American Forests is a national non-profit organization committed to creating healthy and resilient forests from cities to wilderness, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water and wildlife. We advance our mission through forestry innovation, place-based partnerships to plant and restore forests, and movement building. We envision a world in which the significant environmental, societal and economic benefits of forests are fully realized and equitably available to all people. Established in 1875, American Forests is the oldest national non-profit conservation organization in the U.S. working to restoring urban forests and forested landscapes for more than 140 years.

American Forests is proud to be a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace. These are our shared values. We welcome individuals who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to be a part of our team to help make a difference individually and collectively as we work toward achieving our mission. We are committed to fostering an environment that is welcoming and respectful and provides opportunities for advancement and professional growth for every team member.

POSITION SUMMARY

The newly created Senior Manager of Career Exploration and Development position will support an emerging channel of work focused on introducing youth and students, from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, to an array of careers that improve urban greenspace and quality of life. American Forests is committed to driving change in how young people learn about urban forestry through experiential education and exploring careers in the field. Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions in life. This position plays an essential role in assisting individuals with researching, evaluating and learning about 21st century green career opportunities and how students can approach pursuing careers that reflect their preferences.

Our career exploration and development initiative includes creating awareness of urban forestry as a career option, career exploration and Tree Equity focused learning activities, planning youth and student summits and restoration events that allow students to explore different urban forestry related careers through the lens of a professional. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience and interest in engaging and educating individuals (especially between the ages of 14-24) and building school-to-industry partnerships that confront barriers to promote, recruit and retain a skilled, diverse workforce in urban forestry and related fields.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Director of Career Exploration and Development, this position is responsible for supporting the Tree Equity program by achieving the following goals:

· Providing strategic direction to educational institutions and programs in developing and administering experiential learning opportunities and career readiness skills that prepare individuals for success in 21st century urban forestry related careers.

· Managing content, updating weblinks and making decisions regarding initiatives that ensure Vibrant Cities Lab (VCL) has a significant and positive impact on academic life at partnering educational institutions.

· Working closely with the team to develop a system to foster new partnerships, pilot programs and create models for workforce development to enhance young professional’s success in urban forestry related disciplines.

· Addressing the critical need to restore and improve urban forests due to catastrophic losses of dominant native species by expanding the Roots of Rock initiative to implement interconnected strategies around career pathways and nursery capacity and planting pest/insect and disease resistant trees and climate resilient trees.

Career Exploration and Development (50%)

· Increase awareness and knowledge of urban forestry as a career option, particularly in frontline communities and areas where Tree Equity is of greatest need.

· Plan and execute youth and student summits at academic institutions primarily serving Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) audiences.

· Manage the implementation of a co-branded curriculum with Project Learning Tree.

· Develop guidelines, assessments and/or surveys for educational materials.

· Create accessible project-based educational materials that focus on STEAM application.

· Conduct and lead workshops to train teachers/educators on educational resources.

· Create and support advisory groups for college and career pathways.

· Support American Forests’ programs and activities related to community outreach, such as working with Project Learning Tree to implement education into tree planting events.

· Work closely with the internal team, district leaders, teachers/educators, administrators, secondary and post-secondary institutions, grant foundations and other organizations to build school-to-industry partnerships to connect individuals to work-related training and educational opportunities that will prepare them for the workplace.

· Provide innovative ways to offer financial literacy to entry-level professionals in the field.

· Support Career Exploration fundraising and grant writing.

Roots of Rock (20%)

· Plan and/or participate in educational activities that offer local communities an opportunity to learn about the devastating impact of insects, pests, diseases and climate change on our forest ecosystems.

· Assess geographic areas for possible tree nursery capacity.

· Identify social and environmental impact statistics as measured by a City Forest Credits Impact Summary.

· Identify pest, disease and climate resistant trees relevant to specific states/regions.

· Provide innovative ways to offer financial literacy in training programs.

· Incorporate Career Exploration into the Roots of Rock initiative.

· Support Roots of Rock fundraising and grant writing.

Vibrant Cities Lab (10%)

· Maintain active external website links throughout VCL.

· Collaborate with partners to add current and relevant urban forestry resources to the site.

· Communicate the work and values of American Forests to under-engaged audiences, drive traffic to VCL and raise awareness of VCL.

· Assist with strengthening the brand of VCL.

· Support VCL fundraising, sponsorships and grant writing.

Administrative (10%)

· Administer grant reporting, invoicing, support grant proposal development and other administrative duties as assigned.

Tree Planting Events (5%)

· Collaborate with the Community Engagement and Tree Planting teams to support planning and execution of tree planting events as appropriate.

Communications (5%)

· Support the Marketing and Communications Department in highlighting work by writing articles and blog posts, conducting interviews and assisting with social media and video content.

· Promote Career Exploration and Development to primary audiences, write articles, participate in interviews and present at conferences or other events.

DESIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES

The ideal candidate is a self-motivated, interdisciplinary thinker with a passion for ecosystem restoration, climate change, equity, community outreach, environmental education and has a strong understanding of curriculum design and project-based instructional strategies. The candidate is committed to connecting individuals with career opportunities that fit their interests, talents, skills and strengths. The candidate should have experience and be excited about working with diverse ethnic, racial and socioeconomic populations. While a candidate may not cover every aspect, a favorable mix of the following is preferred:

· Understands Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards and the Career Technical Standards (K-12).

· Ability to create learning materials that blend academic and technical activities in ways that connect theoretical knowledge and real-world application.

· An inclusive student-centered philosophy of providing services and resources.

· Demonstrated capacity to work effectively with faculty, staff, administrators, students, alumni and other community constituents.

· Basic knowledge of forest/tree genetics, restoration ecology, the threat of invasive species, forest health and management and insect/pest and disease impact on population dynamics.

· Basic understanding of WordPress themes and plugins.

· Excellent professional, interpersonal, written and oral communication skills with the ability to present to large and small groups.

· Experience planning, coordinating events and programs.

· Team-oriented and recognizes interdepartmental and integrated team interaction is necessary for success.

· Cultural competence to work effectively with individuals who have diverse backgrounds and life experiences.

We strongly encourage applications from individuals who have diverse backgrounds and life experiences. We understand that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all of the above criteria. If you believe you are a great fit for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.

REQUISITE EDUCATION OR CERTIFICATIONS

· Five years of demonstrated experience, closely related bachelor’s degree with at least two years of relevant experience or related master’s degree with at least one year of relevant experience

LOCATION & WORKING CONDITIONS

American Forests’ headquarters is in downtown Washington, D.C., walkable to multiple Metrorail and Metrobus lines as well as Capital Bikeshare docks. This position can be fully remote or based in Washington, D.C.

Subject to applicable laws, American Forests requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. We will consider requests for accommodation to this vaccination requirement during the recruiting process. Any requested accommodations must be reviewed and approved (if applicable) in advance of your start date.

TRAVEL

Regular travel will be required throughout the United States, including travel to Washington, D.C. or other locations for American Forests’ events.

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS

This position does not have any supervisory requirements.

American Forests is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to provide access to all individuals along the continuum of human ability and experience.

Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran/LGBTQ+