Education Coordinator

Join our dynamic team as the Education Coordinator for the City of Gastonia’s Housing and Community Engagement department, where your expertise in environmental education and communication will play a pivotal role in enriching our community. In this vital position, you will oversee educational initiatives, crafting impactful programs that promote environmental awareness and cultural exchange as part of the Keep Gastonia Beautiful initiative and the Gastonia Sister Cities program. If you are passionate about making a difference and possess the skills to inspire and engage, we encourage you to apply and help shape the future of our programs.
 
The position will be responsible for providing professional-level work in overseeing education and communication for both Keep Gastonia Beautiful and Gastonia Sister Cities programming.  The successful applicant must be able to provide impactful environmental education programming while having the ability to network with support groups, leverage grassroots support, and spearhead interagency cooperation to grow Gastonia Sister Cities outreach. A high degree of fiscal responsibility is desired. Work is performed under the general supervision of the Keep Gastonia Beautiful Administrator.


The following job functions listed are normal for this position:  These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive.  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each function satisfactorily.  Other job functions and duties may be required as assigned. 

• This role involves presenting and managing environmental education programs for both public and private schools in Gastonia, and collaborating with local school staff to recruit students for the annual Sister Cities exchange program.
• This position oversees both foreign and domestic communications with Sister Cities and manages budgets for the City and the nonprofit Sister Cities Committee, Inc., serving as its Executive Director. Responsibilities include organizing annual student and dignitary exchanges, conducting cultural education sessions, handling travel logistics, and maintaining essential documentation and finances. The role also involves celebrating milestones with Sister Cities, ensuring ongoing communication during student trips, recruiting chaperones, and aiding the Sister Cities Board in membership management. This position is vital in nurturing relationships with Gotha, Germany, and Santiago de Surco, Peru.
• This role involves researching and developing programs that align with the North Carolina Course of Study as approved by Gaston County Schools, working with school coordinators to evaluate the effectiveness of the programming provided.
• This position is responsible for creating and managing all social media content and public relations materials for the Sister Cities program, ensuring dynamic and informative communication on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Duties include posting regular updates, promoting upcoming events, and sharing success stories to boost community engagement. The role also involves fundraising, which includes identifying financial opportunities, writing grant proposals, and fostering relationships with key stakeholders and donors to secure support from local foundations and enhance the program's initiatives.
• This role manages and presents community-based programs at diverse venues, such as libraries, community events, and farmers' markets, tailoring educational and engaging activities to each location. Responsibilities include organizing reading circles or environmental workshops at libraries, hosting interactive booths at community events for cultural and conservation education, and conducting sustainability talks and demonstrations at farmers' markets to promote local and global environmental awareness.
• This role entails supporting, documenting, and tracking all projects and events, including volunteer participation, details, and cost-benefit analyses. Responsibilities extend to advising the administrator on social media and website promotions, contributing to the monthly newsletter, and managing communications with schools and community partners. The position also involves preparing and distributing educational and promotional materials for Keep Gastonia Beautiful and other special events. Additionally, the role includes recruiting judges for school competitions, assisting with volunteer management, preparing minutes and agendas for Sister Cities meetings, presenting to the City Council and community organizations, and helping plan booths for the MAX Cultural Event and other significant occasions.

 

• Capacity to effectively organize and manage a volunteer base for successful program activities and exchanges.
• Strong ability to manage public image and interact positively with the community.
• Ability to adapt strategies and creatively solve problems under varying circumstances.
• Awareness and understanding of regulations and best practices specific to non-profit operations.
• Skills in utilizing social media platforms to enhance engagement and promote program initiatives.
• Ability to interact effectively and diplomatically with international visitors and diverse groups

Education and Experience: 
Any combination of education and experience equivalent to graduation with associate's degree in related area plus considerable experience working with public/private sponsorships and non-profit entities.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Valid North Carolina driver’s license.

The physical activity of this position includes:

Stooping:  Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist.  This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires full use of the lower extremities and back muscles.

Kneeling:  Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.

Crouching:  Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.

Reaching:  Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.

Standing:  Particularly for sustained periods of time.

Walking:  Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

Pushing:   Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.

Pulling:  Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, drag, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.

Lifting:  Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position to position.  This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires the substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.

Fingering:  Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm as in handling.

Grasping:  Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.

Feeling:  Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of the fingertips.

Talking:  Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.  Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.

Hearing:  Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal spoken word levels with or without correction.   Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make fine discriminations in sound, such as when making fine adjustments on machined parts.

Repetitive Motions:  Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands and/or fingers.

The physical requirement of this position:

Office Environment Work:  Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.  Office environment work involves sitting most of the time.  Jobs are categorized as office environment if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other Office Environment Work criteria are met.

The visual acuity requirements including color, depth perception and field of vision:

The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform one or more of the following:

Preparing and analyzing data and figures; Accounting; Transcription; Computer terminal; and Extensive reading.

The conditions the worker will be subject to in this position:

None:  The worker is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions (such as in a typical office or administrative work environment).

Occasional use of personal vehicle for work-related travel.

Drug screening and criminal background check required.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS MAY BE MADE TO ENABLE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO PERFORM THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS.

The City of Gastonia is committed to creating and maintaining a work environment that is inclusive, equitable, and welcoming. We value diversity and promise to honor your experiences, perspective, and unique identity.

The City of Gastonia is an Equal Opportunity Employer – M/F/H

Salary : $51,334 - $72,329