Assistant Garden Manager

(Paid Opportunities) Return to Paid Opportunities

 Compensation: $50,000 - $52,500

The Assistant Garden Manager position is a full-time (40 hours a week), year-round, non-exempt position. This is a unionized position with CWA 1180. This position is based in New York City. Weekend days and evening hours are required several times a year for program needs and special events. 

The Assistant Garden Manager will be responsible for daily garden operations and maintenance for all Edible Schoolyard NYC sites. Operations and maintenance can include greenhouse care, propagation, soil care, composting, perennial and vegetable care and cultivation, irrigation, lawn care, watering, equipment maintenance and repair, garden carpentry, pest management, chicken care, litter removal, and other aspects of garden maintenance.

In addition to garden maintenance and operations, the Assistant Garden Manager will assume responsibility and supervision for garden volunteers, workday/corporate volunteers, apprentices, seasonal gardeners, and interns. 

The Assistant Garden Manager reports to and works collaboratively with the Director of Horticulture and Operations. The Assistant Garden Manager also works closely with program staff including teachers, administrative staff, volunteers, apprentices, and school communities to ensure that gardens: 

  • Meet garden and kitchen program needs for teaching, food production, student gardening  activities, professional development, and community events; 
  • are well-maintained, safe, secure, and beautiful year-round; 
  • support ESYNYC development and outreach initiatives as much as possible; 
  • demonstrate best practices for environmentally sound, food-producing, educational, and ecologically based urban school gardens. 

If you have a minimum of two years of paid horticulture experience and/or have completed two years of horticulture training, we invite you to apply. We’re looking for individuals who thrive in both collaborative and independent work settings. Your energy, strong work ethic, and organizational and management skills are skills we value. In our dynamic environment, adaptability and flexibility are key given that priorities may shift unexpectedly due to factors like inclement weather. Above all, an ideal candidate will have a steadfast belief in ESYNYC’s mission and social impact. 

Responsibilities/Duties

Include, but are not limited to: 

GARDEN (65%) 

  • Identify and address garden and operation tasks across all ESYNYC sites. Tasks include but are not limited to greenhouse care, propagation, soil care, composting, perennial and vegetable care and cultivation, irrigation, lawn care, watering, equipment maintenance and repair, garden carpentry, pest management, chicken care, litter removal, and other aspects of garden maintenance. 
  • Maintain up-to-date garden task lists for ESYNYC teachers, site-based staff, and volunteers. Communicate with ESYNYC teachers to define and coordinate shared garden maintenance tasks and student garden jobs 
  • Transport materials and tools across ESYNYC sites 

MANAGEMENT (15%)

  • Supervise garden volunteers, workday/corporate volunteers, apprentices, seasonal gardeners, and interns  
  • Assist the Director of Horticulture and Operations with garden workday planning and supervision 
  • Support garden orientation and onboarding for new volunteers, seasonal gardeners, apprentices, and interns

PROGRAM SUPPORT (20%) 

  • Work with the Director of Horticulture and Operations and ESYNYC teachers to identify systems, practices, and projects that will enhance teaching in the garden 
  • Communicate garden jobs and tasks to ESYNYC teachers as they pertain to classroom lessons, afterschool programs, and community programs
  • Work with site-based teams to schedule and plan volunteer programs and workdays accordingly
  • Communicate regularly with ESYNYC teachers about current and upcoming harvests
  • Work with ESYNYC teachers to keep shared spaces clean and tidy
  • Support professional development workshops throughout the year as requested by the Director of Education 
  • Participate in ESYNYC staff meetings, staff development days, events, and program development meetings and participate in internal committee work as well

Qualifications/Requirements

  • Two years of experience in either completion of an urban agriculture or horticulture training program or two years paid experience in the urban agriculture field or horticulture field
  • Plant identification skills and experience working with a variety of plants such as vegetables, annuals, perennials, and flowers 
  • Experience using various garden tools and equipment
  • Experience with or willingness to learn how to care for chickens
  • Capable of working on the Google platform
  • Willing to understand CODA for crop planning purposes
  • Strong people skills and a positive attitude and outlook
  • Able to communicate ideas and information effectively both verbally and in writing
  • Ability to prioritize tasks and work efficiently
     

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

  • Ability to work with frequent interruption and to simultaneously supervise a variety of tasks
  • Ability to stand, stoop, reach and bend 
  • Mobility of arms to reach and dexterity of hands to grasp and manipulate large and small objects
  • Ability to stand for long periods
  • Ability to lift, push, and/or pull objects which may be approximately 50 pounds
  • Ability to work outdoors and tolerate varying weather conditions
  • May be required to work around loud noise
  • All staff must follow DOE site guidelines when on school sites, such as COVID safety protocols
  • COVID-19 vaccination required

Additional Information

Compensation: The salary range for this role is $50,000 - $52,500 annually with generous benefits. This is a full-time, non-exempt position. 

Benefits: Generous benefits, including 100% coverage of medical insurance premiums for employees. Eligible to receive 20 paid vacation days, 8 personal/sick days, and summer Fridays with hours reduced to 9:00 am - 2:00 pm beginning the last Friday in June through the last Friday in August. 

To Apply: To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to jobs@esynyc.org with your name and Assistant Garden Manager in the subject line. All applicants must submit a resume and cover letter to be considered for this position. 

Edible Schoolyard NYC is committed to a diverse workplace. People of color, racial and ethnic minorities, women, people with disabilities, veterans, and LGBTQ+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Edible Schoolyard is an equal opportunity employer committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, disability, veteran status, gender, and/or gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, unemployment status, or any other legally protected basis. Edible Schoolyard NYC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees as required by law. Applicants with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation at any point in the employment process.

Contact Information

Edible Schoolyard NYC