Job Listing: WORK-BASED LEARNING COORDINATOR (Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

WORK-BASED LEARNING COORDINATOR

Direct Supervisor: Director of Youth and Family Engagement

Department: Learning and Engagement

Location: Richmond, VA

Level/Salary Range: $17-$22/hour

Exempt/Non-exempt: Non-exempt

Position Type: FT

Contact: hr@lewisginter.org

Garden Overview

Mission 

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s mission is connecting people to plants by inspiring communities to explore and conserve nature.  

Vision

We are a Virginia garden of international significance leading in horticultural and educational excellence. We cultivate experiences that enhance each person’s relationship with the natural world.

Values

Responsibility, Innovation, Integrity, Hospitality and Inspiration

Founded in 1984, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a nonprofit garden located in Richmond, Virginia’s Lakeside neighborhood. The Garden encompasses 82 acres, four lakes, 5,500 unique taxa of plants within 15 distinct outdoor gardens, 11 major buildings including a conservatory and greenhouse, plus an 80-acre branch site, the Lewis Ginter Nature Reserve. Annually, Lewis Ginter engages over 17,000 students in innovative and exciting education programs. This cadre of identified learners is just a fraction of the more than 400,000 annual visitors to the Garden. In recent years, the Garden has been honored with inclusion in several top ten lists for botanical gardens in North America.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability or national origin in the hiring, retention, or promotion of employees. We support the diversity and inclusion policy adopted by The American Public Gardens Association: to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive culture where the contributions of all community members are valued, respected and appreciated.

Job Description

The Work-Based Learning Coordinator leads cross-departmental efforts to expose students and young adults to career pathways in cultural non-profits, public gardens, and green industries. The position coordinates a full continuum of short and long-term opportunities for a variety of youth audiences. 

The position maintains and grows strategic relationships with local school systems, colleges, universities, and youth organizations. It collaborates with Garden staff across the institution to create immersive learning experiences for young adults through mentorship, hands-on training, and exposure to experts in various fields.

Responsibilities 

• Develops and coordinates work-based learning and career training to meet the needs and interests of youth of various ages, abilities, and educational backgrounds, including:
  • Coordinates a variety of short and long-term opportunities, including job shadowing, youth volunteering, work study, internships, job skill building programs for young people with disabilities, cooperative learning, and apprenticeships.
  • Works with Learning Garden Coordinator and Horticulture staff to maintain a garden space designated for use by work-based learning programs.
  • Collaborates cross-departmentally to support an off-site presence at job fairs, career days, and other work-based learning events.
  • Develops and implements an evaluation model that measures youth performance, as well as evaluating student input for future program enhancement.
• Coordinates experience of youth volunteers and interns across the Garden, including:
  • Works with supervisors to recruit, train, mentor, evaluate, and set expectations for youth engaged in work-based learning programs.
  • Establishes consistent management and scheduling guidelines for staff members responsible for supervising interns.
  • Directly supervises and schedules those youth and young adults working within the Youth and Family Engagement team.
  • Collaborates with Director of Volunteers, HR Manager, and supervisors across the Garden on participant placement and programming to ensure a consistent positive experience.

• Establishes and maintains relationships with community stakeholders.
  • Serves as a liaison with other work-based learning programs and partners, including colleges and universities, technical schools, cultural non-profits, and local and state agencies.
  • Represents LGBG’s work-based learning program at community meetings, events and public speaking engagements.
• Assists with program planning, development and evaluation.
  • Reviews program components and requirements to ensure program is meeting organization objectives.
  • Assesses program quality through evaluation to ensure quality experiences for students.
  • Implements improvements for work-based learning program, policies and objectives.
• Completes other duties as assigned, including
  • Assists with school programs, team projects, special events, and horticultural maintenance.
  • Assists with general upkeep of Children’s Garden spaces.
  • Ensures that guests’ fundamental needs for safety, security and comfort are met at all times in the Garden.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong organizational skills with ability to balance multiple projects and adapt to changing priorities.
• Ability to handle day-to-day operations while also planning months ahead.
• Proven ability to cultivate relationships with the diverse community served by the Garden, including youth with disabilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Works well independently as well as in a team environment; adaptable and solution-oriented.
• Strong work ethic and an enthusiasm for physical work outdoors.
• Must be able to initiate, build and sustain relationships with fellow staff, volunteers, and community partners.
• Ability and means to travel locally within assigned areas.
• Must be able to work occasional late afternoon/evening hours, occasional weekends and holidays.
• Proficiency in conversational Spanish a plus. 

Each employee of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

• Must comply with provisions of the current Employee Handbook, all published personnel policies and the requirements of their individual job descriptions.
• Must conduct herself or himself and perform all duties in a manner consistent with a public garden serving multigenerational and multicultural individuals and families, and in accordance with directed practices and procedures.
• Must be aware of surroundings and vigilant to threats to the safety of visitors, volunteers, and staff or to the security of their property, ensuring that all concerns are reported promptly.
• Must report all mishaps, injuries, and incidents immediately and ultimately in writing to supervisor(s) and to Human Resources.
• Must ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
• Must perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Physical Demands / Working Conditions

• Able to carry up to 30 lbs.
• Must be able to work outdoors in varied terrain and Central Virginia seasonal extremes.
• Comfortable working in immediate proximity to the general public in a safe and friendly manner.
• This position requires familiarity with all public areas of the 82-acre Garden property.

 Note: Duties described above, other duties and physical demands have been identified as essential functions as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• 2-3 years’ experience mentoring youth or leading volunteers, ideally in an outdoor setting.
• Experience working effectively with cross-divisional colleagues, community partners, and other stakeholders.
• Basic understanding of plant propagation and care in a garden or farm setting.
• Possession of a valid driver's license.