Bilingual Program Educator and Summer Program Coordinator

Bilingual Program Educator and Summer Program Coordinator

This year-round position is a combination of teaching academic education programs to school groups (Weekdays from 8:00am-2:00pm, September-May) as well as facilitating community education programs for adults and families. This position must be able to perform all aspects of the job in English and Spanish. Occasional weeknights and Saturdays are required.

In the late spring and summer season (May-August), this position transitions into conducting the Summer Program Coordinator duties while continuing as a Program Educator. The Summer Coordinator portion is responsible for scheduling and planning recreational and educational environmental programming to parks and community spaces throughout Kent County. Additionally the position coaches a part-time summer seasonal Program Educator to implement off-site programming and on-site community programs at BNC throughout the summertime.

The Programs Team at Blandford Nature Center offers a wide array of programming to the West Michigan community. Much of the school year (September-May) is dedicated to field trip programming for preschool and elementary-aged students. We also offer year-round programming to the general community, including arts and crafts programs, nature and STEM-focused programming, bilingual (Spanish) programming, and Michigan history-focused programming. Program Educators at BNC participate in all of the varying program content but may focus on specific areas depending on their personal skillsets.

• Lead outdoor environmental education programs for school and youth groups at Blandford Nature Center year round
• Lead in the delivery of community education programs for children, adults and families
• Maintain high standards of safety and well-being of program participants
• Assist in the development of environmental education curriculum and materials, including lesson plans and learning aids
• Assist in documentation and evaluation of all programs, including participant demographics, satisfaction and program effectiveness
• Assist in the maintenance and storage of program equipment, supplies and facilities
• Assist with organization-wide special events and community programs as a member of the Programs Team
• Maintain a high level of professionalism and safety when working directly with animal ambassadors
• Assist with other program duties as assigned

• Lead in the delivery of community education programs for children, adults and families
• Provide interpretation at festivals, community events, and other specialty programming as needed
• Assist in the development of community programs and materials, including lesson plans and festival planning

• Lead the coordination, scheduling and delivery of ongoing off-site programs at local parks and other identified community sites
• Use BNC's registration system to schedule off-site programs, monitor registrations, communicate with registrants, and prepare program rosters
• Assist in planning marketing needs for off-site programs
• Assist in the purchasing, maintenance and storage of program equipment, supplies and facilities
• Collaborate with Programs Manager to hire, train and coach one seasonal Program Educator to deliver summer programs both on-site and off-site
• Lead outdoor educational and recreational programs at Blandford and at off-site settings
• Maintain high standards of safety and well-being of program participants
• Assist in documentation and evaluation of summer programs, including participant satisfaction, participant demographics, and program effectiveness
• Revise community summer programs curriculum as needed
• Assess curriculum relevance for the community
• Broaden the scope of BNC's summer program offerings, when possible

• Bilingual in English and Spanish, including reading and writing is a requirement
• Coursework and/or experience in the fields of outdoor recreation, youth development, education, environmental or natural sciences or other related disciplines
• Previous experience working with children and adults in a non-formal education environment
• Ability to communicate factual, scientific information simply and enthusiastically to a broad…