Urban Gardens and Forestry Coordinator

Summary

VCU's Office of Sustainability has an exciting opportunity as we seek to hire an Urban Gardens and Forestry Coordinator.

The Urban Gardens and Forestry Coordinator is responsible for the day-to-day operations of our campus and community gardening and forestry programs. With guidance from Office of Sustainability staff, the Coordinator will manage the food production, site maintenance, and volunteer activities associated with these programs. The Coordinator will also support the programs' campus and community partnerships, as well as handle program-related communications.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Plan and coordinate maintenance, intensive seasonal crop production, and weekly donation of produce for the campus gardens
• Plan and coordinate maintenance of tree plantings and native meadow areas
• Coordinate and maintain records for the campus Learning Gardens and Urban Forestry Programs
• Maintain all garden and forestry equipment, facilities, and general site appearance
• Plan regular volunteer opportunities, as well as events and workshops for students, faculty, staff, and community members
• Present information about the garden and forestry programs to Service Learning courses, student organizations and other groups that express interest in participating in program activities
• Organize scheduling and sending monthly online signups for upcoming forestry and gardening volunteer opportunities to VCU students, faculty and staff, and community members and maintain records of all data related to volunteer participation
• Develop, grow, and maintain relationships with external program partners
• Support local organizations by coordinating volunteer efforts and providing other resources (gardening expertise, tools, etc.) as needed
• Provide content including photos, videos, and text pertaining to the forestry and garden programs for Office of Sustainability social media accounts and publications
• Contribute to the other departmental efforts on an as-needed basis, for example, Sustainability reporting, VCU Free Store, ONE VCU Sustainability Plan, event planning

Minimum Hiring Standards

• 1-2 years of gardening, landscaping, arborist and/or farming experience
• Established experience and knowledge of organic growing best practices
• Willingness to learn new skills and information related to the position's responsibilities
• Ability to act both independently and as part of a team
• Strong interpersonal skills with the capacity to interact with a wide variety of constituencies, including co-workers, students, business and community leaders, partners, volunteers, public officials, and the public at large, in a wide variety of settings
• Ability to effectively plan, prioritize, and problem solve while managing multiple projects and priorities
• Excellent organizational skills
• State of Virginia Driver's License
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU

Preferred Hiring Standards

• 3+ years of gardening, landscaping, arborist and/or farming experience
• Bachelor's degree in environmental studies, agriculture, horticulture, or a related field
• Demonstrated professional project management or program implementation experience

Required Licensure/Certifications

• State of Virginia Driver's License

Physical and Cognitive Requirements

Physical Demands & Activities

Light Lifting (<20 lbs): Essential
Moderate Lifting (20-50 lbs): Marginal
Heavy Lifting (>50 lbs): Marginal
Pushing/Pulling: Essential
Standing: Essential
Sitting: Essential
Repetitive Motion: Marginal
Walking: Essential
Climbing: Marginal
Reaching: Marginal
Bending: Marginal

Environmental Conditions

Extreme Heat/Cold: N/A
Extreme Noise: N/A
Vibrations: N/A
Fumes: N/A
Mists/gases: N/A

Emotional Demands

Fast pace: Essential
Average Pace: Essential
Multiple Stimuli: Essential
Intense Customer Interaction: Essential
Frequent Change: Essential

Mental/Sensory Demands

Memory: Essential
Reasoning: Essential
Hearing: Essential
Reading: Essential
Analyzing: Essential
Logic: Essential
Verbal Communication: Essential
Written Communication: Essential

Work Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm

ORP Eligible: No

Salary Range: $32,000 - $36,000



Position Details:

Department: Facilities Management - Office of Sustainability
Employment Type: UF - University Employee FT
Restricted Status: No
FTE: 1
Exemption Status: Non-Exempt