School Programs Manager

nc; North Carolina; On-site; USD 37,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The North Carolina Zoo seeks a School Programs Manager to develop and oversee the Zoo's School, Afterschool and Nature Play education programs. This role targets audiences from preschool to university, collaborates across departments, and requires weekend, evening, and holiday work.

The position emphasizes supervising a team of four full-time staff, up to 15 seasonal educators, and an Education Fellow, while building community partnerships and delivering a rich conservation education program.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Biology, Zoology, Conservation, Education, Wildlife Science, or Interpretation.
• Four years of museum or related work experience preferred.
• Experience designing nonformal education programs for schools and afterschool programs.
• Experience creating content for educational technology.

Responsibilities

• Oversees KidZone and related nature play programs and partners with afterschool groups.
• Develops and maintains a formal education program for pre-K to university levels onsite, offsite, and virtually.
• Markets and updates the Zoo app content and tablets fleet.
• Trains and evaluates a team of staff, seasonal educators, and interns.
• Designs and evaluates workshops on environmental and science topics for educators and students.
• Evaluates activities and updates experiences based on feedback.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Education program design

Team coaching

Nonformal education delivery

Education

Bachelor's degree in Biology, Zoology, Conservation, Education, Wildlife Science, or Interpretation

Tools

Educational apps content

Job description

Agency

Dept of Natural and Cultural Resources

Division

Zoological Park

Job Classification Title

Museum Curator II (NS)

Position Number

65037834

Grade

NC07

About Us

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) enriches people's lives through education and stewardship of North Carolina's natural and cultural resources. DNCR manages over 100 locations across the state, including historic sites, museums, state parks, trails, aquariums, the North Carolina Zoo, the Library of North Carolina, the State Archives, the North Carolina Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the North Carolina Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. These programs and places unite North Carolinians, create a shared identity, and provide common ground. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov. We encourage you to apply to become a part of our team.

Description of Work

The North Carolina Zoo is growing, and it is an exciting time to join our team! We are looking for an enthusiastic School Programs Manager to develop and oversee the Zoo's School, Afterschool and Nature Play education programs. The primary purpose of this position is to develop innovative conservation education programs designed for audiences that work with or are a part of the formal education sector from preschool to university students and educators. These groups include teachers, preservice teachers, informal and environmental educators, public and private school children and homeschool groups, and children in afterschool programs (e.g., Boys and Girls Club and the Dream Center). The position collaborates across Zoo departments to advance the organization's mission and requires occasional weekend, evening, and holiday work.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversees the Zoo's KidZone nature play space and related nature play programs, including preschool summer camps and educator workshops, while building and maintaining community partnerships with local afterschool organizations.
• In collaboration with their team, this position develops and maintains a formal education program (pre-K -12th grade - onsite, offsite and virtual) and afterschool programs focused on conservation education.
• Responsible for marketing and updating the content of the Zoo's app and maintaining the Zoo's fleet of tablets.
• Trains, coaches/mentors, supervises, and evaluates a team of four full-time staff, up to 15 seasonal educators and the Zoo's Education Fellow in addition to volunteers and interns assigned to the Education section.
• Designs, delivers, and evaluates workshops that focus on a wide range of environmental and science topics (e.g., environmental education, conservation education, ecology, biology, nature play techniques and place-based learning techniques) to educators and community college/university students.
• Evaluates all school, library, Kidzone activities/pop-up programs, afterschool programs, and educator professional development workshops. Works with appropriate staff to update the experiences based off the feedback.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities / Management Preferences

Please note: Job postings close at 11:59:59 p.m. the night before the listed Posting End Date above.

Recruitment Range: $37,377 - $51,500

To receive credit for your work history and credentials, you must provide the information on the application form. Any information omitted from the application form, listed as general statements, listed under the text resume section, or on an attachment will not be considered for qualifying credit.

Candidates meet the minimum qualifications of this position if they meet the minimum education and experience listed on the vacancy announcement. Vacancy specific knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) and/or management preferences are not required. Applicants who possess the following are preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in Biology, Zoology, Conservation, Education, Wildlife Science, or Interpretation from an appropriately accredited institution and four years of museum or related work, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering nonformal education programs for schools (private, public, charter, and homeschool) and afterschool organizations that meet the NC Standard Course of Study.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and maintaining nature play areas and experiences designed to connect people with nature.
• Demonstrated experience developing content for educational technology (specifically apps).

Position / Physical Requirements

Work schedule: Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm

Must be able to work weekends, holidays and after regular work shifts.

This position is designated as Essential/Mandatory and is required to work adverse weather events and may be called to wor