The Graduate Program Residency Coordinator works directly with the Graduate Program Director to support experiential and academic learning for graduate students during their 12-month residency at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center. The Residency Coordinator supervises and mentors graduate students in core aspects of their residency, with emphasis on the teaching practicum and leadership development. The Residency Coordinator actively contributes to work in equity, diversity, and inclusion within the graduate program and supports that work in the organization as a whole.

The Residency Coordinator is responsible for the administration of the systems, scheduling, and communications necessary to manage a dynamic program with multiple layers of student learning in multiple programs at the Environmental Learning Center. This position works at the intersection of graduate courses and applied experiential learning. The Residency Coordinator will contribute to courses as well as training in areas of expertise. The Residency Coordinator serves as a mentor and instructor for graduate students, as well as a coach for NCI staff that supervise graduate students in Work Study and Leadership Track positions. The Residency Coordinator also supervises Work Study positions offered to graduate students while in the residency.

The Residency Coordinator plans and facilitates pre-program logistics and works with operations staff to ensure student and program needs are met. This position also works closely with and supports the Graduate Program Community Engagement Coordinator, especially in areas such as summer Leadership Tracks and capstones/graduation. The Graduate Program Residency Coordinator is based at North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, located on Diablo Lake in North Cascades National Park, WA, but will also spend extensive time supporting the field-based courses from August to October, and will spend some time at the Institute’s administrative office in Sedro-Woolley, with occasional travel within the region. As staff at the ELC, this position may also assist with overnight supervision for up to 2 nights/week.

Graduate program description

The graduate program is a partnership between North Cascades Institute and Western Washington University that blends leadership and nonprofit administration, curriculum development and instruction, natural and cultural history, and residential program operations. Students earn a Master of Education in Environmental Education from Western Washington University and Certifications in Leadership and Nonprofit Administration and Northwest Natural History from North Cascades Institute. This unique seven-quarter experience integrates hands-on teaching experiences at the Environmental Learning Center in North Cascades National Park. More information: http://www.ncascades.org/study(link is external)

Commitment to Mission and Values

Successful candidates will have a commitment to the mission of North Cascades Institute and the organization’s effort to promote diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the Institute’s culture, work and partnering relationships to ensure that the Institute and its programs are welcoming, relevant and accessible.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated commitment to equity work and culturally relevant institutional change
• Professional work experience in program management
• Demonstrated experience in mentoring and teaching adult students
• Ability to teach and model culturally responsive skills and practices
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills
• Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative team environment, including working with staff, students, and community members

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education, conservation, or related field
• Demonstrated experience and/or training in performance coaching & communication
• Demonstrated graduate or undergraduate teaching experience (experiential background preferred)

Successful candidates will also be willing to live in a remote area, able to instruct and lead others while traveling in the backcountry, have a current driver’s license with an acceptable driving record, and will need to complete a criminal history disclosure and background check. This position requires a Wilderness First Responder certification, which may be supported in part financially by NCI if needed.

Responsibilities

Management (45%): Oversee core aspects of a high-quality graduate program in partnership with the Graduate Program Director, University faculty, and Institute staff. The Residency Coordinator will maintain leadership responsibilities with the management of logistics, communications, and scheduling in support of student learning. This includes reservations, travel, support of field seminars and courses, as well as ELC operations. The Residency Coordinator will manage the hiring and evaluation processes associated with the Work Study and Leadership Track programs, including coordination and coaching with all supervisors, and managing external sponsors. The Residency Coordinator will help integrate graduate students into Institute programs and operations and contribute to the evaluation of the graduate program and the students’ performance in it. The Residency Coordinator will help facilitate positive group dynamics among students and between students and staff.

Mentoring (20%): Provide constructive evaluative feedback using performance coaching on a consistent basis throughout the residency for graduate students. The Residency Coordinator will help students balance their unique living situation as student, staff and community member and support students through additional learning opportunities through events and conferences.

Supervision (15%): Supervise Work Study positions in alignment with the implementation of Strategic and Operational Goals, Institute initiatives and program priorities.

Instruction (15%): Participate as an active member of the Institute’s Education Team and facilitate leadership development connected to student involvement in NCI education programs. The Residency Coordinator will teach within areas of expertise, particularly in the place-based learning, teaching practicum and curriculum courses. The Residency Coordinator will support graduate curricula with teaching, training, and evaluation and may teach in other Institute education programs.

Partnerships (5%): Participate in the Graduate M.Ed. Committee, work with WWU staff to support students with WWU resources throughout the residency and build collaborative partnerships with community-based partners.

Recruitment (5%): Work with the Graduate Program Director, Institute marketing staff, and the Graduate Program Community Engagement Coordinator to develop and implement the marketing and recruitment plan. This includes communication with prospective students, particularly while visiting the ELC. The Residency Coordinator will also serve on the admissions committee and work with the Graduate Program Director in awarding scholarships.

Compensation, Benefits, and Housing

This is a temporary, full-time, exempt position. The employment duration is September 2018 – August 2019. Salary range is $34,000.00 – $38,000.00 per year depending on experience. Benefits include sick leave and paid holidays. Some financial support for WFR certification may be available if needed. Institute housing may be available for rent. Nearest towns to the Environmental Learning Center: Diablo and Newhalem (8 miles), Marblemount (20 miles), and Rockport (31 miles). Meals are provided when programs are in session; otherwise, staff are responsible for providing their own food. The Graduate Program Residency Coordinator is responsible for their own health insurance. Given the remote location, personal transportation is required. Pets and smoking are not allowed in Institute housing or campus.

Application Deadline: Position open until filled

Start Date: September preferred

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Institute does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, military, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, age, citizenship or any other basis prohibited by law in any of its policies or programs.

About North Cascades Institute

North Cascades Institute (www.ncascades.org(link is external)) is a respected, national leader among U.S. environmental education organizations. The Institute is in sound financial health with a $3.5 million budget, strong reserves, and more than a decade of Four-Star ratings from Charity Navigator. The Institute was voted “Best Place to Work” in the 2013 Bellingham Alive – Best in the Northwest annual readers’ poll. Our administrative office is co-located with the National Park Service and US Forest Service in Sedro-Woolley, WA. The North Cascades Environmental Learning Center is located on Diablo Lake in North Cascades National Park.

North Cascades Environmental Learning Center

Named a “Top Three Spots in the North Cascades” by The Seattle Times and “Top Ten Great Getaways” by ParentMap Magazine, the Environmental Learning Center is a hub of discovery for all ages in one of the wildest, most biologically diverse landscapes in North America. Operated by North Cascades Institute in partnership with the National Park Service and the City of Seattle, our award-winning residential campus is nestled on the shores of Diablo Lake in North Cascades National Park. Activities include school and youth programs, a graduate program, classes for adults, teachers and families, and a wide array of conferences and retreats. Featuring earth-friendly design and operations, our tree-sheltered campus features 16 buildings:

• Multimedia classrooms, a research library and aquatic and terrestrial labs
• Overnight lodging for up to 92 participants, plus housing for graduate students and staff
• A lakeside dining hall with a recycling/composting center
• An amphitheater, outdoor learning shelters and trails leading into the surrounding wildlands
• A dock on Diablo Lake for paddling adventures
• ADA-accessible facilities and pathways