Education and Engagement Programming Assistant

Staff - Union

Job Category
CUPE 2950

Job Profile
CUPE 2950 Salaried - Program Assistant 2 (Gr6)

Job Title
Education and Engagement Programming Assistant

Department
Program Support | Botanical Garden and Centre for Horticulture

Compensation Range
$4,319.00 - $4,540.00 CAD Monthly

Posting End Date
April 7, 2024

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMING ASSISTANT

JOB SUMMARY 

This position provides education, engagement and administrative support to the Associate Director, Sustainability and Community Programs, and assists with designing, developing, coordinating and delivering nature-based programming at UBC Botanical Garden. The position is full time and works Tuesday-Saturday FTE.

ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS 

UBC Botanical Garden is an operational unit within the Faculty of Science. The Mission of the Garden is to assemble, curate, and maintain a documented living collection of temperate plants for the purposes of education, research, conservation, community outreach, and public display. Our Vision is that plants are understood, valued, celebrated, and secure in a healthy, biodiverse world.

The Education and Engagement Programming Assistant in the Sustainability and Community Programs department supports a diversity of programs and interacts with audiences both on and off campus including working with UBC Botanical Garden students, staff, volunteers and visitors. Reporting directly to the Associate Director (AD), Sustainability and Community Programs, this position works cooperatively as a member of the Garden team and assists with the administration and coordination of Garden programming, outreach, events and meetings. 

WORK PERFORMED

Client Support and Customer Service
-Responds to routine verbal and written enquiries from students, staff, volunteers and visitors regarding sustainability and community programming at the Garden, including educational program offerings for adults, children, K to 12 students, specialist groups, and cultural communities, including First Nations communities.
-Liaises and supports scheduling/registration of programs and acts as a primary contact for teachers, schools, corporate groups, community and educational instructors. 

Community & Event Program Coordination
-Coordinates in-person and online meetings, workshops, lectures, short courses, events, and tours related to sustainability and community programming in consultation with other staff.

-Maintains and is responsible for a database of all bookings, tours and events related to sustainability and community programming.
-Collaborates with community partners on educational programs both on and off-site.
- Set-up and prepares welcome area and facilities for educational programs, meetings and events (including table and chair set up, educational displays, prep for food service, providing nametags and other duties as required).
-Assists with planning and recruiting course instructors/lecturers/tour guides and student volunteers.
-Liaises with course instructors/lecturers to assess learning materials, resources and equipment needs.
-Creates and maintains online promotions, communications and registration for educational programming.
-Supports staff, volunteers and students at the Garden by developing and maintaining handbooks, training schedules and materials, coordinating onsite/online training and sharing of resources.
-Creates and reviews volunteer and student feedback surveys and assists with data collections and report writing for tracking volunteer and public engagement.
-Provides positive mentorship and creates strategies for engaging and developing relations for volunteers and students.

Program Delivery

-In collaboration with the AD Sustainability & Community Programs, along with other Garden team members, contributes to content ideas, brainstorming, designing and delivering tours, workshops and other nature-based educational experiences for children, youth and adults.

-Communicates science and nature-based environmental education topics to diverse audiences through informative and engaging experiences. Including the delivery of original & pre-programmed in-person and online education (tours, workshops, webinars, outreach, events) for children, youth and community audiences.

Program Development and Curriculum
-Collaborates with staff and students to develop science-based curriculum for onsite and online programming, this includes tours, workshops, teambuilding, and educational tools.

-Assists by collaboratively researching and designing engaging and inclusive educational curriculum using different methods of engagement.
-Maintains and is responsible for updating learning materials and educational resources ensuring that they are organized, accurate, in good repair, and current. 

-Revises and adapts delivery models for different audiences, and ensures that information is conveyed in a professional and thoughtful manner.
-Revises and develops garden guide training manuals for students, staff and volunteers.
-Supports the design of new classes, workshops, tours and other training programs in collaboration with Garden staff and instructors.

-Supports grant writing to secure funding for educational programming and student employment opportunities.  

Student and Volunteer Engagement
-Assists with recruitment, training, and organizing volunteers and students.

-Collaborates with Garden staff to identify volunteer and student engagement opportunities, and assists with attracting and retaining volunteers and students.

-Coordinates with Staff and Friends of the Garden (FOGs) to attract, recruit and retain volunteers and students. Matching students and volunteers to opportunities available at the Garden.

-Supports grant writing to secure funding for students, volunteers and educational programming

-Tracks, maintains and contributes to the volunteer database (including tracking hours, skills and interests of volunteers).
-Supports orientation and onboarding materials for students and volunteers.  

-Develops and delivers strategies for recognizing volunteers and students. 

-Provides constructive feedback and mentorship to students and volunteers.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
-Prepares and delivers evaluation forms for programs, collates responses into database.
-Reviews program metrics annually and supports collating and reporting of educational program impact.
-Supports short and long-term planning and reporting to assess the impact of program and play for future educational programs.
Marketing and Communications
-Collaborates with staff and students to draft course descriptions and design event promotional material for programs. 

-In collaboration with the AD SCP and Garden Marketing Manager, maintains and updates, when necessary, the Sustainability & Community Programs section of the Garden’s website (WordPress), online registration forms, and sales materials for outreach programs.

-Supports the Marketing and Communication team by reaching out to potential educational program clients sharing information and educational resources.

-Develops website content and updates website information (text, photos, videos).
-Provides stories and content for the Garden newsletter, website, and other Marketing and Communications channels.
-Works with Marketing and Communications to ensure all materials (handouts, promotional material, etc.) is up-to-date and on brand. 

-Provides other administrative support as needed for marketing and communications for the Sustainability and Community Programs.

-Performs other related duties as requested by the Associate Director, Sustainability and Community Programs. 

CONSEQUENCE OF ERROR 

Error in judgment or information given would result in loss of credibility and service to the visitors, educators and schools that participate in garden events and programs. Inability to budget accurately would result in inaccurate financial assessments. Lack of customer service skills would impact the overall experience of the Garden visitor. 

SUPERVISION RECEIVED 

This position works under the supervision of the Associate Director, Sustainability and Community Programs, UBC Botanical Garden. 

SUPERVISION GIVEN 

Students, volunteers 
Minimum Qualifications
High School graduation, plus one year of post-secondary education, plus three years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own
- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge of community development principles, base level ecology knowledge and sustainability education principles.

4 years related experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities, and creatively solve problems.

Ability to organize events and meetings.

Ability to design and deliver educational tours.

Ability to respond appropriately to inquiries in person, on phone, and in writing, and make appropriate referrals.

Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines.

Effective oral and written communication, interpersonal, analytical, problem solving and organizational skills.

Ability to provide quality service to customers in a courteous, patient manner.

Ability to work effectively independently and in a busy, dynamic team environment.

Ability to create learning opportunities for others and provide student mentorship.
Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and Saturdays