Facility

Oregon Zoo

Closing Date

Description

Please submit application by Tuesday 11/09/2021 at 5pm.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Are you committed to inspiring communities to connect with nature and act for wildlife? Are you passionate about dismantling the barriers that hold great people back? Are you an innovative, thoughtful and experienced leader in non-formal learning? If so, the Oregon Zoo is excited to recruit you as Education Director.

As the Oregon Zoo recovers from and adapts to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Education Director will take the lead in reimagining the zoo’s celebrated, award-winning education program. This position offers a unique opportunity to build upon the zoo’s strengths to create an inclusive, resilient, world-class suite of education programming. You will helm a state-of-the-art, $17M Education Center completed in 2017, reviving operations at this regional conservation education hub to inspire our community to connect with and act for the natural world. You will navigate this departmental revitalization guided by the zoo’s Strategic Plan and Integrated Conservation Action Plan, as well as your demonstrated commitment to innovation, equity and financial sustainability.

WHAT YOU WILL DO
As Education Director, you will lead the reimagining of a more robust, equitable education department by directing staff recruitment, strategic planning, and program development, including volunteer, outreach, internships, school partnerships, community science, youth development, camps and classes and strategic partnerships, including the USFWS.

Leading your team of managers, volunteer coordinators and education specialists, you will ensure that programs center shared prosperity and equitable access while setting a course toward financial sustainability.

As a member of cross departmental working groups, you will also help develop and execute a unified “one mission” messaging and conservation action strategy for the Oregon Zoo, with the goal of establishing and maintaining a strong, consistent, united voice for conservation.

This position reports to the Oregon Zoo Director and serves on the Executive Team.

Essential Job Duties
Lead the education team

Establish an innovative framework for the development and implementation of educational programs, events, and special projects within budget goals
Develop short-term and long-term strategies for achieving financial sustainability for the education department, working with Oregon Zoo Foundation and internal grant writers
Develop co-created partnerships with specific community-based organizations working with diverse communities across our region
Reimagine, strengthen and fund paid internship programs, with a focus on providing equitable access to zoo- and conservation-related career pathway advancement for all
Work closely with zoo’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion manager to dismantle barriers and provide equitable access to education programs, with a priority on communities of color, while ensuring zoo experiences are welcoming and inclusive
Prioritize and supervise goal-setting and evaluation of education program outcomes
Develop and manage the annual budget
Recommend related policies and procedures
Oversee compilation of departmental data, reports and publications
Critically evaluate effectiveness and financial sustainability of programs and re-align resources accordingly.
Serve on cross-departmental working group(s) that:
Develop on-grounds graphics and interpretive plans
Establish and refine training and interpretation processes for keeper talks, ambassador animal engagement and other on-grounds activities, in collaboration with animal care staff
Develop position statements; identify needs for resource guides and key messaging; make assignments
Solicit, identify and research conservation initiatives and issues connected with strategic mandates and make recommendations regarding messaging and potential public action or education campaigns, and guide the implementation process utilizing other Zoo staff, volunteers and partners as appropriate.
Develop and implement the campus master plan, including exhibit planning to align with conservation messaging.

Education and Pre-requisites

Minimum Requirements
Metro is committed to ensuring the health and safety for our employees and our community. As a part of this commitment, Metro has implemented a vaccine requirement policy for employees, paid and unpaid interns and volunteers. Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination is considered a minimum qualification requirement for Metro job applicants and this proof will be requested during the hiring process. View: Metro COVID-19 Vaccination policy (Download PDF reader)

If you require an accommodation under this policy for a medical condition or disability, or sincerely held religious belief, please email benefits.help@oregonmetro.gov

Five years leading or supervising people and
Bachelor’s degree in the area of assignment or a related field and
Two years project management experience in area of responsibility or
Any combination of education and experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the classification duties and responsibilities

Compensation and benefits

$101,686.00 – $144,438.00 Annually

Application instructions

If you’re interested in applying please visit the Oregon Metro website via www.oregonmetro.com/jobs