Y-WE Nature Connections Program Manager

Reports To: Co-Executive Director: Programs

Hours: 1.0 FTE, 40 hours, Salaried Position

ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY: Young Women Empowered (Y-WE) delivers creative, innovative and transformative empowerment programs for diverse young women* in the greater Seattle region. We envision a society rooted in social justice, where all young women* live their truth, achieve their dreams, and change our world. Founded in 2010, we have grown from serving 50 young and adult women* annually to serving over 750 annually.

WHOM WE SERVE: Y-WE’s mentorship and empowerment programs serve diverse young women*, ages 13-26, along with adult women* mentors, volunteers and participants in the greater Seattle area. Each year, we directly serve 700+ girls and women* and benefit 2,000+ community members. Of current Y-WE youth, 70% are first or second generation immigrants; 85% are of color; and 90% are from low-income backgrounds. Y-WE is majority women-of-color-led, including our Staff, Board and Youth Leadership Council.

*those who identify as girls/women or people who were assigned female at birth.

Y-WE NATURE CONNECTIONS PROGRAM: In Y-WE Nature Connections, young women ages 13-18 have inspiring experiences of being active in the natural world, side by side with adult women mentors. Forging a strong connection with the natural world can spark a lifelong commitment to good health and environmental stewardship. The Nature Connections program serves 65+ young women and 15 mentors each year. While some activities serve a large group, the program has two primary smaller cohorts throughout the year. The Nature Connections Main Cohort focuses on outdoor recreation and environmental learning while the Environmental Leadership Council also focuses on environmental justice and stewardship.

PROGRAM MANAGER JOB SUMMARY: The Program Manager will lead program delivery for Y-WE Nature Connections, including both the Nature Connections Main Cohort (NCMC) and the Environmental Leadership Council (ELC). This will involve guiding a wide range of program activities and logistics, including planning, scheduling, coordination, facilitation, partnerships, community engagement, evaluation and more. The Program Manager will actively support young women in building emotional intelligence, confidence, positive relationships with peers and mentors, and leadership skills through connection with nature. The Program Manager will also help participants understand the linkages among racial, cultural, economic and environmental inequities, and explore environmental changemaking solutions.

KEY QUALITIES: The Program Manager will be passionate about providing opportunities for young women to have experiences outdoors and develop a relationship with our natural environment. They will be committed to uplifting the leadership of women and girls. The Program Manager will have a strong personal commitment to caring for and protecting the natural world. They will model compassionate and confident leadership, possess self- awareness, and thrive in collaboration. They will have the ability to guide mentors and other Y- WE staff in outdoor skills.

The Program Manager will be socially and emotionally intelligent with excellent relationship- building skills. Their work will be guided by ongoing self-development, self-reflection and evolving cultural awareness. They will be able to build strong rapport with diverse youth and adults, foster positive group development, create structure and draw learning from experiential activities. They will be flexible and able to manage the logistics of a program with many moving parts. The Program Manager will be a creative problem-solver and able to think on their feet. They will have a commitment to detail and will keep the safety and well-being of our participants and mentors at the heart of their work during all programs and program planning.

The Program Manager will be keen to learn from colleagues and enter Y-WE’s organizational culture, which centers collaboration, flexibility, self-motivation, self-care, equity, and social justice. They will be willing to participate in Y-WE’s creative education programs and committed to supporting Y-WE’s mission. They will thrive in a self-directed office environment where they are able to work remotely at times, and create powerful program activities working with a committed team.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Facilitation and Logistics

∙Plan the curriculum for Nature Connections Main Cohort (NCMC) and Environmental Leadership Council (ELC).

∙Co-facilitate NCMC and ELC activities. This includes developing, coordinating and directly leading a wide range of outdoor activities with young women and adult women mentors throughout the year (e.g. hiking, rock-climbing, camping, backpacking, snowshoeing, kayaking, cross-country skiing, hands-on environmental stewardship, urban farming and more).

∙Oversee logistics and risk management for Y-WE Nature Connections, both NCMC and ELC.

∙Partner with Co-ED to plan and vision for the Y-WE Nature Connections program in the future.

Partnerships and Community Engagement

∙Cultivate and maintain Y-WE Nature Connections partnerships with key community partners.

∙Develop strategy and engage in outreach around new Y-WE Nature Connections partnerships, working with Y-WE Co-Executive Director.

∙Represent Y-WE and the Y-WE Nature Connections program at community events focused on the environment, stewardship, environmental justice/advocacy, etc.

Supervision

∙Supervise and support Y-WE Nature Connections Program Coordinator.

∙Supervise Nature Connections mentors (both NCMC and ELC), including leading mentor meetings, overseeing mentor communication, guiding meeting logistics, and coordinating communications.

∙Supervise and manage Nature Connections interns.

Data Collection and Program Evaluation

∙Maintain accurate accounting of Y-WE Nature Connections participant and program data to meet grant requirements.

∙Work closely with Y-WE Grant Writer and Evaluation Manager and Y-WE Operations Manager to administer surveys, gather data and information (e.g. survey, narrative, photos), coordinate data entry, and report back on a timely basis, to support Y-WE’seffective evaluation processes.

Other Program Support

∙Ensure that Y-WE Nature Connections program components are carried out as planned within other Y-WE programs (Y-WE Lead, Y-WE Write, Y-WE Create, Alum Retreat). This includes managing Y-WE Write Camp registration and on-site logistics.

∙Provide support to program team for large community programs such as Y-WE STEM Exploration Day, Career Day, Youth Leadership Summit, and Graduation and Celebration.

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

Education and Professional Background.

∙College or Associates Degree required.

∙Five years of experience working with youth.

∙Two or more years leading nature-based/wilderness activities with youth.

∙Excellent facilitation skills working with diverse youth.

∙Knowledge of culturally relevant and developmentally appropriate practices for diverse youth (language, culture, race, physical ability, sexual orientation, etc.).

∙Ability to speak a language other than English may be helpful.

∙Experience with and passion for working in the environmental field (outdoor education and recreation, environmental justice, environmental stewardship, food access).

∙Experience planning, implementing and overseeing a dynamic and well-coordinatedset of program activities.

∙Experience in staff supervision.

∙Significant awareness/training around issues of equity and intersectionality. A commitment to racial justice, gender justice, and transforming systems of oppression is required.

∙Training in liability, safety, and risk management issues with youth highly encouraged.

Certificates and Licenses. Note: Candidates with strong backgrounds who have not completed all trainings listed here could complete these trainings upon being hired.

∙Current valid Driver’s License and a driving record with no more than one minor violation and speeding violation of more than 20mph over the limit.

∙Pass Washington State criminal background check.

∙Wilderness First Responder certification

∙Current state approved CPR certification.

∙Current state approved first aid certification.

∙Current WA State Food Handlers Permit.

∙Creative Facilitation 1 and 2 (Y-WE will coordinate these trainings).

COMPENSATION & HOURS.

∙$50,000-55,000 DOE

∙1.0 FTE. 40 hrs/week including office, remote and field sites. Flexible scheduling.

∙Phone provided by Y-WE for exclusive work use.

∙Reimbursement for travel to Y-WE events, meetings and programs (Pre-approval required. Commuting to the office is not reimbursable.)

∙Up to $500/year of professional development trainings related to this position (trainings must be preapproved by supervisor.)

∙Vacation, medical, dental, retirement, and life insurance benefits.

How to Apply:

∙Please send your resume, cover letter, and two references, to ywehr@y-we.org.Application deadline is rolling. Please put “Program Manager Application” in the subject line of your email. Desired starting month is June 2019.

Questions: Please send any questions about the application process to ywehr@y-we.org.