp: oversee staff, all camp logistics and materials, support campers and families and communicates with staff to ensure a successful program
• Be responsive to various emotional and physical needs of the campers with age-appropriate behavior management interventions
• Celebrate the work of communities of color, LGBTQIA practitioners, and other historically marginalized voices in science and conservation throughout our programs
• Participate in a culture of mentorship and collaboration that supports the growth of Green Leaders and seasonal educators

Youth Programs Administration 

• Works with teachers and school administrators to provide exceptional and timely customer service to schedule programs, answer registration questions, troubleshoot booking challenges, and invoice schools
• Works with the Assistant Director of Youth Engagement to add programs to the education calendar and ensure full time and seasonal educators have balanced schedules and are prepared with the information needed to lead programs
• Assist the Assistant Director of Youth Engagement to build out and track revenue goals for School programs and ensure budgetary goals are being met 
• Support the team in the organization, upkeep and maintenance of all materials

Qualifications 

• 2-3 years experience teaching children in nature, ideally some experience leading expedition style trips (backpacking, camping ect..) as well as leading/ coordinating programs and educators. 
• Available to work a dynamic 40/week schedule with the majority of those working hours between 8:00am-5:00pm with at least 2 full days/week  at the Cornell site. Some Saturday and overnight availability is required
• Strong ability to take initiative and anticipate the logistical and administrative needs of a program to ensure its success from start to finish
• Knowledge of environmental education curriculum development, with a focus on racial justice, culturally-responsive teaching
• Competency and drive to collaborate and build authentic, responsive relationships with diverse schools, families and community partners 
• Experience working with partners to co-create education programs from scratch, including design, logistics, implementation, and evaluation
• Spanish language skills desirable 
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage flexible and dynamic programs
• Knowledge of Pacific Northwest ecology and/or natural history and how to teach that in an inquiry driven, student centered approach. 

Working Conditions: 

• Must possess a current driver’s license
• Willingness to lead multi-day, overnight programs
• Ability to be certified as a Wilderness First Responder
• Ability to lift up to 40 pounds to waist level
• Ability to hike up to three miles on uneven trails.
• Ability to be certified for Class B CDL (Commercial Driver’s License)

Cultural Competencies

Bird Alliance is committed to maintaining an anti-racist organizational culture. We are

committed to training all staff on cultural competency and diversity, equity, and inclusion. We see

staff with a high degree of cultural competency or lived experience working with communities of

color, people who are disabled, and people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, as vital for all

positions in our organization. We seek staff with comfort and curiosity in engaging in conversations

around issues of identity, belonging, and systemic oppression.

• Creates an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates differences.
• Functions and communicates effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities, and cultural backgrounds.
• Seeks opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement.