Education Programs Assistant

About Santa Barbara Botanic Garden:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s mission is to conserve California native plants and habitats for the health and well-being of people and the planet. The Garden is a living museum which fosters the conservation of California’s native plants through our gardens, research, and education, and serves as a role model of sustainable practices. Within the scope of this mission, the goal of the Education team is to enable transformative participant experiences through native plants.

A Day in the Life:

The Education Programs Assistant works with the Youth & Family Programs Manager and other Education staff to accomplish administrative and programmatic tasks that ensure smooth program operation, with an emphasis on youth programs. This position provides general support to the Garden's summer camp, tour programs, and other programs. The Education Programs Assistant should be passionate about sharing nature with the public, creative and flexible in their approach, and able to work either as a team or individually to support effective and impactful programming. This part-time (30 hours per week), temporary position reports to the Youth and Family Programs Manager. The rate is $22.00/hour.

What You’ll Do:

Tour Scheduling

• Process tour requests by entering info into Garden databases and project management systems and creating paperwork
• Correspond with tour groups by responding and processing inquires and requests in a timely manner
• Ensure group info is communicated across the organization by creating tour notices, reaching out to appropriate staff and posting tours onto Garden calendars
• Maintain records concerning each tour group including enrollment, income, and expenses
• Maintain and generate tour reports as needed

Summer Camp Support

• Process camp forms and create weekly group info packets for camp staff
• Help facilitate camper drop-off and pick-up
• Generate camp registration and evaluation reports
• Serve as a substitute for counselor staff if counselors are out and Head Counselor is not available by helping facilitate camp programs for children ages 5-10
• Supervise campers while providing counselors with breaks
• Assist with supervising campers resting in health center or awaiting early pick-up
• Assist with camp lunch supervision duties
• Communicate and assist with day-to-day needs such as early pick-up
• Assist with mid-week camper interviews
• Communicate camp schedules, logistics and policies with parents/guardians as needed
• Supervise children in extended day program during end-of-week debrief meeting
• Assist other camp operational duties such as monitoring and ordering inventory, prepping and cleaning activities, and shuttling materials and lunches as needed
• Assist with clean up, breakdown and inventorying of equipment and materials at the end of the camp season
• In the event of an emergency, assist with camper safety alongside the Youth and Family Programs Manager by keeping account of participants, contacting guardians and implementing emergency protocols, including Garden evacuation

General Support

• Assist the Education Department with general departmental needs such as collecting plant materials, surveying visitors, prepping materials for programs, etc.
• Attend check-in meetings with Education staff as necessary
• Provide general support to education programs
• Answer general questions about the Garden and its Education Programs to the public

Work Schedule

• Able to work Monday through Friday from June 2-October 3
• During camp (June 16-August 15): 8:45am-3:15pm Monday through Thursday, and 10:00am-4:30pm on Fridays.; Outside of camp: flexible

You Must Be Able To:

• Perform occasional strenuous physical work including:
  • Sitting for up to 2.0 hours at a time and use computer and phone for lengthy periods
  • Standing/walking for extended periods of time
  • Lifting and carrying 25 lbs., bending, squatting and walking stairs and the SBBG trails
  • Tolerance of an outdoor work environment including exposure to outdoor environmental conditions, including extreme temperature fluctuations, rain, dust, allergens, poison oak, insects, small wild animals, and sun exposure
• Occasionally work weekends and evenings, as needed
• Work independently and cross-departmentally as part of a team to further the goals of the organization

• Work in a fast-paced environment that requires quick turnaround and flexibility
• Multi-task and manage time to adhere to schedules, meet deadlines and respond promptly to inquiries and requests
• Work independently and as part of a team to further the goals of the organization
• Work comfortably in a fast-paced environment that requires quick turnaround and flexibility
• Have or be eligible for a valid California driver license and maintain an acceptable driving record
• Pass a Live Scan background check prior to hiring

You Will Definitely Need:

• One year minimum of customer service experience
• Interest in and/or experience working with children ages 5-10
• Excellent telephone skills, including the ability to interact in a friendly, patient, and helpful manner
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and accuracy
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite, with knowledge of or ability to learn registration and ticketing programs such as ACME, UltraCamp, ClickUp project management suite, and others, as needed

It Would be Nice if You Had:

• Knowledge of ecology, botany, and/or natural history of California
• Spanish fluency
• An understanding of databases

More About Us

The Garden is a beautiful place to work, and your work will make a direct impact on biodiversity conservation in California. We offer a supportive work environment, including professional development opportunities, human resources services, and collaborative opportunities.

Disclaimer:

The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily, and if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden retains the right to adjust priorities or assign other duties to this position.

For more information, and to apply, please visit https://sbbotanicgarden.org/about/employment/