Job Description

Garden Operations Manager
Reports to: Executive Director
Salary: $49,000-52,000
Benefits: Health and dental insurance; retirement plan with 3% match; paid vacation, professional learning opportunities.

About CitySprouts

The CitySprouts mission is to cultivate curiosity and wonder with hands-on science learning through urban gardens.

For more than twenty years, CitySprouts has partnered closely with public elementary schools in Cambridge and Boston to provide opportunities for children to learn by exploring the natural world as part of their school journey. CitySprouts is committed to greater equity in science education and children’s access to nature no matter where they live.

CitySprouts Garden Educators currently teach in 24 public schools where they also maintain thriving school garden classrooms; 12 in Cambridge and 12 in Boston. We engage students from Pre-K to 8th grade in our in-school Early Start in Science programs and our after school and summer Young Leaders Program.

The Position
The Garden Operations Manager is a key position for the overall success of CitySprouts programs and mission. Their primary responsibility is the overall care and maintenance of all of the CitySprouts’ schoolyard and community gardens. In addition to ensuring CitySprouts’ 24 school gardens are thriving schoolyard classrooms, the Garden Operations Manager directs CitySprouts’ volunteer engagement and oversees the Assistant Gardener and a Terracorps member.

Key Responsibilities:
Gardens and Schools
● Maintain positive and productive relationships with school facilities staff to ensure
the partnered care of school garden infrastructure: e.g. garden beds, containers,
gates, fences, sheds, water access, pest control, vandalism, and general physical
maintenance and repairs
● Establish/maintain strong relationships with partner organizations and community
farmers, particularly the growth of seedlings at the Food Project
● Work with Program Director to orient, train and support Garden Educators in the
planting and caring for school gardens
● Oversee and manage seasonal and weekly garden maintenance ensuring thriving
learning gardens
● Plan for, order and distribute seasonal and as-needed garden supplies including
seedlings, garden materials and garden tools
● Manage annual garden replenishment with an emphasis on equitable and
data-driven distribution of materials
● Oversee the purchase, delivery and accounting of garden supplies
● Track and maintain garden operations inventory and budget
● Plan and implement summer garden maintenance

Volunteers
● Orient, train and support volunteers to care for school gardens over the summer
● Identify, prepare and manage volunteer garden projects during the school year
● Work with the development/communications team to recruit & cultivate corporate
volunteers

Safety and Security procedures
● Train all staff, volunteers and interns in organization’s safety policies and
procedures and ensure compliance
● Set up summer First Aid/CPR training for summer staff and interns

Management
● Direct and supervise the assistant gardener
● Supervise garden maintenance personnel
● Supervise interns/service members in the area of garden care and volunteer
● Serve as a liaison to TerraCorps

Requirements for the position:
● Commitment to the CitySprouts mission
● 2-3 years experience creating and maintaining raised-bed gardens, specifically
vegetables, flowers, and pollinator gardens – urban school garden experience a plus
● 2-3 years project planning and management experience
● Strong interpersonal communication skills
● Budgeting and math skills, particularly regarding data collection and assessment
● Experience teaching non-gardeners/novice gardeners
● Valid driver’s license and clean driving record
● Experience with hand and power tools
● Comfortable working in all weather and seasons
● Master Gardener certificate a plus

Work environment and physical requirements
● The position requires physical labor in mixed weather conditions including the
ability to to perform physical labor such as carrying (40lbs), lifting, kneeling,
bending, digging etc.
● Valid driver’s license and clean driving record is required

CitySprouts strives to build a community of teachers, students and families united around public education, gardens and connecting children to the natural world. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are among the core principles that define our work, and thus we actively seek to build a team that is inclusive of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences.

CitySprouts does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or citizenship in any of its programs. It is CitySprouts’ policy to maintain a safe, educational and engaging work environment free of unlawful discrimination and harassment in any form.

How to Apply

Send resume and cover letter detailing your interest to [email protected]

Job Categories: Sustainable Agriculture / Food. Job Types: Full-Time. Job Tags: Farm Management, Garden Operations, school gardens, sustainability, and Urban Gardening. Salaries: 40,000 - 60,000.

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