FLSA/CA Status: Exempt

Hours: TBD

Classif.Type: Full-time                    

Location: We Are Up Greenhouse, McKinleyville, CA

Summary: 

Under general supervision of the Executive Director or Board President the Greenhouse Coordinator coordinates and oversees all daily operations of the We Are Up greenhouse facilities, orchards, gardens, and greenspace. The Greenhouse Coordinator also serves as the primary on-site contact responsible for continuous greenhouse operations and environmental control, may include after-hours and weekend response to alarms and emergencies.

The Greenhouse Coordinator is responsible for managing the We Are Up green spaces. The primary function of the position is the technical and operational management of all greenhouse systems, crops, and facilities.

The Greenhouse Coordinator also collaborates on curriculum development associated with the program and works closely with We Are Up staff and volunteers and local community partners to integrate greenhouse/growing operations into curriculum and to provide quality hands-on educational and skill-focused instruction.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the

following:

1. Coordinates all agriculture operations year-round, including weekends and holidays, with responsibility for continuous crop production, facility oversight, and system monitoring.

2. Develops and oversees daily operational plans for greenhouse and agriculture activities.

3. Determines and assigns daily tasks for volunteers and to ensure continuity of production and adherence to established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Provides direction, training, and quality control to ensure all assigned work is completed safely, effectively, and in alignment with program standards.

4. Maintains on-call availability during non-business hours to respond to system alerts, environmental issues, or equipment failures to ensure the continuous operation of greenhouse systems. 

5. Oversees and maintains greenhouse and agriculture infrastructure and equipment, ensuring the proper operation of structures, monitoring systems, pumps, vents, heating units, channels, reservoir tanks, irrigation pumps, polypanels, and security systems. 

6. Manages environmental control systems, communicates and collaborates with service providers to troubleshoot and adjust systems as needed.

7. Manages ordering of seeds, nutrients and other agriculture supplies.

8. Coordinates and delivers sales orders; manages customer relations, marketing, and accounting.

9. Takes corrective action immediately if abnormalities occur (pests, disease, etc.).

10. Maintains a daily grower’s log.

11. Collaborates with staff and community partners to develop standards-based curriculum.

12. Assists in supervising volunteers and participants in the greenhouse classroom and outdoor areas.

13. Assists in creating a learning environment.

14. Assists community partners in integrating work-based learning activities into the curriculum to prepare them for jobs in related fields.

15. Works collaboratively and professionally with diverse volunteers, participants, families, and colleagues.

16. Shows responsiveness to the unique needs of each participant or volunteer.

17. Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

Positions Supervised: We Are Up volunteers.

Benefits:

Benefits are available after 60 days of employment.

Qualification Requirements: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Education and/or Experience: 

• 3-5, years’ experience in horticulture and controlled environment agriculture, AS/BS preferred.

Preferred Experience

• At least three years of experience working in commercial greenhouse or greenhouse operations or related experience, AND

• At least three years’ experience with programming or education.

• Preference given to applicants with a bachelor’s degree in one of the following: education, psychology, counseling, social work, applied behavior analysis, behavioral medicine, speech and language or a comparable degree in a human services field;

Language Skills: 

Must possess strong English-language communication skills. Ability to read and interpret documents, individual service plans, individual program plans, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals. Ability to write highly unique reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of We Are Up staff, families, participants, funding sources, and community organizations.

• Communicate effectively in person and using telephone email and computer-based technologies;

• Communicate in a professional manner in formal and informal settings, with students, parents and fellow staff;

• Read and comprehend fine print, such as contracts, spreadsheets, texts, catalogs, etc.

Mathematical Skills:

Ability to apply concepts of basic, everyday abilities to comprehend and use numbers including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, fractions, and decimals.

Reasoning Ability: 

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of variable concerns in

situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret information in a

variety of formats and instructions provided in a written, oral, diagram and/or schedule

form. Ability to:

•  Organize and prioritize work and manage time effectively;

•  Apply knowledge and practices with good judgement;

•  Work well with and supervise students of varying ages; 

•  Maintain a continuing relationship with the same students and staff over a prolonged period of time;

•  Function independently with assigned tasks;

•  Maintain emotional control under difficult situations;

•  Follow oral and written directions;

•  Work independently;

•  Drive a vehicle and be able to get to assigned post.

Certifications, Licenses, Registrations:

•  Must be fingerprinted, and a satisfactory Department of Justice records check must be received by We Are Up prior to employment.

•  Must pass a pre-employment physical (if applicable).

•  May be required to obtain first aid and CPR certificates within the first 6 to 12 months of employment.

•  Requires a California driver’s license, proof of insurance and possible participation in the DMV Pull Notice Program once employed. May be required to drive with or without volunteers.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

The employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to handle, feel, and operate tools or controls; and communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, and perform movements such as bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and climbing ladders.

This position requires the ability to lift and/or move materials frequently. Occasionally lift materials in excess of 75 pounds. The employee must be able to perform sustained physical activity and move within indoor, outdoor, and non-traditional work environments.

Specific sensory requirements include the ability to hear sufficiently to communicate effectively and to perceive auditory signals in environments with mechanical equipment (e.g., pumps, fans), as well as close visual acuity to read documents, records, and related materials.

The employee is required to safely operate hand and power tools in the performance of maintenance and repair tasks.

Other skills and abilities: 

Ability to prioritize job responsibilities and relate to people with disabilities. Ability to effectively support people to access resources and build meaningful relationships.

•  Create simple financial reports (revenue and expenses)

•  Basic tool maintenance skills

•  Familiarity with career paths and future educational opportunities related to agriculture

•  Greenhouse and Farm Operations

•  Food safety policies and procedures

•  Strategies to effectively work with people with disabilities

•  Adapt to changing work demands

•  Manage task priorities to meet deadlines

•  Work under varying degrees of stress

•  Establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals and groups

•  Keep information confidential

•  MS Office Word and Excel

Work Environment: 

•  This position will work at the We Are Up Greenhouse in McKinleyville.

•  Work is performed primarily in a greenhouse environment or outdoors temperatures range from 28°-85°F or higher and high humidity levels. 

•  The position requires flexibility in scheduling and availability outside of standard working hours, including weekends and holidays. Employee may be contacted at any time to respond to urgent issues affecting greenhouse operations.

•  Duties require daily site monitoring and periodic after-hours response to system alerts or failures. 

•  Work involves exposure to wet conditions, fertilizers, and other agricultural materials. 

•  It will require travel to local businesses and farms to distribute produce that has been grown at the farm.

•  Employees may be required to walk, stand or conduct work in outdoor educational environments where there may be loud people, varied temperatures, public interaction and/or upset staff, participants, or community members.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: 

We Are Up is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability, exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws or ordinances. Applications submitted for this position do not constitute a promise of employment.