Education Operations Coordinator

Catalina Island Conservancy; Avalon (CA); On-site; USD 49,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Catalina Island Conservancy seeks an Education Operations Coordinator to provide day-to-day operational and logistical support for the Education Department on Catalina Island. This onsite role works across offices and field sites, coordinating resources, vehicles, site-readiness, and program logistics to ensure safe, organized experiences for visitors and staff.

Reporting to the Director of Education, the role involves cross-team collaboration, scheduling, and maintaining spaces and systems to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
• Commercial driver’s license with passenger endorsement, or willingness to obtain within a reasonable period after hire.
• At least one year of experience in office administration, logistics coordination, operations support, hospitality, recreation, education, or related fields.
• Familiarity with Catalina Island.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day administrative and logistical support to the Director of Education and the Education team.
• Coordinate printing, meeting materials, agendas, presentations, and presentation packets.
• Manage room reservations, meeting logistics, and scheduling needs.
• Assist with calendar coordination and departmental communications.
• Track departmental action items and assist with follow-up on assigned tasks.
• Maintain department files, records, and shared organizational systems.
• Assist with onboarding logistics for interns, volunteers, seasonal staff, and new employees.
• Support purchasing, supply ordering, inventory management, and office organization.
• Coordinate scheduling and use of Education Department vehicles.
• Serve as the primary lead for vehicle cleanliness, organization, and readiness.
• Monitor vehicle supply needs, fuel levels, maintenance schedules, mileage logs, and service appointments.
• Assist with transportation logistics for programs, events, and field experiences.
• Support safe and professional transportation operations across all Education programs.
• Support field trips, community engagement, public programs, and Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden logistics.
• Coordinate equipment, materials, and resource preparation.
• Assist with event setup, breakdown, and operational support.
• Ensure Education office spaces are organized, prepared, and appropriately supplied.
• Provide boots-on-the-ground support at Education sites as needed.
• Help maintain welcoming, safe, and professional educational spaces for visitors, students, and community members.
• Coordinate minor site maintenance needs and communicate larger maintenance concerns to appropriate staff.
• Serve as a communication and coordination hub for Education Department operations.
• Assist with scheduling and logistical coordination across Education.
• Support implementation of departmental systems, workflows, and operational improvements.
• Help identify and resolve operational bottlenecks.
• Provide logistical support for department initiatives and special projects.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Multitasking

MS Office

Teamwork

Outdoor work

Professionalism

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Commercial driver’s license

Experience in office administration

Familiarity with Catalina Island

Job description

The Education Operations Coordinator provides day-to-day administrative, logistical, fleet, site-readiness, and program support for the Education Department.

This position supports the Director of Education and Education team by coordinating day-to-day operations, managing department resources, supporting program logistics, maintaining vehicles and educational sites, and helping the department operate in an organized, efficient, and professional manner.

This is a hands-on support position that works across office and field settings. The Education Operations Coordinator follows established procedures, coordinates assigned logistics, identifies routine operational issues, and elevates matters requiring supervisory, facilities, programmatic, or cross-departmental decisions.

LOCATION

This is an onsite position based on Catalina Island. The employee must be able to report regularly to the Catalina Island Conservancy administrative office, the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden, and other Conservancy worksites throughout Catalina Island. Relocation to Catalina Island may be required before the start date.

The typical schedule is based on a 40-hour workweek. Occasional early morning, evening, weekend, holiday, or extended-day assignments may be required to support programs, transportation, meetings, and special events.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Department Operations & Administrative Support

• Provide administrative and logistical support to the Director of Education and the Education team.
• Coordinate printing, meeting materials, agendas, presentations, and presentation packets.
• Manage room reservations, meeting logistics, and scheduling needs.
• Assist with calendar coordination and departmental communications.
• Track departmental action items and assist with follow-up on assigned tasks.
• Maintain department files, records, and shared organizational systems.
• Assist with onboarding logistics for interns, volunteers, seasonal staff, and new employees.
• Support purchasing, supply ordering, inventory management, and office organization.

Fleet & Transportation Coordination

• Coordinate scheduling and use of Education Department vehicles.
• Serve as the primary lead for vehicle cleanliness, organization, and readiness.
• Monitor vehicle supply needs, fuel levels, maintenance schedules, mileage logs, and service appointments.
• Assist with transportation logistics for programs, events, and field experiences.
• Support safe and professional transportation operations across all Education programs.

Program, Site & Event Logistics

• Support field trips, community engagement, public programs, and Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden logistics.
• Coordinate equipment, materials, and resource preparation.
• Assist with event setup, breakdown, and operational support.
• Ensure Education office spaces are organized, prepared, and appropriately supplied.

Site Stewardship & Facility Support

• Provide boots-on-the-ground support at the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden, Little Fox Hollow, and other Education sites as needed.
• Help maintain welcoming, safe, and professional educational spaces for visitors, students, and community members.
• Coordinate minor site maintenance needs and communicate larger maintenance concerns to appropriate staff.

Cross-Team Coordination

• Serve as a communication and coordination hub for Education Department operations.
• Assist with scheduling and logistical coordination across Education.
• Support implementation of departmental systems, workflows, and operational improvements.
• Help identify and resolve operational bottlenecks.
• Provide logistical support for department initiatives and special projects.

QUALIFICATIONS

Skills & Abilities

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Demonstrated initiative and strong follow-through.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Outlook
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to maintain professionalism while working with staff, volunteers, students, visitors, and community partners.
• Comfortable working both in office and outdoor environments.
• Willingness to perform both administrative and field-based duties.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience.
• Commercial driver’s license with passenger endorsement, or the ability and willingness to obtain within a reasonable period established by the Conservancy after hire.
• At least one years’ experience in office administration, logistics coordination, operations support, hospitality, recreation, education, or related fields.
• Familiarity with Catalina Island.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Estimated Starting Salary Range:

$23.50 – $26.00 per hour based on skills and experience.

We’re proud to support the health and wellbeing of the people we employ. Our comprehensive benefits package includes a 403(b) retirement savings plan with a 3% employer contribution and a 5% match — fully vested after two years — as well as access to healthcare coverage, flexible spending accounts, paid time off, life and disability insurance, an employee assistance program, and professional development opportunities.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMITMENT

Catalina Island Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, genetics, marital status, medical condition, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

OUR STORY

The mission of the Catalina Island Conservancy is to be an exemplary steward of Island resources through a balance of conservation, education, and recreation.

The Conservancy’s vision is for a beautifully functioning Island ecosystem for all to enjoy.

Just off the densely populated Southern California coast, Catalina Island is home to approximately 4,000 year-round residents and more than 60 endemic species of plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth.

The Catalina Island Conservancy protects 88 percent of Catalina Island’s approximately 48,000 acres, including the region’s longest publicly accessible undeveloped coastline.

The Conservancy is a research and conservation leader, protecting and restoring vulnerable habitats and species in its Mediterranean climate. Conservancy staff guides Island ecosystem recovery with the goal of generating a resilient, self-sustaining ecosystem with no endangered forms of life.

The Conservancy offers recreational experiences and educational programs for not only the 300,000 annual visitors who choose to visit the unique and special Conservancy “Wildlands Ecosystems” but also inspires the nearly 1.2 million visitors to other parts of the Island. Recreation, educational engagement, service opportunities, and partnerships connect the Island’s unique resources to people’s lives, inspiring environmental stewardship and action.

The Catalina Island Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity established in 1972 to protect and restore Catalina Island for future generations to experience and enjoy.