Program and Education Manager

Organization Description

The Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild (PSPG) provides educational and community-building programs that connect communities with maritime heritage through the stewardship of historic ships. This includes the barkentine Gazela Primeiro, the tugboat Jupiter, and the barge Poplar, which serve as living, interactive museums and classrooms along the Delaware River waterfront, offering immersive learning experiences that inspire interest in maritime trades and the STEM fields.

For over fifty years PSPG has provided hands-on skills training for volunteers to lead ongoing ship maintenance and restoration projects. Building on this tradition, the Guild facilitates a portfolio of education and training programs designed to provide hands-on learning, create on-ramps to meaningful careers, and inspire the next generation of maritime enthusiasts. Primary activities include high school internships, pre-apprenticeship trades training, youth field trips and drop-in programming, workshops and classes, and community engagement events.

Position Overview

The Program and Education Manager plays a central role in bringing the Guild's mission to life through hands-on programming aboard our historic vessels. Working alongside the Vessel Manager, crew volunteers, and staff, this position plans and delivers a wide range of educational and community-focused programs.

This role serves as both educator and community liaison, building meaningful partnerships with schools, youth organizations, and community groups to expand access to our historic vessels and enriching programs. This position requires equal comfort on the dock, on deck, and in the community, connecting people of all backgrounds to maritime spaces through engaging, inclusive programming.

PSPG encourages candidates from all backgrounds, experiences, and skill levels to apply - experience on the water is a plus but not required. We value unique perspectives and are dedicated to supporting our staff’s professional development and individual career journeys. We look forward to seeing what you can bring to our team.

This position begins as part-time and is expected to grow into a full-time role within a few months as programming ramps up.

Key Responsibilities

Due to the seasonal nature of activity at the Guild, the position will see some swings in work load, with the busiest educational programming times being April-October. Planning, outreach, recruitment, and general operational support with volunteer coordination for ship maintenance and sailing will take place during months where Gazela is closed to the public. Below is a list of the position's primary responsibilities.

Program Delivery

• Lead and support youth programming including school field trips, group visits, and drop-in programming, as well as our workforce initiatives: high school internships and a pre-apprenticeship program for young adults.
• Facilitate onboard, dockside educational programming in coordination with the Vessel Manager, volunteers, and staff.
• Serve as an engaging educator: deliver lessons, inspire curiosity, lead demonstrations, and act as a knowledgeable resource for participants.
• Serve as a mentor and supportive presence for program participants, especially youth and young adults.
• Identify and help address barriers to participation, ensuring accessible and inclusive programming.
• Collaborate with other staff members to plan and facilitate public programming such as open ship days, social events, and community-building initiatives.

Community Partnerships & Outreach

• Maintain existing and develop new relationships with schools, youth groups, and community organizations to recruit participants and expand program reach; conduct outreach and attend partnership meetings, events, and conferences to make connections.
• Collaborate with communications staff to inform marketing collateral and strategies for engaging larger audiences throughout Philadelphia and the region.
• Cultivate and leverage partnerships to create collaborative, complementary programs.

Coordination & Administration

• Plan and coordinate logistics for visiting groups, including scheduling, communications, and on-site preparation.
• Manage educational materials, supplies, and resources for school visits and programming events.
• Collect participant feedback, track program outputs and outcomes, and maintain records to support ongoing evaluation, reporting, and compliance.
• Work with the Executive Team to prepare and manage departmental budgets and spending to ensure sound fiscal management of the programs.

Qualifications

Required

• Experience in an educational, mentorship, or community setting.
• Demonstrated experience working with youth/ young adults as an educator, program facilitator, and mentor.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a team across departments, including vessel crew and volunteers.
• Flexibility and adaptability within a dynamic, growing organization.
• Ability to stand for extended periods, climb up and down ladders and stairs, lift up to 50 lbs, and safely traverse onboard a wooden sailing vessel.
• Coordinate with PSPG to obtain all required background checks and clearances to work with youth within 90 days of start date.
• A strong connection to the Greater Philadelphia region, and/ or a deep knowledge and understanding of the nonprofit and education ecosystems.

Preferred

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in education, social work, sociology, environmental studies, or a related field, equivalent work experience will be considered.
• Experience in workforce development or career readiness programming.
• Background in maritime, building trades, or related industries a plus but not required.

Work Environment & Schedule

This is primarily an on-site role with some remote work activities. “On-site” is a 125 year-old wooden tall-ship, the historic barkentine Gazela, and occasionally the barge Poplar, a floating workshop and meeting space, both located at Penn’s Landing.

This role is $28/ hour and will start at 25 hours/ week, expanding to 35-40 hours/ week within a few months.

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to building an inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve.

No benefits at this time, as a growing organization we hope to provide these as the position progresses.