Education & Volunteer Program Manager

Reports to: The Education & Volunteer Program Manager reports to the Executive Director.

Full-time, salaried position.

JOB SUMMARY/OVERVIEW

This position requires a dynamic employee who can coordinate two closely related departments and collaborate daily with other areas of the business. Responsibilities are focused around recruiting, training, and scheduling volunteers for support in all areas of the park, ranging from tour guide duties to construction project assistance, as well as scheduling and delivering educational programs to audiences in a variety of ways, including guided tours and on-site events, and supporting the development of new programs and materials. 

 

RESPONSIBILITIES & ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

  • Schedules and coordinates private tours, field trips, birthday parties, and other group tours, serving as a guide when needed
  • Distributes curriculum materials and works with groups to meet educational goals/needs
  • Recruits, trains, coordinates, schedules, and supervises volunteers who guide tours and present programs and events, as well as those who support daily park operations
  • Collaborates with other staff members and volunteers to develop and implement new programs and events
  • Helps guide the development of the educational animal collection and trains others on proper handling and presentation techniques
  • Finds, adapts, develops, and implements educational activities for use on site as needed
  • Maintains education and biofact materials, updating as needed
  • Distributes weekly updates to tour guides and other volunteers, and works with communications team to create quarterly volunteer newsletters
  • Maintains all volunteer records, including in-park permissions and emergency contact information
  • Recruits local groups and other nonprofits with similar values for special events and programming support
  • Coordinates and supervises decoration, supplies, activities, and creation of enrichment materials for events 
  • Oversees maintenance of nature trails (1.5 miles total) and education stations
  • Monitors guests, enforcing rules when needed and providing educational information in a friendly manner
  • Performs additional tasks as requested by management

 

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS: 

  • Exceptional telephone and email etiquette
  • Strong critical and organizational thinking, time management, and decision-making skills
  • A proactive mindset with attention to detail, creative problem-solving, and strong follow-through on commitments
  • Ability to speak to groups of people of all ages and backgrounds, sometimes in large group settings
  • Ability to manage and direct the activities of 20+ volunteers and supervise monitoring the public on site
  • Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills, including prompt replies to queries from volunteers and public
  • Excellent communication (written and oral), conflict resolution, and de-escalation skills
  • Ability to receive constructive criticism and take corrective action
  • Ability to learn new computer programs/apps quickly

 

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: 

  • College degree, associates degree, or at least two years of relevant experience working with volunteers
  • Background knowledge of environmental education or biological or animal sciences sufficient to support educational program development and delivery
  • Work experience in facilitating educational programs is preferred
  • Handling/husbandry experience working with animals is strongly preferred
  • Computer skills including Google workspace required
  • Experience training and supervising others is desirable

 

LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, and/or REGISTRATION: 

  • First Aid/CPR, or completed within six months of hire; offered on site
  • Valid driver’s license

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

  • Requires working most weekends and many holidays (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day)
  • Requires limited accessibility on days off to correct scheduling conflicts or volunteer cancellations
  • Adaptability to handle changing schedules and filling in as needed on occasion, including providing staffing assistance for any significant contingencies
  • Requires prolonged standing or sitting, significant walking, and some bending, stooping, and stretching
  • Requires lifting up to 50 pounds occasionally
  • Rural location requires reliable transportation and the ability to drive after dark
  • On occasion, requires working outdoors in most weather conditions, including in temperatures from 0 to 105℉
  • Opportunity for hybrid remote work  (working from home 1-2 days weekly) after training and onboarding period.
  • Any remote work requires access to a computer, secure high-speed Internet connection, and phone

 

COMPENSATION:

  • The salary for this position is commensurate with experience. Pay for fully qualified individuals is salaried at $35,568.
  • Subsidized shared housing opportunities may be available during relocation.

 

APPLICATION:

We are currently accepting full-time employment applications. Please include your resume/CV and at least two relevant references. The selection process will include traditional interviews that may take place over the phone for individuals who are not local.

All resumes, references and questions can be emailed to: applications@animalparknc.org.  Please contact applications@animalparknc.org if you experience any issues with the application process or have further questions regarding the position.