Are you looking to get your hands dirty and help students in Richmond eat more veggies? Do you enjoy nutrition education, gardening, and working with children? We’re looking for a Garden Coordinator to join the team at Greater Richmond Fit4Kids! As a Garden Coordinator, you’ll be responsible for hiring and managing garden educators, coordinating in school and after school garden programs, and overseeing maintenance and more at the 25 gardens across the region.

The ideal candidate is someone who loves getting their hands in the dirt but also has a passion for working with children. You should be organized, love details, reliable, and able to collaborate with a wide variety of people. Join us and help us in our mission to make healthy fun!

About the Position

Fit4Kids is hiring a Program Coordinator who oversees the garden program with a start date of ASAP. This is a full-time position and includes benefits including health/dental and retirement.

The coordinator will oversee and coordinate school garden programming at 25 schools across the region. This includes: collaborating with school partners and training the Garden Educators and interns who provide direct programming. The Coordinator also manages our greenhouse and preps food for classroom taste tests. The purpose of our program is to leverage gardens and nutrition education to increase students’ consumption of fruits and vegetables and encourage healthy eating.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to

Hire and manage all Garden Educators, including regular site visits, supervision, and annual reviews
Write new, innovative curriculum that leverages the school garden as an outdoor classroom to reinforce SOLs
Maintain communication between Fit4Kids staff, school staff, teachers, and volunteers
Manage greenhouse and volunteers to support growing thousands of seedlings per season

Fit4Kids is committed to equal access and opportunity for everyone. Fit4Kids does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religious affiliation, national origin, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, medical condition, or veteran status in employment, partnership or program delivery.

Required Qualifications

Availability to work in person.
Reliable transportation to visit schools in Hopewell, Henrico, Richmond, and Chesterfield. A mileage stipend is provided.
Demonstrated commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
Experience growing produce is a plus.
Experience working with groups of children and leading educational sessions.
Motivated self-starter with strong interpersonal communication skills, both oral and written.
Strong attention to detail and multitasking.
Experience interacting with ethnically and socio-economically diverse communities and the ability to integrate into an existing school community.
Knowledge of computer and internet-based programs for communicating with colleagues, and reporting program data.
A background check and proof of COVID-19 vaccination required.
This position requires lifting and moving garden supplies weighing up to 50 pounds and working in outdoor weather conditions.
This position will need to position self to maintain raised bed gardens in a crouched or kneeling position.