UC Master Gardener School Gardens Coordinator - Alhambra, CA, Job ID 86303

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources; Alhambra (CA); Hybrid; USD 32,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources seeks a Community Education Specialist 2 to implement, manage, and evaluate education programs for community members, coordinating volunteer extenders and reporting data for funding requirements.

The role focuses on building partnerships, aligning curricula, and delivering education to improve school and community environments. Hybrid work may be available in California.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent experience in related field.
• Continuing education in related field required.
• Knowledge of community education or teaching practices.

Responsibilities

• Recruits, trains, and supports agency and school educators and volunteers; ensures enrollment and evaluation reporting.
• Delivers lessons using UC curricula with adult/youth learning techniques; coordinates education delivery via volunteers.
• Develops outreach plans to reach diverse communities; meets with local partners to discuss lesson delivery and coordinate outreach.
• Assists in annual work plan development, mentors interns and volunteers, and helps assess lesson delivery effectiveness.

Skills

Community education

Teaching experience

Needs assessment

Windows & MS Office

Public speaking

Communication skills

Newsletter writing

Bilingual abilities

Education

Associate degree in related area

Continuing education in related field

Equivalent education/experience

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Position Summary

The Community Education Specialist 2 will perform the full range of program implementation duties. Incumbent will be responsible for the coordination, management, and delivery of education to community members through a combination of direct education and volunteer management. This includes training, guiding, and supporting volunteer extenders with education, information and resources; evaluating program implementation; collecting and compiling enrollment, documentation, and evaluation data from volunteer extenders and participants; and writing reports in compliance with funding requirements. The Community Education Specialist 2 helps to coordinate and monitor fiscal oversight and compliance of statewide program units (CalNat, UC MG), ensures compliance with statewide program policies and procedures, and effectively resolves conflicts and complaints.

Incumbent will build and maintain an informal network of partners, align special education projects with UC approved curricula and educational materials, develop news releases and news articles, and maintain subject matter competence.

This position's primary focus will be on conducting, managing, and evaluating an education program to improve the environment of the school and community.

This position is a contract appointment that is 100% fixed and ends two years from date of hire with the possibility of extension if funding permits.

The home department is UCCE Los Angeles County. While this position normally is based in Alhambra, CA, this position is eligible for hybrid flexible work arrangements for applicants living in the State of California at this time. Please note that hybrid flexible work arrangements are subject to change by the University.

Pay Scale: $23.37/hour to $31.08/hour

Job Posting Close Date: This job is open until filled. The first application review date will be 06/03/2026.

Key Responsibilities

• 40% Recruits, trains, and provides support for agency and school representatives who act as educators/extenders to deliver UC approved curricula and activities. May recruit for other team members. Coordinate with volunteers for lesson delivery and management as needed. Reviews evaluation data when completed by volunteers to ensure minimum evaluation requirements are achieved. Makes recommendations to volunteers to ensure participant success. Completes required documentation of enrollment and evaluation for reporting purposes. Prepares all reports as necessary for documenting program accomplishments.
• 25% Using the UC approved curricula and lessons activities, delivers lessons utilizing adult and/or youth learning techniques. Lesson delivery will include preparing and implementing lesson activities such as demonstrating recipes, physical activity, gardening techniques, and/or other learner-centered activities. May deliver lessons to youth or volunteers directly, or may coordinate the education delivery through the use of volunteers. Extends education to community partners and/or program participants to utilize their skills and knowledge gained by recommending ways to make positive changes within their work and living environments. Promotes environmental changes designed to influence the development of policy and systems change.
• 25% Assists in developing strategic outreach plans to ensure all eligible ethnic groups and races have received information regarding program education opportunities. Meets with local partners (i.e. community leaders, school administrators, teachers, parent educators) to discuss the delivery of lessons to their students and clientele. Develops liaisons with and between other programs in order to coordinate outreach efforts. Attends community events representing the program. Maintains appropriate records tracking the partnerships, collaborations and community events.
• 10% Works as a team member to assist in the development of annual work plan to optimize direct delivery, to manage volunteer extender programs, to develop recommendations for improvement, and to facilitate environmental change activities with partner agencies. May provide leadership and mentoring to interns, new staff, volunteer extenders, and CES 1 staff, including working with them to assess the successes and challenges of lesson delivery.

Requirements

• Associate degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training
• Continuing education in related field required.
• Knowledge of community education and or teaching practices.
• Working knowledge of conducting needs assessment.
• Proficient in use of Windows-based computer with knowledge of Microsoft Office programs (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Experience teaching and working with a diverse youth, adult and volunteer audience.
• Familiarity with schools and community-based agencies in the local area serving eligible adults and youth.
• Skills to communicate and work in large and small groups, give presentations and organize units of activities.
• Ability to write newsletters, correspondence, and reports.

Preferred Skills

• Bilingual communication/translation abilities in English and Spanish/Hmong/Mandarin/Vietnamese or other language spoken in the community.

Special Conditions of Employment

• Must comply with regulatory agency reporting requirements (California's Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act).
• Must possess valid California Driver's License to drive a County or University vehicle. Ability and means to travel on a flexible schedule as needed, proof of liability damage insurance on vehicle used is required. Reimbursement of job-related travel will be reimbursed according to University policies.
• Travel including travel outside normal business hours may be requested.
• The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check. This is a designated position requiring a background check and may require fingerprinting due to the nature of the job responsibilities. UC ANR does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities.
• As of January 1, 2014, ANR is a smoke- and tobacco-free environment in which smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of unregulated nicotine products (e-cigarettes), is strictly prohibited.
• As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.
• Exercise the utmost discretion in managing sensitive information learned in the course of performing their duties. Sensitive information includes but is not limited to employee and student records, health and patient records, financial data, strategic plans, proprietary information, and any other sensitive or non-public information learned during the course and scope of employment. Understands that sensitive information should be shared on a limited basis and actively takes steps to limit access to sensitive information to individuals who have legitimate business need to know. Ensure that sensitive information is properly safeguarded. Follow all organizational policies and laws on data protection and privacy. This includes secure handling of physical and digital records and proper usage of IT systems to prevent data leaks. The unauthorized or improper disclosure of confidential work-related information obtained from any source on any work-related matter is a violation of these expectations.
• Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidatewhoacceptsanofferofemploymentwillberequiredtodisclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; orhave filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.

• 1. “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as definedbytheemployer.Forreference,belowareUC'spoliciesaddressingsome forms of misconduct:

     • UCSexualViolenceandSexualHarassmentPolicy

     • UCAnti-DiscriminationPolicy

     • AbusiveConductinthe Workplace

About Us

The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) brings the power of University of California research and education to all 58 California counties. Through research and extension in agriculture, natural resources, economic growth, nutrition, and youth development, we work to improve the life of every Californian.

Collaborating to solve problems.

Connecting to serve communities.

For over 100 years, our advisors, specialists, faculty and staff have been committed to connecting Californians to their land grant university. We are highly collaborative and mission-driven to promote the health and well-being of people and places across the state. We are also trusted partners with hundreds of community organizations in addressing California's most pressing challenges.

It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.