Cary's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources department is seeking an energetic and enthusiastic staff member to join our Environmental Outreach team!

• Are you interested in protecting and preserving the environment and encouraging others to join you in growing a greener future, all while getting paid?
• Are you enthusiastic about working outside and finding ways to connect the community to environmental education activities?
• Do you have a desire to develop unique environmental education opportunities for the community?

This may be the opportunity for you!

The Program Assistant II for Environmental Outreach will assist with the organization, implementation, marketing, and supervision of environmental outreach programs, classes, and festivals/celebrations for the community. This position will lead volunteer workdays that include supervising and performing natural resources and urban agriculture-based work in our environmental education facilities such as our community garden, teaching farm, and compost education center. This role will also assist with administrative tasks and special projects like developing written and printed communication pieces.

This is a part-time, non-benefited, year-round position, up to 20 hours a week, with a maximum of 999 hours per year. This position requires a flexible schedule which may include morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend work including holidays.

• Assists with brainstorming and developing innovative environmental outreach programming;
• Helps create and lead classes, programs, and festival features that engage the community in environmental education opportunities/sustainable behaviors (topics may include organic gardening, natural lawn care, invasive plant removal, litter collection/prevention, water quality, rain gardens, renewable energy, composting/waste diversion, and ecosystem restoration/native plants);
• Assists with coordinating logistics of environmental outreach programs, classes, and festivals including scheduling and participant communication;
• Leads outdoor volunteer workdays to perform basic environmental volunteer tasks like weeding gardens, mulching landscape areas, collecting litter, and planting plants/trees;
• Performs marketing tasks such as writing and submitting simple website updates and creating content for flyers and social media;
• Performs administrative tasks related to procurement, purchasing, customer service, and vendor relationships;
• Plays a leadership role in facility upkeep and maintenance needs including weeding/watering gardens, creating work orders, organizing storage spaces, and maintaining “active” backyard style compost bins;
• Monitors public use of environmental facilities and continuously seeks opportunities to improve upon the quality of public access/experiences;
• May engage in significant contact with the public;
• Performs general office duties;
• Performs other job-related tasks as required.

• Requires working knowledge of basic gardening, general healthy ecosystem balance, and an existing understanding of composting, native plants, and food systems and a willingness to learn more about these and other environmental subject areas.
• Good computer skills including general knowledge of computers and related software, general knowledge of standard office practices and procedures.
• Good organizational skills including the ability to complete assignments accurately and prior to the established deadline.
• Skill in the operation of common office equipment; ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Ability to maintain and establish effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions.
• Ability to acquire knowledge of Cary policies, procedures, and the services of the department.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to interact with the public tactfully and constructively.
• May require the ability to supervise staff, instructors, and volunteers.

Requires a combination of education and experience equivalent to a high school diploma or GED.

Prefers some experience gardening or coordinating environmental education programming.


CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Requires possession of a valid driver's license with acceptable driving record.

Requires drug testing and background check (which may include criminal check, education
verification and credit history review) prior to employment.