Garden Programs Coordinator- Boston

​​The Garden Program Coordinator operates the Blue Cross garden program and, in collaboration with the Boston Regional Engagement Manager, runs workshops and events spanning the network of Boston Community Gardens, Hutchinsons Field Reservation. The position gives on-the-ground and virtual gardening guidance to BCBSMA associates and performs garden operations and upkeep. The coordinator works with the Regional Engagement Manager to plan, promote and implement garden education and community building programs across the Trustees' fifty-six Boston Community Gardens, and in Greater Boston.   

Hourly Salary: $25.50/hour ($53,040 annually)

Status: Full-time, non-exempt

Schedule: 40 hours per week, Tuesday - Saturday

Blue Cross Garden Program   

• Lead weekly work session sat each site and/or run weekly virtual garden hours  

• Communicate via email with gardeners to inform them of tasks, answer questions and address garden needs and issues  

• Run monthly workshops at each site and/or online  

• Purchase and transport program supplies to each garden site as needed  

• Perform garden planting and maintenance  

• Communicate with Blue Cross staff supervising the garden program  

• Meet with Boston Region Engagement Manager on a regular schedule  

• Coordination with BCBSMA Facilities team for water, waste removal & infrastructure issues as needed  

• Maintain common areas including pathways, fences, and other infrastructure, including regular string trimming  

• Collect garden data and help with compiling annual report  

• Take photographs and generate social media content about the garden  

Boston Programs - Community Gardens, Hutchinsons Field Reservation, currently include but are not limited to: 

• Teach gardening workshops  

• Co-facilitate fall and winter session of Master Urban Gardener course  

• Support planning and execution of annual Gardeners’ Gathering conference 

• Support coordination and execution of the South End Garden Tour, seasonal celebrations, annual climate justice event, Boston Local Food Festival, and We are Milton Music Festival, ticketed concerts and classes 

• Support the Regional Engagement manager in maintaining relationships with local partners to support garden stewardship, volunteer engagement, program participation, revenue, DBIE and membership goals 

• Support Regional Vice President and Regional Engagement Manager with development efforts, membership sales, press releases and online/print marketing materials 

• Facilitates volunteer coordination for events and programs 

• Designs, sends, and maintains subscriber list for the monthly newsletter, the Boston Gardeners’ Gazette 

• Responsible for selling memberships while hosting events, programs, and tabling  

• Create and post content for Instagram and Facebook, including program promotions to drive attendance and increase visibility of the Greater Boston programming and wider Trustees   

• Assist with plant propagation and care at City Natives nursery as needed 

Qualifications:

• Minimum level of related work experience: 1-3 years
• Driving Requirement: Under 10k
• Minimum Level of Education: High school diploma or GED 

Other Skills and Competencies: 

• Experience with garden education or public programming  

• Thorough and demonstrated knowledge of organic gardening techniques, including intensive growing, intercropping, vertical gardening, no-till methods, and water conservation  

• Experience with Zoom facilitation  

• Experience with Native plants, gardening for pollinators, and perennial care preferred  

• Social media outreach and flyer design preferred  

• Must have reliable transportation  

• A satisfactory criminal background check (CORI and SORI)

About the Trustees 

The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is the nation’s premier conservation and preservation organization. The Trustees’ properties are open to all, and we thrive by involving as many people as possible in all that we do. Founded in 1891 by a group of visionary volunteers, we preserve, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts.  We aim to protect special places for future generations to enjoy in perpetuity. We have helped protect more than 50,000 acres, including 27,000+ acres on more than 120 reservations that are open to the public. We are a non-profit conservation organization funded and supported entirely by our visitors, supporters, volunteers, and our 100,000 Member households.  

Equal Opportunity Statement: 

The Trustees is a proud equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any protected status including, but not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual preferences, nation of origin, religion, or disability status and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with varying abilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants. We aspire to reflect and effectively serve the residents and communities of Massachusetts, who are at the core of our mission.   

The Trustees commitment to advancing the organization’s vision for this work may be found here: Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion and Equity  

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.