Volunteer & Interpretive Programs Supervisor

Oregon Metro; Oregon (WI); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Oregon Metro’s education team seeks a Volunteer & Interpretive Programs Supervisor for the Oregon Zoo. Lead the vision, oversee staff and volunteers, and coordinate with multiple departments to deliver engaging interpretive experiences that support conservation and community connections.

You will coach interpreters, run training, and measure impact through formal evaluation, annual reporting, and continuous improvement, while guiding the volunteer program toward clear goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, biology, conservation or related field required.
• 3 years progressively responsible experience in program development, staff or volunteer training, and supervision.
• Background check and registry requirements as part of the application.

Responsibilities

• Oversee vision, management, and evaluation of interpretive messaging and volunteer program strategy.
• Supervise staff, support volunteer community success, and collaborate with education leaders.
• Provide interpretive coaching and resources to staff and volunteers for effective coaching.
• Lead evaluation efforts to measure impact of interpretive messaging on grounds and programs.
• Create annual reports for interpretive and volunteer programs.
• Lead scheduling for the interpretive team and align with education supervisors.
• Coordinate with guest services, events, animal care, and dive team on engagements.
• Support recruitment, training, and onboarding for all volunteers.

Skills

Interpretive coaching

Volunteer management

Staff supervision

Program evaluation

Scheduling

Communication

Change management

Education

Bachelor's degree in education, biology, conservation, or related field

Job description

Hello, we’re Metro! Metro is dedicated to shaping a better future for the greater Portland region. The work the people of Metro do every day benefits the lives of the people who live here, today, and tomorrow.

The education department of the Oregon Zoo is looking for a volunteer & interpretive programs supervisor to oversee the vision, management, and evaluation of the zoo’s established interpretive messaging, coaching, and volunteer program strategy.

As a key member of the education leadership team, this role will supervise staff, support the success of our volunteer community, and collaborate closely with the education manager and fellow supervisors to foster a strong, mission-driven team culture focused on impact. Perfect for a passionate, people-focused individual, this role supports the zoo’s strategic plan by ensuring that every guest interaction, whether a conversation at an animal habitat, a special program, or a volunteer‑led experience, advances the zoo's mission of conservation, education, and community connection.

As the Volunteer & Interpretive Programs Supervisor you will:

• Build on the established interpretive framework and conduct an analysis of existing programming to create a long-term vision for person-to-person interpretation at the zoo
• Bring creativity, strategic thinking, and a commitment to continuous improvement as you refine programs, strengthen training, and measure impact
• Provide interpretive coaching and resources to staff and volunteers, with a focus on training program coordinators to provide effective coaching to program participants
• Lead evaluation efforts to measure impact of interpretive messaging on grounds and in programs
• Create monthly schedules for the interpretive team, with input from the education supervisors
• Supervise the full-time volunteer coordinator and up to three part-time interpreters, ensuring strong performance and professional development
• Work closely with the volunteer coordinator to set overall goals and vision for the volunteer program, and evaluate progress towards benchmarks and outcomes
• Support volunteer operations through interpretive training, educational workshops, and routine daily coverage; ensure the volunteer coordinator has the resources needed to conduct recruitment, training, and onboarding for all volunteers
• Work closely with other zoo departments, including guest services, events, animal care, and the dive team to coordinate volunteer engagement opportunities in service of the zoo’s mission and vision
• Create annual reports for the interpretive and volunteer programs
• Support other Oregon Zoo teams to ensure guest engagement best practices

Attributes for success

• Strong knowledge of informal interpretation practices and theory
• Familiarity with AZA volunteer programming and volunteer best practices
• Knowledge of basic animal and conservation information, consistent with current scientific consensus
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Skill in personnel management and scheduling
• Skill and experience in change management
• Ability to coach interpreters of all skill levels, and train others to be effective interpretive coaches
• Ability to work with zoo guests and interpreters of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures
• Ability to organize work, manage time, prioritize tasks effectively, and meet deadlines
• Ability to work weekends, holidays, and evenings as needed to support volunteer focused events, trainings, and other operations
• Skill in strategic planning, including long-term goal setting, analytical thinking, and clear communication of vision

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

At Metro, we strive to cultivate diversity, advance equity, and practice inclusion in all of its work. This means attracting and empowering a workforce that is inclusive of a broad range of human qualities. Workplace diversity is both a moral imperative and a business strength, essential to providing quality support and services to our region. Metro’s goal is to hire, develop, and retain highly skilled and talented individuals across all departments and programs who best reflect the diversity of our community.

TO QUALIFY

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific in your application materials on how your background is relevant.

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, biology, conservation, or other related field; AND
• 3 years progressively responsible experience that includes increasing responsibility for program development, audience engagement, staff or volunteer training, coaching, and/or supervision; OR
• Any combination of education, professional, volunteer and lived experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the classification duties and responsibilities.

Required qualifications:

The candidate selected for the position must be enrolled in the Office of Child Care’s Central Background Registry. The background check process includes a criminal background check through the Oregon State Police, a record check through Department of Human Services Child Protective Services and the fingerprint based criminal background check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Working Conditions:

Work is primarily performed in an office environment with frequent personnel activity and interruptions in workflow. Time may be spent outdoors training and observing interpreters in all weather conditions, requiring walking, standing, and listening. Some seasonal adjustments in work schedule may be required due to zoo events and priorities.

If this statement is true for you, then you may be ineligible to apply

If you were terminated for cause during any employment with Metro, or resigned in lieu of termination, you may be ineligible for rehire for a minimum of 3 years.

Hybrid Telework

This position is designated as hybrid telework. You will be required to work onsite and at times have the option to work away from your assigned work location. The specific schedule and balance of onsite and telework will be discussed with the hiring manager at the time of offer. Employees must reside in Oregon or Washington to work at Metro. Please note, the designation of hybrid telework may be subject to change at a future time.

Like to have qualifications

You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider them when identifying the most qualified candidates. Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience, including the military, or life experience that are relevant for this position.

• Prior experience working in education, interpretation, and/or volunteer management at an AZA-accredited facility
• At least 3 years managing full‑time direct reports
• Previous experience working in a union environment.
• Prior experience with volunteer management software, such as Better Impact or Volgistics

SCREENING AND EVALUATION

The application packet consists of the following required documents. Please ensure that you upload these documents in your online application. Make sure your application is complete, missing any part of these items could result in an incomplete application and will not be moved forward in the recruitment.

• A completed Resume that includes the details for each employer
• Name of employer, working title
• Dates of employment; including if the work was full‑time or part‑time your title,
• Number of employees supervised
• Summary of your responsibilitiesResponses to Supplemental Questions

The selection process:

• Initial review of minimum qualifications
• In-depth evaluation of application materials to identify the most qualified candidates
• Consideration of top candidates/interviews
• Testing/assessments (if applicable)
• Reference check
• Completed enrollment in the Office of Child Care's Central Background Registry

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS AND REPRESENTATON

The full‑salary range for this position is step #1 $ 89,563.73 to step #7 $ 120,023.26. However, unless a candidate’s qualifications justify, based on the Oregon Pay Equity Act requirements and Metro’s internal equity review process, the appointment will likely be made between Step #1 $ 89,563.73 and the equity range Step #4 $ 103,680.77.

This position is not eligible for overtime and is non‑represented. It is classified as a Program Supervisor I.

Equal employment opportunity

All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability for which a reasonable accommodation can be made, or any other status protected by law.

Accommodation

Metro will gladly provide a reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing this application or participating in this recruitment process. Please contact the recruiter outlined in the job announcement in advance to request assistance.

Veterans' preference

Under Oregon Law, qualified veterans may be eligible for veterans' preference when applying for Metro positions. If you are a veteran and would like to be considered for a veterans' preference for this job, please provide qualifying documents as instructed during the application process.

Hybrid Telework