URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM MANAGER

The Urban Agriculture Program Manager serves as a leader of the innovative urban agriculture initiatives at the Gary Comer Youth Center, developing opportunities for future leaders in areas such as community development, food access, environmental and social justice, and broader STEM fields. The Program Manager links Urban Agriculture programming and youth participants with other Comer Education Campus (CEC) programs and resources, broadening and deepening impact to fulfill the GCYC mission. The Program Manager is responsible for tracking youth progress and outcomes in collaboration with other program leaders in the Urban Agriculture department and as a direct leader of enrichment and work-readiness programs working alongside youth and young adults in the CEC network of gardens, including an 8,600 square foot intensive rooftop garden, an environmental education garden, an indoor hydroponics operation, and a 1.75 acre urban farm with hoop houses, annual vegetables, perennials, fruit trees, and more.

Essential Functions And Responsibilities

• Organizational Leadership:
• Seek out partnerships and relationships that will create deeper, more relevant, and more impactful experiences for members
• Contributes to the grant writing and fundraising process, including seeking out funding prospects for existing and new opportunities
• Represent GCYC at external events and opportunities, including fundraising, partnership opportunities, conferences, and other engagements
• Serves as Leader on Duty as needed
  
  

• Culture/Values:
• Embrace/demonstrate the values of the Comer Education Campus:
• Youth Power
• Innovation
• Wellbeing
• Community Commitment
• Equity and Inclusion
• Joy
• Contribute to and execute strategies to create and maintain a productive and engaging work environment where employees feel safe, comfortable, engaged, and capable of being successful.
• Believes in continual improvement and has high expectations of themselves and their colleagues
• Develop and implement ways to support employee collaboration, celebration, and team building.
• Supervisory
• Responsible for the supervision and leadership of department staff (includes trainings, curriculum design, program evaluation, achievement of goals, adherence to policies and procedures, creating work schedules & time clock approvals and performance evaluations).
• Train, develop, engage, and retain staff members.
• Review and evaluate staff performance. Develops strategies to motivate staff and achieve goals, foster staff engagement and development.
• Utilize GCYC tools and standards in completing and administering performance evaluations and individual development plans.
• Plan and organize team meetings to ensure consistent communication, directions and accountability.
• Provide oversight for bi-weekly payroll hours for accuracy and approval. Ensure staff members follow timekeeping guidelines.
• Intentionally and continuously strives to promote a culture that values and strengthens diversity and inclusion.
• Program Operations:
• Serves as leadership for the program delivery for GCYC community, including curriculum development and procurement and collaboration between departments and program areas and with campus partners
• Contributes to the program schedule development process to ensure balanced offerings that meet the needs of our population of members and grant and mission deliverables
• Ensure a selection of programs that is equitable for all members – considering all age groups, genders, races, abilities and sexual orientations feel welcomed, supported, represented, and have access to all programs and services
• Keep abreast of current best practices, research, and trends in youth development and education to contribute to the development of staff and advancement of organizational practices
• Carryout informal program observation and evaluation on regular basis
• Responsible for managing and executing deliverables and compliance for grants assigned directly and grants assigned to subordinates
• Ensures the timely and accurate entry of data into internal data systems (e.g. Salesforce, Financial Edge), as well as assigned external systems (e.g. CitySpan) for grant compliance.
• Responsible for special projects assigned by direct supervisor, the Center Director or Executive Director.
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in agriculture, education, STEM or related field
• Urban agriculture knowledge and education preferred
• Minimum of 1-3 years of demonstrated growth mindset through increasing responsibility in program management. A significant portion of this should be in roles working in employment training or education of youth and young adults especially with individuals facing barriers to economic stability.
• Experience leading multiple programs in a nonprofit environment strongly preferred.
• A proven commitment to delivering quality enrichment programs through documented work experience in program planning, budgeting, operations, and execution.
• Experience with grant management, compliance, and reporting a plus.
  
  

Core Competencies

• Passionate about food sovereignty, urban farming, and youth development
• Excellent customer service skills
• Strong project management and organizational skills. Must be able to initiate and finish projects.
• Demonstrated experience developing, documenting and sustaining key HR processes
• Excellent coaching skills to assist direct reports
• Able to communicate effectively with youth, co-workers, stakeholders and families in a respectful and culturally competent manner via written and oral communication.
• Enjoys being the leader but is also confident enough to take directions from others.
• Must be able to take initiative and problem solve. Must be a creative thinker.
• Demonstrates strong accuracy in all areas of work and possess adaptive vitality.
• Demonstrates an understanding of guidance and discipline principles & conflict resolution strategies.
• Must have basic computer literacy skills – including Microsoft Office, independent use of the internet and ability to learn and properly utilize software systems.
• Abides by the employee handbook and established GCYC policies and procedures.
  
  

Physical Work Requirements & Environment

The GCYC environment is consistently bustling with youth and community members. The Center’s work is fast paced and varied. Our work is done on site where our youth and families are. Therefore, it is required that team members meet the following requirements:

• Have the ability to lift up to 25 pounds and work outdoors in all types of weather. During the growing seasons, up to 75 percent of the Urban Agriculture Program Manager’s time will be spent working outdoors in the GCYC network of gardens.
• The ability to use garden tools and equipment is needed.
• Able to complete administrative work in a shared office space within a youth center.