Job Announcement: Garden Coordinator

July 2017

Green Village Initiative (GVI), a non-profit organization based in Bridgeport, CT, is seeking a Garden Coordinator starting immediately. GVI is an urban agriculture organization in Bridgeport, CT.  Our mission is to create social, economic and environmental change through a unified network of urban farms, community gardens and school gardens. Our farms and gardens nurture a grassroots movement of urban growers of all ages across the city. We manage a network of 13 Community Gardens, 23 School Gardens, Reservoir Community Farm, and a Youth Leadership program for the benefit of the Bridgeport community.

Our team consists of ambitious, emerging leaders in food justice who are dedicated to their work, to the GVI vision, and to working collaboratively with each other, with the community, and with strategic partners to make the most impact. We are looking for candidates who are familiar with gardening, enthusiastic about mentoring youth, interns and volunteers, and able to manage projects while working independently and collaborating effectively.

 

The Garden Coordinator will advance our school and community gardens programs, and work closely with our staff, Americorps members and volunteers. The Garden Coordinator is responsible for implementing GVI’s School Garden and Community Garden strategies through:

  • Working with the team to establish metrics for success and continually measuring progress towards goals. This includes creating and implementing a work plan and tracking progress and challenges for review with Executive Director.
  • Working at Reservoir Community Farm on a regular basis for up to 8 hours per week, under the direction of Farm Manager, to hone the farming and gardening knowledge and skills needed to support our gardening community.
  • Establishing strong working relationships with garden contacts.  Engaging new individuals, families and partner organizations in gardens, through relationship development, and clear communication around expectations.
  • Regularly assessing garden sites in our network of 23 school gardens and 13 community gardens to identify support and resource needs.
  • Crafting an action plan to deploy support and resources.  This includes working with the team to provide technical assistance, workshops and field trips at Reservoir Community Farm, on-going trouble-shooting, and coordination of materials delivery such as seedlings, soil and helpful gardening and agriculture information.
  • Coordinating and facilitating network-wide captains meetings and gardener meetings.
  • Ensuring that gardens offer safe, welcoming growing spaces by coordinating garden rebuilds, improvements and cleanups, including recruiting and managing volunteers.
  • Scheduling and coordinating school garden harvest days.
  • Working with the team to deploy GVI’s seasonal interns and volunteers for garden support; this includes overseeing interns and volunteers at gardens when necessary.
  • Rigorous data collection, including tracking performance level of school gardens.
  • Managing project budgets, with support from Executive Director.
  • Working on other activities as needed.


This position reports to GVI’s Executive Director.

Skills required:

  • Basic gardening or farming knowledge including familiarity with or ability to learn safe operation of hand and power garden tools
  • Enthusiasm in working with and mentoring entry-level staff and volunteers of all ages and levels of experience; Interest in sharpening one’s own leadership skills and mentoring others towards leadership
  • Demonstrated ability to manage projects with little oversight
  • Willingness to learn project budget management
  • Ability to work with a diverse group of individuals and communities
  • Ability to move projects forward and solve problems independently and creatively
  • Ability to deploy a flexible working style, based on nature of dynamic programs and partnerships
  • Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively
  • Very good working knowledge of basic Microsoft Office applications, Google Drive, and social networking tools
  • Superb written and oral communication skills
  • Conversational Spanish is preferred

 

This is a full- time position for one year, with continuation contingent on funding, and compensation of $25,000 annually. 

To apply:

  • Please send at minimum a detailed email describing your interest in this position and the experiences and skills that make you a good candidate to opportunities@gogvi.org with Garden Coordinator in the subject line; Resume and Cover Letter are preferred.
  • Please apply by July 31st.