Tree Program Coordinator

Application Deadline: January 22, 2024

Reports to: Youth Education Director

Department: Youth Education

Job Class: Full Time, Exempt

 

Job Description

Since 2012, the Garden has hosted an award-winning, culturally relevant paid youth internship program. Today, the Garden employs approximately 40 local students annually, with youth focusing not only on technical skills like urban agriculture and watershed health but also on personal development in areas such as public speaking, cultural traditions, and team building.

 

In partnership with PHS (Pennsylvania Horticultural Society), Bartram’s Garden is continuing to foster our youth programming to support a healthy, diverse, and resilient tree canopy in Southwest Philadelphia. Bartram’s Garden is seeking a Tree Program Coordinator to recruit and manage a youth cohort charged with recruiting community tree tenders, educating the community on tree care, as well as tree planting and stewardship.

 

Core Responsibilities include:

Recruit and manage cohort of youth interns, and community tree leaders.

Develop programming and curricula for youth tree crew and collaborate with Youth Education Team to meet additional departmental goals.

Collaborate with PHS Trees Team, and other community stakeholders to develop a Southwest Philadelphia outreach plan.

Host and facilitate scheduled volunteer and community outreach events as needed.

Support the PHS Tree Tender partnership by attending all Tree Program meetings.

Ensure documentation and compliance with all policies and procedures, including following state mandatory reporter guidelines.

Support the PHS Trees Team and Bartram’s Development team in compiling quantitative and narrative reports of proposed and completed deliverables, including required grant reporting.

 

Position Requirements:

Previous work experience in arboriculture/urban forestry, preferred; ISA arborist certification or willingness to obtain certification.

Enthusiasm for connecting and working with young people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Ability to lift 50 lbs. and to perform physical tasks in all temperature and weather conditions (kneeling, squatting, standing, and walking for extended periods of time and on uneven ground will be required)

Ability to operate equipment and tools safely and efficiently including power and hand tools, saws, and other equipment.

Valid PA Driver’s License; comfortable driving and operating a pick-up truck.

Experience working in diverse communities with respect to race, ethnicity, class, gender, religion, orientation, and place of origin.

Personal or professional familiarity with Southwest Philadelphia

Flexibility to work outside of a traditional Monday – Friday work schedule.

Proficiency in utilizing and integrating office technology into daily workflow (Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, Teams, Zoom)

PA Criminal Background Check, Federal Bureau of Investigation Clearance, PA Child Abuse Clearance

Preferred but not required: Red Cross CPR, First Aid certification.

Schedule and Compensation

This is a full-time, non-exempt, year-round position with a salary range of $42,000–$44,000 per year. Benefits include employer-paid healthcare and dental coverage, short and long-term disability coverage, and generous paid time-off including holidays, vacation, and sick time.

Our site is open daily, and the Tree Program Coordinator’s schedule will require flexibility to include occasional holidays, weekends, early mornings and late nights throughout the year.

 

To Apply

To apply please submit your cover letter and resume to jobs@bartramsgarden.org with subject line “Tree Program Coordinator.” Applications are due by January 22, 2024. Only those whose applications are being considered will be contacted. No phone calls or visits, please.

The John Bartram Association is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

The Association recognizes the value of promoting a diverse workforce. All individuals, including those from historically under-represented groups, are strongly encouraged to apply. In addition, any form of personal or professional connections to Southwest Philadelphia will be considered a plus for all applicants. If desired, applicants are invited to reflect in their cover letter or other written statement on how their professional and lived experiences position them for their requested role.

 

About Bartram’s Garden
Bartram’s Garden is a 50-acre public garden in Southwest Philadelphia, situated on Lenape territory on the banks of the tidal Schuylkill River. It is a venue for art, access to the tidal river and wetlands, outdoor classroom and living laboratory. Bartram’s Garden attempts to hold the long legacy of the land with a commitment to learn and share a more complete truth about its plants and the people who grow them.

The mission of the John Bartram Association is to create equitable relationships among people and nature through immersive, community-driven experiences that activate the Bartram legacy, Garden, and House, on land and on the Schuylkill River, in Southwest Philadelphia. The garden was founded in 1728 by John Bartram, whose passion for plants and the natural world continues to nurture and inspire horticulturists and nature lovers from all walks of life. Located in Southwest Philadelphia, the 50-acre public historic garden is preserved, enhanced, and maintained by the John Bartram Association as America’s oldest surviving botanic garden in cooperation with the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Philadelphia.

Today, Bartram’s Garden offers opportunities for visitors to connect with and learn about plants, nature, history, art, and science. It encompasses the 1731 Bartram house and farm buildings, historic garden, reclamation meadow, tidal wetlands, community farm, recreational trails, and the Schuylkill riverfront with its ADA accessible public boat dock.

For ten years, Bartram’s Garden has been working to build its local Southwest focused programs and strengthen its local community partnerships. Continuing to broaden and deepen these relationships and build sustaining relationships with families, local institutions, churches, schools, and academic institutions utilizing the Bartram legacy as inspiration for learning and environmental stewardship is at the heart of our vision for a great civic common and river garden. The garden is amid transformation, with opportunities for growth and renewal. With the construction of the Bartram’s Mile Trail and the first major house and garden restoration in nearly a century, the profile and visitation at Bartram’s Garden has increased. Capitalizing on this momentum, we are planning a future riverfront restoration, freshwater mussel hatchery, and climate resistance field station. These opportunities are focused on building our capacity to serve as Southwest Philadelphia largest neighborhood City park, expanding our role as an anchor community space and cultural asset.

The work of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is made possible through the generous support of committed individuals and institutions.