Coordinator Youth Programs - School Field Trips

Title: Coordinator, Youth Programs - School Field Trips

Exemption Status: Exempt

Department: Youth Education

Reports to: Manager, Teacher & Student Programs

Year-Round Full-time

Supervises: Resource instructors, volunteers, interns

Year-Round Full-time employees of the Chicago Botanic Garden are eligible for the following Benefits:

• 2025 Chicago Botanic Garden Benefit Guide - Year-Round Full-time

Compensation Philosophy:

At the Chicago Botanic Garden, our compensation philosophy is rooted in our core values: Growth, Understanding, Resilience, and Trust through Transparency. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and appreciated.

Our objective is to create compensation and growth opportunities for our employees that are highly competitive, internally equitable and transparent. The foundation of our efforts is a straightforward approach that can be easily communicated by managers with defined pay ranges for all positions. When posting job openings, we share the minimum salary up to the budgeted amount.

The starting salary for new staff members is determined by considering the salary range assigned to the position and by reviewing the candidate's qualifications for the job as compared with job responsibilities. Prior work experience should be considered in determining the salary offer, provided that it is relevant to the job. Additional factors such as secondary language proficiency or advanced degrees that enhance performance may also be considered. A candidate's salary may exceed the minimum amount based on factors such as experience, additional skills (e.g., secondary language proficiency), or pertinent degrees that enhance the individual's contribution to the role but are not required. Opportunities for increased compensation are provided through referral bonuses, shift differentials, Thank You Pay, promotions, and periodic pay increases based on the Garden's overall performance and financial budgets.

Our total compensation and benefits package is people centric. We prioritize employee wellness across three pillars: physical, mental, and financial. Our goal is to offer innovative total rewards that support continuous professional growth, personal development, and provide the flexibility needed to balance personal and professional commitments.

Position Overview:

The Coordinator, School Field Trips, oversees all aspects of school field trips, virtual programs for schools, homeschool events, and family drop-in programs. The coordinator also assists with summer camp and a new school-year scout program. The job requires high energy, physical stamina to lead outdoor activities in all weather, ability to think on one's feet, teamwork and collaboration skills, and a commitment to creating wonderful experiences for our younger visitors. Summer weekend hours are required.

Responsibilities

In this role you will be responsible for the following:

• Oversee delivery of existing plant- and environmental science-based workshops for visiting school groups in grades pre-K through 12; repeat, modify, or create new programs that use Garden resources to support student attainment of the Next Generation Science Standards.
• During field trip season (fall and spring): Oversee daily operations, create schedules and assign duties to resource staff, coordinate with security and visitor operations personnel that interact with school groups, and perform other school group-related tasks as needed.
• Consider and create ways to make self-guided school/youth group visits more engaging for the children.
• During winter months (low to no field trip attendance months):

• Create and deliver events for homeschooled students based on our successful program model.
• Work with other education staff to deliver live online educational programs for our Virtual Field Trips (as requested) and for "Streamables" company per the contracted schedule.
• Create "Traveling Plant Science Teacher" workshops to be delivered in classrooms, managing all components of that program.

• June through August, work with Community Science Programs manager to create fun family drop-in activities for the Pop-In & Play station at the Nature Play Garden.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of a new program for Scouts, to be rolled out after January 2025.
• Work with the Garden's communications team to produce seasonal printed Bingo worksheets, enlist volunteers to affix stickers to the sheets, distribute at the Visitor Center, and keep records of how many are used each month.
• Work with the Garden's communications, e-commerce, and website teams to write program descriptions, ensure editing, and to publish offerings on the website and sales site.
• Work with the Visitor Operations Call Center to monitor program registration and attendance.
• Purchase and maintain supplies for field trips and drop-in activities; work with Plant Production department to order growth and delivery of live plants for programs; work with other members of the department to keep storage areas well organized and hazard-free.
• Hire, train, schedule, and supervise resource instructors and volunteers who facilitate field trips, homeschool events, virtual field trips, and drop-in programs.
• Participate in the Garden's Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Access (EDIA) initiatives; share the EDIA Framework with resource instructors and volunteers to cultivate a safe and welcoming learning environment for all program participants and visitors.
• Distribute, collect, and review evaluation forms for programs; maintain attendance records and monitor budgets for all programs.
• Submit attendance, budget, and evaluation reports upon request.
• Work as a team member with other educational program staff on Garden-wide projects such as special events and interpretive themes.
• Perform other youth audience-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• A strong desire to make the Garden a fun and safe space for all children to learn and grow.
• Bachelor's degree in education, or degree in science field with substantial elementary-level teaching experience.
• Minimum 3 years of experience teaching children in some capacity; experience teaching science topics in an informal setting such as a public garden, nature center, or museum is ideal.
• Familiarity with NGSS and other academic standards.
• Familiarity with culturally responsive teaching, different learning styles, and teaching students with different abilities.
• Basic knowledge of plants and environmental science content.
• Ability to lead a group of instructors to deliver a consistently high-quality program.
• Availability to work some weekends in summer.
• Comfortable teaching on camera for Virtual Field Trips.
• Ability to work on a team of professionals who deliver educational programs to other audiences, stepping up to assist other departments when needed.
• A valid driver's license and access to a reliable vehicle is required to support off-site program delivery; able to drive a golf cart/Garden vehicle on-site.
• Spanish speaking proficiency is a plus.

Physical Demands:

Physical stamina to be outdoors and standing/walking on different kinds of terrain (gravel path, grass lawn, concrete, etc.) for up to five hours a day, in all kinds of weather, including very warm, humid summer conditions. Indoor, outdoor, and on-camera teaching. Vocal ability to command a large crowd of people or multiple school groups and direct them to their activity locations. Ability to lift 30 pounds. Use of two-way radio. Use of standard office equipment and computer software (telephone, PC with Microsoft Office, different online meeting platforms, copier, etc.). This job is a 37.5-hour work week, usually 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, unless the program requires flexing the regular schedule for earlier start, later departure, or weekend coverage. Majority of work is on-site, with limited opportunity to work from home. Summer requires weekend work.

Why Apply?
Come work in a setting that is like no other as you support our mission: We cultivate the power of plants to sustain and enrich life. Take the first step toward being one of the employees who make the Garden one of the treasures of the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Apply today.

Please note that applicants who do not meet the required qualifications will not be considered.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Disclaimer:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified.

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, Chicago Botanic Garden does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs or activities, including in employment or admissions. Please call (847) 835-8264 to contact our Title IX Coordinator should you have questions or concerns.