Assistant Director, Education

Description

Organization Information

GrowNYC is a 54-year-old environmental nonprofit organization helping more than 3 million New Yorkers by providing essential services and taking action to make NYC a livable city, one where every person can enjoy a healthier, more sustainable life. GrowNYC Programs include: 

• Our network of Greenmarkets, Farmstands, and the work of GrowNYC Wholesale ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the freshest, healthiest local food. 
• We build and support community and school gardens through volunteer days, technical assistance, training, grants and more. 
• We provide 70,000 children each year with programs that provide meaningful interactions with the natural environment. 

Assistant Director, Education: (Full Time)  

Position Summary

GrowNYC Education also delivers educational programming across several program areas across all five boroughs. The Assistant Director is pivotal in enhancing the program’s efficiency, effectiveness and operational capacity, improving its ability to provide accessible resources, engaging experiences and practical tools that build New Yorkers’ knowledge and capacity to address environmental issues in their communities.

Requirements

Assistant Director Responsibilities (Include but are not limited to):

Program & Staff Management 

• Assist the Education Director in overseeing the day-to-day management of the Education program 
• Provide redundancy to oversee management and operations in Director’s absence
• Translate program strategy and goals into clear, actionable objectives for staff and team
• Work with the Director to design, implement, and track comprehensive program evaluation frameworks and performance metrics that measure program effectiveness and impact
• Oversee continuous improvement of systems, workflow , and processes to enhance operation efficiency and cross-team coordination
• Implement and uphold the Education team’s operational policies and accountability structures to ensure consistency and compliance across all program areas
• Take direction from Director to oversee program’s managers and staff in effectively executing program goals and objectives 
• Assist with Education’s HR needs including staff evaluations, recruitment hiring onboarding, engagement initiatives, and disciplinary processes.
• Provide mentorship, coaching and professional development to direct reports and other Education staff as needed 
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive and high-performing team culture grounded in GrowNYC’s mission and values
• Serve as a bridge between the Director and staff, ensuring transparent communication, clear expectations, and consistent follow-through

Strategy

• Support the Director in long-term planning, including goal-setting, budgeting and reporting to funding and stakeholders
• Contribute to strategic planning processes by identifying emerging opportunities, risk, and innovations that strengthen the Education program’s impact and sustainability 
• Monitor and analyze program performance performance metrics in order to provide relevant insights and recommendations to the Director to inform decision-making for strategic improvement.
• Collaborate with the Director to develop and implement long-term strategies for marketing, procurement, logistics, and community partnerships

Communications and Stakeholder Engagement

• Represent the Education program in  various internal and external meetings as identified by Director to foster interdepartmental collaboration and key external partnerships 
• Collaborate with Director to oversee the Education team’s various communications platforms and programmatic resources including newsletters, social media content, educational materials etc
• Support the preparation of reports and other communication materials for funders, partners, and senior leadership
• Contribute to public facing events, site visits and other engagement opportunities that strengthen GrowNYC Education's reputation as a leader in environmental education overarching program goals and improve efficacy of existing  program models    

Qualifications

• Five plus (5+) years of related experience and/or relevant program management experience, 
• Five plus (5+) years of experience in staff management, PIPs, professional development and performance reviews
• Bachelor’s degree
• Demonstrated experience with managing program budgets and/or grants
• Demonstrable steady leadership and team management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with high level of professionalism and discretion 
• Effective and adaptive communication skills and proven ability to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds, knowledge levels, and learning styles
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Professional proficiency with Microsoft Office products, Google Workspace products, and other ERP, communications, workflow management, and project management applications, including but not limited to Slack, Local Food Marketplace, NetSuite, Monday.com
• Knowledgeable about composting, waste reduction, urban farming and gardening, food and nutrition education and overall environmental issues.
• Strong desire to support and collaborate with others. 
• Strong solutions-focused mindset with the capacity and confidence to take initiative, be proactive, improve processes
• Experience working in a union environment a plus 

Physical Requirements

The ability to lift and carry supplies up to 50lbs and ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, if needed. NOTE: All offers of employment are conditional upon successful completion of the DOE Eligibility Clearance  Procedures, which include, but are not limited to, DOE fingerprinting procedures and background investigations. 

Schedule

This position is full-time (35-40 hours per week), Monday-Friday, office-based position with some work from home and field time as needed. Occasional evening/weekend hours may be required with advance notice.

Compensation

This position is full time and exempt. The salary range is $90,000 - $95,000 per year and includes full benefits upon meeting the waiting period (medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term disability, incentive savings plan, paid time off, Public Service Loan Forgiveness available to employees) where travel throughout the city is an essential component of job duties, a metrocard will be provided. This position is not union eligible/not a part of the bargaining unit.

Location

This is a hybrid role with a minimum of 3 days per week in our Manhattan office with a mandatory presence on Wednesdays. In-person field-based work and off-site travel will be expected.

Applications

Qualified candidates for the Assistant Director, Education position should submit a cover letter, resume, and three references. Interviews will take place on a rolling basis. Due to the volume of employment applications received, GrowNYC is unable to respond to each application individually. Applicants will be contacted directly if selected as a candidate. No phone calls or recruiters or recruiting agencies, please. 

Application deadline is October 31st, 2025.

Contact

Grownyc

P.O. Box 2327

New York, NY 10272

212-788-7900

For additional information, please see our website: grownyc.org 

GrowNYC is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer and hires without regard to race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation or physical disability.