Oregon State University Division of Extension and Engagement’s Extension Service Outdoor School Program invites applications for an Academic Wage: Professional Development Coordinator position. This is a full-time, 12-month, fixed-term position located in Corvallis, Oregon. This position is anticipated to last approximately nine (9) months.
This academic wage position with a working title of Professional Development Coordinator is with the Division of Extension and Engagement’s (division) Extension Service Outdoor School Program. This Professional Development Coordinator will have an appointment period of up to nine (9) months. The individual will report to the ODS Associate Director.
The Professional Development Coordinator is a team member of the Outdoor School Program (ODS) and will work with professional development facilitators to ensure the development and delivery of high quality ODS professional development to ODS providers and other partners/audiences across Oregon . This Coordinator will help develop and execute a comprehensive professional development plan that is inclusive, equitable, and reflects the multi-dimensional diversity of Oregon students. Specifically, they will ensure every school and every student within each school has the opportunity to participate in a high quality, culturally responsive, inclusive, and accessible ODS program. The ODS program operates internally and externally in a way that exemplifies the university’s accessibility, inclusivity, equity, and socially-just principles.
This person should have:
- strong written and oral communication skills, both in terms of presenting information and working with a variety of diverse partners/audiences across the state;
- background experience in outreach to a variety of partners/audiences including schools, administrators, educators, parents and families, and youth;
- an understanding of the demographics of Oregon and have experience working statewide with rural and urban partners/audiences; and
- background of experience in professional development (PD), specifically designing and delivering outcomes-based PD, creating materials and resources, logistics, supervising program facilitators, and providing coaching feedback.
In addition, this individual helps ensure that Extension and Engagement educational, informational and promotional content and efforts serve broad and diverse populations in an accessible, inclusive, equitable, and socially just manner. This includes complying with Civil Rights and Language/Visual Access regulations.
The Division has built the capacity and expectation for employees to use digital communications and technologies in the modern-day workplace. This reflects our demonstrable commitment to using digital communications tools and changing technologies as a primary way to raise Oregonian’s awareness of and engagement with our organization, programs and resources.
About Extension Outdoor School:
The Outdoor School academic wage Professional Development Coordinator contributes to the Outdoor School program’s mission to guide and support equitable, culturally responsive, and interdisciplinary outdoor school programs for Oregon’s youth.
The Outdoor School program resides within the OSU Extension Service and advances the Extension Service’s vision, mission, and goals through the statewide engagement of School Districts and Education Service Districts (ESDs) in outdoor school programming. The Outdoor School program helps Oregon’s youth apply learning; develop leadership, critical thinking, and social skills; and exposes them to the role of scientific inquiry and applied learning. The long-term goal of the Outdoor School program is to integrate placed-based programs into the Oregon school system that build upon youth’s skills in hands-on science and their abilities to be effective stewards and leaders in their communities.
Outdoor school is intended for all 5th or 6th graders in the state of Oregon. The Outdoor School program Coordinators work with school districts across the state or in their regions to maximize participation by providing support in the funding application and reporting process, promoting inclusive community engagement, and working with districts to implement creative, community-specific solutions to outdoor school participation barriers. The Outdoor School program website is: https://outdoorschool.oregonstate.edu/.
About the Division:
The Division of Extension and Engagement (Division) is core to Oregon State University’s mission. The Division helps create real solutions and positive impact across Oregon and beyond. The Division is aligned under the leadership of the Vice Provost for Extension and Engagement. To learn more about our Division and its core units and initiatives, please visit our Division website: https://engagement.oregonstate.edu/.
Oregon State University strives to ensure that all educational programs, services, activities, and materials we offer to the public are identified, developed, delivered, and evaluated in an accessible, inclusive, equitable, and socially just manner. OSU division’s educational programs, services, activities, and materials are available to all people. OSU division prohibits discrimination in all its programs, services, activities, and materials. All employees are responsible for and expected to comply with civil rights obligations and actively work to expand access to all eligible populations.
Position Duties
50% – Program and Event Management
- Coordinate systems to market, schedule, register, and conduct ODS professional development events for educators and other audiences throughout Oregon that meet yearly benchmarks established with ODS Associate Director. Travel/driving is required.
- Communicate with the ODS team and ODS Associate Director to ensure professional development programs are working synergistically with other team efforts and are meeting the requirements set forth by the state legislature.
- Collaborate with ODS Outreach and Inclusion Coordinator to ensurean accessible, inclusive, equitable, and socially-just lens in all professional development work.
- Work with ODS Regional Coordinators to support their planning and implementation of professional development programming based on regional needs.
- Coordinate the efforts of the educational program sub-committee for the biennial Outdoor School Gathering.
- Manage the request and processing of educator professional development certificates, participation stipends, and substitute reimbursements for professional development events.
- Manage program financial activities and transactions, including cost related to delivering professional development, travel expenses, and program materials.
- Participate in unit budget monitoring.
- Select and maintain inventories of instructional materials, supplies and resources for use in workshops and statewide professional development events.
- Provide oversight, guidance and feedback to office support personnel, student workers, contract facilitators, and volunteers. Plan, assign, and approve work, with recommendations for hiring, firing and discipline will be made to the ODS Associate Director.
20% – Outdoor School Course Development and Delivery
- Train and coach facilitators to deliver professional development workshops/courses that meet ODS program requirements for educators and ODS program staff. Travel/driving is required.
- Develop, revise and maintain facilitator resources and support materials for ODS trainings.
- Collaborate in the development and implementation of some ODS trainings as a facilitator or co-facilitator. Travel/driving is required.
- Ensure ODS content resources for educators are current and accessible through website and workshops.
- Follow OSU and division brand guidelines, digital publishing standards and digital contact management data integrity practices for programmatic communications, marketing and engagement.
- Develop systems for post ODS course follow-up with facilitators, educators, staff and resource professionals.
- Implement tools to solicit feedback and assess program effectiveness, especially related to inclusive, accessible curriculum and program.
20% – Communication and Marketing
- Collaborate and communicate with the ODS Associate Director on programmatic needs and direction.
- Provide on-going communication and support to ODS professional development facilitators.
- Share and promote ODS professional development to educators and other potential participants, in collaboration with the ODS Communications Coordinator.
- Review and update the contents of the ODS program website to ensure it is accurate, user friendly, and reflects current practices and programming. This is in collaboration with the ODS Communications Coordinator and working with the division’s Communications and Marketing unit as needed.
- Respond to requests for ODS information from educators, funding organizations and stakeholders.
- Represent ODS as requested at meetings, advisory committee, conferences and other events as needed.
- Meet regularly with the Oregon Natural Resources Education Program (ONREP) team to plan collaborative trainings that fulfill the obligations of the ODS-ONREP contract. Travel/driving may be required.
10% – Professional Development and Special Projects
- Maintain professional competencies by attending conferences, ODS Advisory Committee meetings, related meetings and management/education development opportunities.
- Help support Outdoor School team projects such as evaluation, research, and presentations.
- Attend Outdoor School Team meetings and activities.
- Complete the division’s civil rights training session(s).
- Attend training opportunities to build basic knowledge and consistent skills to use digital communications, marketing and engagement technologies relevant to position duties.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Minimum/Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Education, Science Education, Environmental Education, Natural Resources or field related to the assignment of this position. Degree must be completed by start date.
- At least five (5) years of relevant experience that includes background in outdoor school, science education, place or land-based education, and/or outdoor/environmental education.
- Demonstrated experience developing and facilitating trainings or other professional development events for adults.
- Demonstrated excellent communication skills with ability to communicate successfully with a broad and diverse audience.
- Demonstrated experience in project coordination and program management, including adhering to budgets.
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
- Ability to learn and adapt to using multiple forms of digital communication systems and other tools in a changing technological environment.
- Administrative, project management, and interpersonal skills that enhance and support the identities and cultural experiences of colleagues and customers.
- A commitment to collaborative and respectful learning and working environments that are safe, inclusive, and welcoming.
This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months.
This position requires driving a university vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of the university; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver’s license in their state of residence, be determined to be position qualified and self-report convictions as per University Policy 05-030.
Preferred (Special) Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Education, Science Education, Environmental Education, Natural Resources or related field.
- Knowledge of the Extension Service and working with stakeholders across urban and rural areas.
- Experience organizing and/or facilitating online trainings/webinars.
- Demonstrated experience in outreach and engagement in public education.
- Experience in 4th -12th grade formal or non-formal classroom settings.
- Knowledge of or experience with Outdoor School.
- Bilingual (English and Spanish) with Spanish language proficiency.
- Life experience, education, or training that broadens capacity to impact underserved audiences.
Working Conditions/Work Schedule
- Flexibility to work evenings and weekends.
- Travel/driving, including overnight, will be required to meet with partners, provide trainings across ODS programs and school districts in Oregon.
- The primary work location for this position is the Outdoor School program office on OSU’s campus in Corvallis, Oregon. However, flexible work may be established via an OSU Flexible Work Arrangement Agreement, with predetermined periodic reviews of on-going work for continuation of the agreement.
Benefits
Oregon State University offers a comprehensive benefits package with benefits eligible positions that is designed to meet the needs of employees and their families including:
• Medical, Dental, Vision and Basic Life. OSU pays 95% of premiums for you and your eligible dependents.
• Free confidential mental health and emotional support services, and counseling resources.
• Retirement savings paid by the university.
• A generous paid leave package, including holidays, vacation and sick leave.
• Tuition reduction benefits for you or your qualifying dependents at OSU or the additional six Oregon Public Universities.
• Robust Work Life programs including Dual Career assistance resources, flexible work arrangements, a Family Resource Center, Affinity Groups and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Optional lifestyle benefits such as pet, accident, and critical illness insurance, giving you peace of mind and the support you need to thrive in all aspects of your life.
Future and current OSU employees can use the Benefits Calculator to learn more about the full value of the benefits provided at OSU.
To review posting and apply, go to: https://jobs.oregonstate.edu/postings/163576. Apply to posting # P08769UF. Closes 1/23/25. OSU is an AA/EOE/Vets/Disabled.