Job Title: Green Leader Specialist
Department: Education
Reports to: Youth & Family Partnerships Manager
Supervises: Seasonal Educators as needed
Classification: Full-time, Exempt - 4 year contract with potential option to renew
Salary range: $58,448 fixed
About Bird Alliance of Oregon
Bird Alliance of Oregon has been a leading voice in conservation for over a century. Through advocacy, environmental education, wildlife rehabilitation, and land stewardship we promote the understanding, enjoyment, and protection of native birds, other wildlife and their habitats. Our headquarters are located in a 172-acre wildlife sanctuary next to Forest Park, and our work stretches from Eastern Oregon to the Coast.
Bird Alliance of Oregon Education builds inclusive flyways between joy, learning and advocacy with nature. 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 love and care for the natural world in ways that are meaningful for them. In partnership, we strive to nurture just communities working together to make a difference and empower a diverse new generation of environmental champions.
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 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 as essential to everything we do. We seek to build connectivity, mutual aid, and common purpose through collaboration. We’re grateful to spend our days exploring, laughing, and looking up in wonder, and we believe joy is a powerful driver of change, both personal and collective.
Position Summary
Bird Alliance of Oregon’s Green Leader Specialist is an educator, organizer and relationship-builder who values the deep connection between nature, family and community. They appreciate the vital insights that high school youth brings to their neighborhood and are excited to work with young adults as collaborators in restoring and planting native ecology. They have a passion for Pacific Northwest ecology and see racial and environmental justice as inseparable from their work. They are excited to work collaboratively with partners to build common purpose and respond to the needs and passions of our constituents.
The Green Leader Specialist will act as the horticultural track coordinator for Bird Alliance of Oregon’s Green Leaders Program. Now in its fifth year, the Green Leaders Program is a 6-month, paid, leadership training program for high school youth, ages 15-20. In collaboration with the Youth & Family Partnerships Manager, the Green Leader Specialist will spearhead the development of a new track of this program focused on horticulture and sustainable ecology.
Green Leaders was developed in partnership with Hacienda Community Development Corporation (CDC) to engage Hacienda youth as educators and naturalists in their own community. It is essential that the Green Leader Specialist has strong, demonstrated lived experience with communities of color. As many families that we work with are Spanish-speaking, proficiency in Spanish is required.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT & LEADERSHIP:
- Collaborate with the Youth & Family Partnerships Manager and Hacienda CDC to recruit 8-12 high school students for Green Leaders annually
- With the Youth & Family Partnerships Manager, develop and lead workshops for youth focused on Pacific Northwest ecology, environmental justice, and inquiry-based, culturally-responsive teaching
- Collaborate with BAO’s Sanctuaries staff and volunteers to create new Green Leaders curriculum focused on land restoration practices, introduced species identification and removal, native planting, and trail maintenance
- Collaborate with BAO’s Sanctuaries staff to identify and lead horticultural projects for youth at both BAO’s long-standing Sanctuary near Forest Park and our new site on East 82nd Avenue
- Lead 6-8 week-long summer work intensive supporting Green Leader alumni as Horticultural Assistants both at our Sanctuary and at the new site on East 82nd
- Elevate and incorporate land stewardship practices drawn from indigenous learning and communities of color
- Support Youth & Family Partnerships Manager in partnership with Verde for nature-based Family Days, afterschool programs and camps as needed
- Transport program participants in a 15 passenger van
PARTNERSHIP BUILDING:
- With the Youth & Family Partnerships Manager, sustain established partnerships with Hacienda CDC, Verde, and others with care, intention, and a focus on supporting community needs
- Seek out ways to engage youth and families in caring for local green spaces including BAO’s new site, as well as Baltimore Woods, Wilkes Creek Park, and other community-driven locations
- Collaborate with the Youth & Family Partnerships Manager, the Hacienda community, and Verde to hold an Advisory Council and conduct listening sessions to advise on programs and stewardship
- Apply community and youth feedback to create programs that connect families to nature in ways that are resonant, meaningful and speak to their lived experience
- Listen to and collaborate with Hacienda families and community partners to organize around environmental justice and conservation issues that affect their community
YOUTH EDUCATION TEAM SUPPORT:
- Collaborate with full Youth Education team to support family, camp, school and outdoor school programs when schedules allow
- Collaborate with the Youth Education team to support general program logistics as needed (maintenance, repair and organization of materials, etc.)
- Support large-scale family events including Swift Watch and Hawks & Hot Chocolate
- Support recruitment, onboarding and training of seasonal educators
Preferred Skills, Experience, and Qualities
- Desire to collaborate and intentionally build authentic, responsive relationships with youth and community partners
- Deep knowledge of native ecology and horticulture, strong understanding of traditional ecological knowledge desirable
- Experience supporting, mentoring and training high-school-age youth
- Experience teaching children in informal learning environments, especially in the outdoors
- Lived experience and demonstrated cultural competency and commitment to working with communities of color, immigrants, and underserved communities
- Patience, collaboration, authentic listening, and responsiveness
- Strong organizational skills and ability to manage a flexible and dynamic program schedule
- Self directed, experience working with partners and/or youth to co-create education programs from scratch, including design, logistics, implementation, and evaluation
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google suite
- Spanish, Somali, & Russian proficiency preferred
- Saturday availability required
Working Conditions:
- Must possess a current driver’s license; interest in acquiring a CDL required
- Ability to be certified in Basic First Aid and CPR, or have a current certification
Application
Bird Alliance of Oregon does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, national origin, political affiliation or mental or physical handicap. Candidates of color are strongly encouraged to apply. Bird Alliance of Oregon is committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment, reflecting the diversity of our community in its board, staff, volunteers, and members; ensuring its internal culture, business practices, and programs are welcoming and advancing its diversity goals; and empowering people to make positive changes in their community and environment. More background on our diversity efforts can be found at http://birdallianceoregon.org/about
Studies have shown that women and people of color often don’t apply for positions where they don’t meet all of the preferred skills. We recognize that there are many different paths, experiences, and less traditional backgrounds that add value to one’s work and encourage applicants to apply even if they do not have all of the preferred skills.
ONLINE SUBMISSIONS PREFERRED
To apply:
Apply online at bit.ly/BirdAllianceOregon_Application
To submit via US Postal Service (if online isn’t possible):
Please send your resume, cover letter, and this application found on our website to:
Human Resources
Bird Alliance of Oregon
REF: Green Leader Specialist
5151 NW Cornell Road
Portland, OR 97210