Program Manager

Program Manager

Description:

Grow Native Massachusetts seeks a full-time Program Manager.

About the Role

The Program Manager oversees and coordinates Grow Native Massachusetts’ mission-driven programming, including educational workshops and lectures, direct action opportunities, and assists with the organization’s popular annual native plant sale. The Program Manager will execute and improve upon existing programs and develop new programs in collaboration with the Executive Director to further the organization’s mission.

Reports to: Executive Director

Direct reports: N/A (No direct staff reports. Program Manager will frequently work with and oversee organization volunteers and may oversee interns as appropriate.)

Colleagues: Operations Manager (PT), Membership & Development Associate (PT), Board of Directors (volunteer)

Responsibilities

Administration

• Develop and manage annual program budget
• Ensure program-related data management and reporting meets organizational needs, in collaboration with Operations Manager and in consultation with Executive Director
• Develop sustainable goals for program execution and improvement
• Evaluate and assess program strengths and weaknesses

Program Development, Planning, and Execution

• Plan and execute Grow Native’s Community Programming (open to all), including: Evenings with Experts- Free lecture series; Workshops - Paid educational sessions on a variety of relevant topics; Ecology Actions - Volunteer-driven direct environmental actions, frequently in collaboration with community partners (tree planting, invasive plant removal, Etc.); Annual Native Plant Sale - a fundraising and outreach program that delivers our mission by getting thousands of native plants out into MA landscapes (planned in coordination with Operations Manager)
• Manage program marketing and promotion in collaboration with the Executive Director
• Identify and recruit guest speakers/instructors
• Communicate and coordinate with and support guest speakers/instructors
• Recommend new or evolved programming based on your knowledge, program evaluation, and feedback from members, partners, and colleagues

Program Resources

• Oversee mission-related resources on the organization’s website with tech
• support from the Operations Manager
• Create and/or manage the creation of relevant educational and informational
• materials

Community Outreach and Collaborative Partnerships

• Develop and maintain opportunities to represent and promote Grow Native Massachusetts and its mission at community events
• Identify, maintain, and coordinate programmatic partnerships with external organizations and community groups, such as Popup Native Plant Markets and Ecology Actions

Volunteer Management

• Serve as staff liaison for the volunteer Program Committee (primarily Board members); Convene and facilitate Program Committee to solicit program ideas, collaboratively evolve program mix, and coordinate committee support of programming; Recruit external committee members in collaboration with the Executive Director, as needed
• Recruit, train, and supervise program volunteers, including all volunteers for the annual Native Plant Sale (about 50 volunteers each year)
• Recruit, train, and schedule outreach volunteers

Working Environment

Grow Native Massachusetts’ office is located at 7 Harrington Road in Lexington MA.

While in-person collaboration is important to Grow Native’s culture, we also acknowledge the changed landscape of work post pandemic and are open to hybrid schedules. Our current staff have a mix of exclusively in-office and hybrid work schedules. A specific schedule will be worked out with the selected candidate, but candidates should expect to work a minimum of two days a week in the office. We will not be considering fully remote applicants.

This position requires occasional travel within the state of Massachusetts for programs, outreach, and networking. Travel is more frequent during our busier program seasons: spring and fall. Travel miles and expenses are reimbursable.

The nature of this job requires working events, which may include moving program materials and infrastructure (tables, tents, etc.), unless accommodations are required.

About the Organization

Our Mission: We inspire people to action across the Commonwealth, on behalf of native plants and the diversity of life they support.

Grow Native Massachusetts, founded in 2010, recognizes the pivotal role played by individuals in land stewardship, spanning home gardeners, landscape industry professionals, and community advocates. Embodying our grassroots origins, Grow Native’s community-focused programs emphasize individual and local action. We engage a broad audience through initiatives like our free Evenings with Experts lecture series and our informative website. By leveraging a robust volunteer network, we are able to deliver a great deal of programming for a staff our size (Currently 2 FTEs). Beyond our free resources, we offer dynamic workshops and host a popular annual native plant sale (recently referred to by Harvard Magazine as the “Taylor Swift concert of the plant-growing world.”) By fostering community engagement, we aspire to make an impact throughout the Commonwealth, in areas urban and rural, and on lands large and small, both public and private.

Grow Native Massachusetts is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To engage individuals, we must be individuals, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

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This job description is a living document. It is meant to represent the role at the current moment. It is not exhaustive and is subject to change based on organizational needs.

Qualifications:

Requirements

There are many ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We know that skills and experience are gained through a variety of professional, personal, education, and volunteer opportunities.You are the expert on your background and capabilities. If you think you would be a good fit for this role, we encourage you to apply, even if you don’t meet all of the requirements listed below. Based on our knowledge of the organization and the position, we provide the following requirements for guidance:

Key Requirements

• Demonstrated passion for organization’s mission
• Minimum education: High School Diploma/GED
• Minimum three years of full-time work experience (or equivalent)
• Previous program and/or project management experience with demonstrated ability to pre-plan and meet deadlines
• Ability to organize daily activities based on organizational goals and program needs
• Flexibility in work style to successfully collaborate with a variety of stakeholders and the natural pivots required when working with a small, younger organization
• Willingness to collaborate with fellow staff members, volunteer board, program committee, and partner organizations
• Ability to build and maintain relationships beneficial to the role and the organization, ranging from the interpersonal level to the community level
• Creativity/Innovation - You are motivated to curate/develop new approaches or
• programs
• Autonomy/Self-Direction - You are able and willing to proactively and individually identify what needs to be done, plan a strategy for how to do it, and execute; Proactive about communicating and pursuing tools required to complete your work successfully
• Customer Service Outlook - You find helping people, answering their questions, and suggesting resources fulfilling
• Able to efficiently gather, analyze, and synthesize information
• You are: Organized, efficient, effective, collaborative, kind

Preferred experience

• Personal interest in gardening or landscaping, and teaching others about native plants
• Skill in landscaping/other field work; We are particularly interested in current or former green industry professionals including horticulture, landscaping, public open space, nurseries, farms, etc.
• Advanced coursework or training in environment, biology, or other related subjects
• Advanced coursework or training in education, curriculum design, or related subjects
• Experience with: Google suite (high priority); Microsoft office (high priority); Salesforce or similar CRM tool; MailChimp or similar communications tool
• Experience in a nonprofit environment
• Prior volunteer management experience
• Skills in program measurement and evaluation

Salary:

$55,000 - $65,000 / Per year

About this Organization:

Mission: We inspire people to action across the Commonwealth, on behalf of native plants and the diversity of life they support. Every garden matters; every landscape counts.® We are a community-based organization that promotes the importance of native plants to all landscapes, small and large. We promote ecological stewardship at the local level; our programs educate, empower, and inspire. We operate with a small staff and a large volunteer base.