Senior Educator, School Partnerships Specialist

Portland Audubon’s Senior Educator, School Partnerships Specialist will coordinate three key areas of Portland Audubon’s Youth Education program: School Partnerships, In-School Programs, and Field Trips. They will work closely with our team to redesign our field trips and in-school programs with a focus on culturally responsive and culturally inclusive teaching. They will support the expansion of our Bird by Bird program, a multi-day school partnership series developed in collaboration with U.S.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS

• Cultivate close relationships with whole-school communities including teachers, students, families, and community-based organizations. This may include joining school events, hosting family days or listening sessions, and/or leading programs in schools
• Collaborate with ELSO, Inc. to develop new Bridge to Outdoor School programs that build a sense of community, joy and ownership around outdoor learning generally and outdoor school specifically
• Work closely with School, Youth & Family Programs Manager, Clean Water Services and U.S. Fish & Wildlife to expand Bird by Bird partnership programs into 20+ classrooms across Multnomah and Washington County
• Design and lead school partnership programs combining multiple visits to classrooms with guided field trips at Portland Audubon Sanctuaries and other green spaces. 
• Collaborate with education and community science teams to create curriculum that intersects community science, conservation, environmental justice and ecology
• With School, Youth & Family Programs Manager, oversee multi-year grant budget and ensure expense projections are met year over year
• Support Director in grant reporting and tracking for partnerships as needed

YOUTH PROGRAM DELIVERY

• Work with School, Youth & Family Programs Manager to reimagine school field trip and traveling programs with a focus on environmental justice and culturally responsive pedagogy
• With the Youth Education team, lead all school programs including outdoor school at Marmot Cabin, field trips at our Portland forest sanctuary and the Columbia River Gorge, and in-school programs
• Work with the team to lead winter, spring and summer camps, including overnight programs at Marmot Cabin
• With the team, support logistics including the organization of food, transportation, and equipment, and maintenance and organization of materials.
• Support recruitment, onboarding and training of seasonal educators for all programs (including outdoor school, tours, field trips, camps, etc.)

Qualifications:

• Desire to collaborate and build authentic, responsive relationships with schools, families and community partners
• Deep knowledge of environmental education, with a focus on racial justice, culturally-responsive teaching
• Experience working in or collaborating with public school teachers and administrators
• Experience teaching children in nature, ideally some experience in outdoor school
• Lived experience and demonstrated cultural competency and commitment to working with communities of color, immigrants, and underserved communities
• Patience, collaboration, authentic listening, and responsiveness
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage a flexible and dynamic program
• Self directed, experience working with partners to co-create education programs from scratch, including design, logistics, implementation, and evaluation
• Knowledge of Pacific Northwest ecology and/or natural history
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google suite
• Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese), or Vietnamese proficiency desirable

Working Conditions:

• Must possess a current driver’s license
• Willingness to lead multi-day, overnight programs
• Ability to be certified as a Wilderness First Responder
• Ability to lift up to 40 pounds to waist level
• Ability to hike up to three miles on uneven trails. 
• Ability to be certified for Class B CDL (Commercial Driver’s License)

Cultural Competencies:

Portland Audubon is committed to maintaining an anti-racist organizational culture. We are committed to training all staff on cultural competency and diversity, equity, and inclusion. We see staff with a high degree of cultural competency or lived experience working with communities of color, people who are disabled, and people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, as vital for all positions in our organization. We seek staff with comfort and curiosity in engaging in conversations around issues of identity, belonging, and systemic oppression. 

• Creates an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates differences.
• Functions and communicates effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities, and cultural backgrounds.
• Seeks opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement.

How to apply:

Apply online at https://portlandaudubon.bamboohr.com/jobs/

To submit via US Postal Service:

Please send your resume, cover letter and the application found on our website to:

Human Resources
Portland Audubon
REF: Senior Educator, Camps Specialist
5151 NW Cornell Road
Portland, OR 97210