Director of Education

Principal Duties:

• Provide leadership, direction, and management of all youth and adult educational programming. This includes both the supervision of staff engaged with various educational efforts as well as hands on work directly delivering educational programming and experiences.
• Examine existing programs to maximize revenue, interest and mission-alignment and evolve programming accordingly.
• Update existing environmental educational curriculum to increase alignment with PA state standards and renew focus on curriculum that takes advantage of Tyler’s natural areas (550 acres of potential forests/wetlands/meadows)
• Lead year round school field trips (along with volunteers), including direct outreach to schools and teachers in neighboring communities and scheduling trips out
• Develop and manage a new cohort of volunteer naturalists/educators to support field trips and other nature-orientated programming; utilize existing docent volunteers as needed
• Explore long term ecological study opportunities for high school and university age students (PSU Brandywine) to place them in appropriate sites that take advantage of Tyler’s diverse ecology and unique habitats
• Work with Executive Director to examine feasibility and revenue opportunities for bringing back summer camps; it is anticipated this will occur in a limited capacity initially with deeper commitment pending funding/staffing abilities
• Build partnerships with other educational organizations who might be interested in hosting events for their summer camps at Tyler.
• Enhance educational and visitor impact for existing facilities central to Tyler’s programming, such as the Pollinator Preserve and Lucille’s garden; explore linkages to jobs training and food justice with neighboring gardens

Other Duties:

• Attend weekly meetings with the Executive Director and/or Chief of Staff
• Attend weekly Senior Staff meetings and occasional Board-level Education Committee meetings
• Serve on the newly formed Board level IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility) committee
• Pursue leadership and engagement within the PA Association of Environmental Educators
• Lead fundraising for the department and work closely with the Executive Director and/or Chief of Staff on grant writing/reporting, explore intersections with food justice and ecology
• Work occasional weekends as needed; attend fundraisers and donor recognition events when relevant

Salary and Location:

• Mid $60’s to mid $70s with benefits, depending on experience
• Position is expected to be on site in Media, PA 5 days/week with flexibility for hybrid office time when needed and approved by supervisor
• Tyler Arboretum is an incredible greenspace and one of the oldest arboretums on the East Coast. It has 650 acres of woodlands, meadows, and streams, extensive horticultural collections rich in history and 17 miles of hiking trails along with a Pollinator Preserve and edible garden.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Strong Microsoft Office skills (Excel, Word, Outlook)
• Able to learn and fully master a constituent database (currently Altru)
• Can complete tasks quickly, accurately, and independently
• Able to adjust day-to-day tasks with flexibility based on organizational priorities, while preserving positive demeanor with constituents
• Comfortable with computers, printers, and technology in general, and able to troubleshoot issues with equipment and systems
• Handles confidential information with discretion
• Comfortable teaching adults, adolescents, and children, working with members, donors, trustees, staff, volunteers, and the public by phone, email, and in-person
• Some evening and weekend work for on-call duties, special events, and to assist with some departmental events.
• This position is an on-site position, please list your address in your resume

Work Environment:

• General office environment (though not fully accessible) with work on the Arboretum’s grounds
• Significant computer and telephone work
• Occasional local travel for education outreach, meetings, programs, and conferences.
• Frequent sitting, standing, walking, bending, and climbing stairs with occasional