School Gardens Coordinator (Part-Time)

Organization Information

GrowNYC is a 54-year-old environmental nonprofit organization helping more than 3 million New Yorkers by providing essential services and taking action to make NYC a livable city, one where every person can enjoy a healthier, more sustainable life. GrowNYC Programs include:

• Our network of Greenmarkets, Farmstands, and the work of GrowNYC Wholesale ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the freshest, healthiest local food.
• We blanket the five boroughs with resources like food scrap and clothing collections to make waste reduction, recycling, and composting easy for all.
• We build and support community and school gardens through volunteer days, technical assistance, training, grants and more.
• We provide 70,000 children each year with programs that provide meaningful interactions with the natural environment.

School Gardens Coordinator (Part-Time)

Position Summary

The School Gardens Coordinator (P/T) will support and strengthen school garden programs across New York City. This role involves engaging with public, charter, and private schools to provide training, resources, and guidance that help school communities create and sustain thriving gardens. The School Gardens Coordinator (P/T) will build educator and volunteer capacity through workshops and technical support, foster collaboration across our school garden network, and contribute to program events, outreach and special projects. As part of the GrowNYC education team, the School Gardens Coordinator will be deployed across a range of initiatives as organizational needs evolve.

School Gardens Coordinator Responsibilities (Include but are not limited to):

• Provide garden engagement and education to schools via site visits, virtual visits, workshops, resources etc.
• Provide schools with gardening technical assistance including but not limited to instruction in designing gardens, best practices for engaging students, guidance for the planning and implementation of school gardens, troubleshooting growing issues, interpersonal garden disputes, etc.
• Establish and foster healthy relationships with school communities (including leadership, teaching staff, garden committees) and with relevant external partners including city agencies, organizations, etc.
• Create and lead dynamic workshops and school garden events, both in-person and virtual, that empower educators, volunteers, and students to bring their school gardens to life.
• Collaborate with Education team and other GrowNYC colleagues to deliver garden-related engagement experiences
• Maintain accurate records of participation, feedback and outcomes for evaluation and reporting purposes
• Support event logistics, including materials preparation and engagement tracking.
• Collaborate with college interns, offering support, guidance, and opportunities to learn through hands-on work.
• Submit data for completed outreach including visit type, location, number of stakeholders engaged, and notes about the outreach.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated gardening knowledge and experience is a must.
• Experience with urban agriculture and variable growing methods is a plus.
• Knowledge of and familiarity with the NYC Public Schools PK-12 system.
• Must be able to work occasional evening/weekend events.
• Willingness to travel to all five boroughs when necessary.
• Ability to adapt to changing environments and be creative with students, educators, curriculum, and related materials.
• Highly organized and ability to handle multiple projects
• Comfortable using and/or willing to learn various online programs such as Axios, Filemaker, Wix, Paperform, Zoom, Google Suite, Eventbrite, etc.
• Ability to drive is a plus, but not required
• Ability and skill to work with culturally diverse communities in NYC
• Experience as an educator (formal or informal) and ability to formulate and teach workshops.
• Excellent public speaking skills and ability to lead engaging workshops
• Willingness and ability to collaborate with different organizations and programs within GrowNYC

NOTE: All offers of employment are conditional upon successful completion of the DOE Eligibility Clearance Procedures, which include, but are not limited to, DOE fingerprinting procedures and background investigations.

Physical Requirements

Ability to stand for long periods of time, as well as sit for long periods of time, and lift up to 50 pounds to complete garden related tasks.

Schedule

This position is part-time (20 hours per week), September - June, and hours will primarily fall between Monday and Friday, with occasional evening and Saturday events. The majority of time will be spent in a combination of field, office, and remote work. The remainder of the time is hybrid with a mandatory office presence on Wednesdays. This position is funded through June 2026.

Compensation

The position is a non-exempt, part-time, hourly position. It pays $21.00 per hour and includes statutory benefits. This position is union eligible. A metrocard will be provided.

Location

Technical assistance and site visits will be provided to schools located in Queens and Staten Island, at various GrowNYC sites, and at partner sites citywide requiring travel for approximately 80% of the work week. The remainder of the time is hybrid in the office with a mandatory office presence on Wednesdays.

Applications

Qualified candidates for the School Gardens Coordinator position should submit a cover letter, resume, and three references to: GrowNYC. Interviews will take place on a rolling basis. Due to the volume of employment applications received, GrowNYC is unable to respond to each application individually. Applicants will be contacted directly if selected as a candidate. No phone calls or recruiters, please.

Contact

GrowNYC

P.O. Box 2327

New York, NY 10272

212-788-7900

For additional information, please see our website: grownyc.org

GrowNYC is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer and hires without regard to race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation or physical disability.