DC Green Corps Director

Washington Parks & People began 19 years ago with Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park, receiving the National Park Service's highest organizational award for leading the transformation of the single most violent park in the capital region into one of its safest. We lead greening initiatives across the city -- massive land reclamation, native reforestation, watershed restoration, public health and fitness programming, urban agriculture, and green job training -- to help revitalize once forgotten communities.

Position Overview:

The DC Green Corps Director will develop and manage the launch and advancement of our expanded green jobs workforce development program through volunteer, apprentice, and training programs, based out of Parks & People's field headquarters and future Marvin Gaye Community Greening Center in the Watts Branch sub-watershed of the Anacostia River, the Oxon Run stream valley in Far Southeast DC, and Parks & People's headquarters in Columbia Heights at the Josephine Butler Parks Center, which is being developed as a permanent green job training center.

The objective is to use parks across the city to provide gateways to diverse green career and enterprise tracks in urban and community forestry, forest-based ecosystem and watershed restoration, and a wide range of community-based green infrastructure and environmental justice.

The DC Green Corps will collaborate with a broad rage of community partners, as well as such government agencies as the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, the DC Department of the Environment, the DC Department of Transportation and Urban Forest Administration, the DC Department of Employment Services, DC Public and Charter Schools, the National Park Service, the UDC Cooperative Extension Service and Agricultural Experiment Station, the DC Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, the National Arboretum, and all relevant local universities and technical schools and training programs, with a special focus on youth populations.

We are seeking to have special impact helping people with challenges for employment, including impoverished and under-served communities and people with a wide range of disabilities.

 Responsibilities:

Direct Parks & People's community park revitalization work across the city, connecting training, volunteer, service, and school and university programs with well-managed greening initiatives in under-served parks and green spaces throughout the city.

• Work with partners to plan and manage city-wide urban forestry and greening initiatives.
• Recruit and supervise DC Green Corps volunteers, apprentices, trainees, and staff, including orientation, training, job readiness development, and job referrals.
• Work together with Executive Director and other staff to seek funding and partnership opportunities to advance the DC Green Corps, collaborating with a wide range of agencies, funders, businesses, schools, and community organizations to advance the DC Green Corps.
• Direct the launch and advancement of the Marvin Gaye Community Greening Center, which will be DC's first community nursery.
• Evaluate and plan for the advancement of our Green Summer job training, and use the Green Summer job programs as a pilot to develop and implement year-round training and programming for the DC Green Corps.
• Establish clear standards for effective community greening and workforce development.
• Direct DC Green Corps communications, outreach, and special events.
• Draft Green Corps budgets, plans, program assessment and evaluation, and grant development and reporting.

Qualifications:

• Strong experience in community greening and service/workforce training.
• Strong understanding and commitment to advancing environmental justice and youth in under-served inner-city communities.
• Excellent organizational, project management, supervisory, and communication skills.
• Ability to work well advancing teams and partnerships.
• Innovative, entrepreneurial spirit in designing and developing urban environmental green jobs training and programming.

To Apply:

This position is available immediately and open until filled. Please send resume and cover letter.

Washington Parks & People is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or age. People of color are strongly encouraged to apply.