Director of Education and Public Programs

~ Located on the site of the historic Porter property, Reader’s Digest named Tucson Botanical Gardens as the BEST Secret Garden in America. ~

Among mature trees and expertly cultivated foliage, specialty gardens such as the Cactus & Succulent Garden, Barrio Garden and Herb Garden highlight the diversity of native plants while offering a lush oasis in the heart of Tucson. Tropical butterflies from around the world are featured in the Cox Butterfly & Orchid Pavilion Oct.–May. Experience year-round tours, community events, classes, and art exhibits, as well as the creative, seasonal menu of Café Botanica. Now celebrating 40 years of living beauty, The Tucson Botanical Gardens is a unique gem not to be missed.

Position Overview

The Tucson Botanical Gardens is seeking a Director of Education and Public Programs to advance the Gardens mission of, Connecting People to Plants and Nature through Art, Science, History and Culture.

We are looking for a new member of our management team who is passionate about plants, nature and horticulture; someone who has an unquenchable thirst for learning new things and who can bring a creative and strategic approach to exploring ways to impact our guests; someone who is a meticulous planner, and plays really well with others.

Responsibilities

• The Director will create and implement education and mission-driven events, including education classes, a lecture series, school group field trips, camps, fairs as well as create the annual program plan, calendar, and budget to accomplish this program. The Director will work in close collaboration with the entire TBG team and report directly to the CEO.
• Work closely with the CEO, to develop and articulate the strategic vision and priorities for the education and public programs based on organization priorities set by the Board.
• Create an annual program plan, calendar, and budget in collaboration with the CEO, other staff in order to ensure continued integrated and strategically focused outcomes.
• Lead planning and execution of all education and public program initiatives, with support from the marketing and operations staff.
• Together with the horticulture team, create content for interpretation, tours and other education initiatives, including on-site interpretive signage.
• Evaluate effectiveness of all programs on the basis of mission effectiveness and impact, profitability, and return on investment, quality and participant feedback.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with schools, nature-based groups, arts organization and other community partners to contribute to education and public programs.
• Assist with identifying, soliciting, and cultivating fundraising sources for education initiatives.
• Lead team of volunteers, contractors, and future staff to execute engaging and effective education programs. Assist the Volunteer Manager with volunteer engagement programs.
• Participate in Board and committee meetings as necessary.

Qualifications

• Minimum: BA in a relevant field (education, horticulture, museum studies).
• Professional experience working in a nonprofit museum/zoo/gardens industry, a plus.
• Minimum three years supervisory experience.
• Experience in developing education initiatives with an understanding of informal education programs, especially in botanical gardens or museum settings.
• An understanding and awareness of industry trends in education and interpretation, a plus.
• Familiarity with similar programs around Tucson and/or at other botanic gardens.
• Demonstrated success in project and/or events management.
• Experience in creating, managing, and evaluating project budgets.
• Experience in writing grants.
• Must be willing to work weekend, holiday, and after-hour assignments.
• Experience in working with and managing volunteers.
• Excellent organization skills, attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact with staff, guests, Board, donors, partners and volunteers.
• Desire to be a part of team and able to work collaboratively.
• Flexibility, integrity, and highest standard of professionalism.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, Publisher, Adobe, WordPress website templates, multiple social media platforms as well as the ability to trouble shoot typical computer problems.

To Apply

• Interested candidates should email a cover letter and resume with "Director of Education and Public Programs" indicated in the subject line. 
• We will contact those candidates who most closely match our requirements. Thank you for your interest in being part of the Tucson Botanical Gardens.