Education programs, Youth programs

Job posting: Education Programs Assistant
Organization: Vancouver Botanical Gardens
Location: Vancouver, BC

Organization Overview

The Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association (VBGA) is the joint operating partner – with the City of Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation (Park Board) – of VanDusen Botanical Garden and Bloedel Conservatory. Our mission is to engage people of all ages and walks of life in the importance of biodiversity to our lives, and to foster a lifelong love of plants and gardens by virtue of their participation in our programs and services. 

Situated in Vancouver, BC, on the unceded Ancestral shared lands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, VanDusen Botanical Garden is a 55-acre urban green space, an ideal location for connecting with nature. 

Position Overview

Reporting to the Youth Programs Manager and working closely with the entire Education Department, the Education Programs Assistant will support aspects of client relations and program facilitation across the VBGA’s Education team. Responsibilities range from online and in-person administrative tasks to engaging with and facilitating educational content for a diverse demographic of participants during programs and events. We encourage applicants to browse our wide range of Education opportunities here to better understand our audiences and offerings.

What We Offer

• $23/hour + 4% in lieu of vacation
• Paid time off during office closure from Dec 25 - Jan 1
• Flexibility to work remotely on occasion
• Supportive work culture
• Office location within 55-acre botanical garden
• Opportunities for professional development

Responsibilities

• With the guidance of program leads, facilitate various regular Education programs for class-sized groups ranging from preschoolers to seniors/older adults as needed.
• Email and phone communications: Construct, edit, and respond to email and phone communications with general and targeted audiences across Education programs
• Client Relationship Management Software (Amilia): Respond to registration requests, provide refunds and credits, and ensure client access to online registration platform
• Coordinate bursary requests and tracking using SurveyMonkey and Microsoft Office
• Administrative tasks including the creation of tracking and data management forms in Excel, adding new subscribers to our newsletter in Mail Chimp, managing participant surveys in Survey Monkey, promoting courses through online community event platforms, and creating content and materials in Canva.

• Provide technical support to instructors and participants for both online and in-person classes over Zoom, Teams, and with Classroom/ presenter-based AV technology (mics, speakers, cameras, etc.)
• Assist participants, guests, staff, and volunteers with use of relevant apps and programs such as iNaturalist, eBird, Merlin, Bloomberg Connects, and ARCGIS StoryMaps.
• With the guidance of program leads, assist with the preparation of supplies, materials, and forms (attendance sheets, feedback forms, etc.)
• Provide support for the annual Teachers’ Open House event and Pollinator Days Field Trip Festival, as well as other special events, custom programs, and outreach initiatives.

Education & Experience

• Post-secondary education in ecology, biology, education, or a related field
• Previous experience working in a non-profit or environmental education setting is an asset
• Experience working with groups of children in an educational setting
• Experience in customer service or client relations, online and in-person
• Previous experience public speaking to diverse audiences including adults is an asset

Required Skills

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work well within a dynamic team.
• Outstanding attention to detail, organizational skills and ability to prioritize various responsibilities and requests while meeting deadlines.
• Creative problem-solver; self-motivated with the ability to exercise sound judgement within given guidelines.
• Professional and effective written and verbal communication skills; Fluent English required, other language(s) considered an asset.
• Working knowledge of client relationship management (CRM) software (Amilia preferred) or willingness to learn.
• Technologically savvy and comfortable using AV equipment such as speakers and microphones as well as Microsoft Office suite, online meeting platforms such as Zoom and Teams, as well as online design programs like Canva.
• Willingness to work outdoors in any weather, demonstrating enthusiasm and passion for the environment
• Current certification in Standard First Aid AND clear, recent Criminal Records Check including Vulnerable Sectors

Eligibility

This is a grant-funded position; to be eligible you must be:

• Between 16 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at the start of employment
• A Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have refugee status in Canada
• Legally entitled to work in Canada (have a valid Social Insurance Number)
• A college or university graduate (certificate, bachelor's, master's or doctorate)

Based on funding priorities from ECO Canada and Young Canada Works, as well as our organization’s mission and values, we highly encourage applications from equity-seeking groups and youth facing barriers.

Availability/Hours

• 30 hours per week Tuesday to Saturday (6h/day with occasional exceptions)
• Onsite role with flexibility for some evening work required
• 1 year contract April 2025 – March 31st, 2026

Please submit your resume and cover letter to VBGA Recruitment: hiring@vandusen.org

Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.

We thank all applicants for their interest. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis, and only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

The VBGA is committed to volunteer and employment equity and diversity and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including people of any sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; Indigenous peoples; visible minorities and racialized people; and people with disabilities.