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Program Management Jobs

NATURE BASED CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS MANAGER

Common Ground High School

New Haven, CT

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JOB DETAILS
SKILLS
After School Programs, Animal Care, Budget Management, Budget Reporting, Calendar Management, Charter Schools, Collective Bargaining, Communication Skills, First Aid, General Handyperson, Leadership, Legal, Operational Support, People Management, Physical Demands, Plan Meetings, Policy Implementation, Problem Solving Skills, Program Planning, Project/Program Management, Regulations, Schedule Development, Secondary School, Staff Requirements, Staff Training, Team Player, Training/Teaching, Training/Teaching Curriculum, Voice Mail
LOCATION
New Haven, CT
POSTED
2 days ago
Organization Overview

Common Ground is a center for environmental learning in New Haven, Connecticut. Farm meets forest meets city on Common Ground's 20 acre campus at the base of West Rock Ridge. The site abuts the 1800 acre West Rock State Park, sharing hiking trails, wildlife, and diverse natural habitats with the surrounding forests. Common Ground's urban farm produces sustainably grown food for programs and our community and is home to our friendly farm animals. Common Ground's Charter High School uses the site as an organizing principle of its curriculum which isguided by an ecological framework highlighting the connection and interdependence of all living and non-living things. Each year, more than 10,000 community members participate in festivals, field trips, after-school programs, and other educational opportunities on site. For more information visitwww.commongroundct.org.

This is a rare opening for a leadership role at Common Ground. We are seeking a Program Manager who loves kids, wants to be physically active (outside, year-round!), and whose ideal job includes a mix of direct teaching, program administration, and hands-on work like feeding chickens and weed whacking the garden. Our biggest priority is a candidate who is an experienced program manager and outdoor educator, with strong skills and employment history in these areas.

This position works weekdays through 6 PM and also works most holidays (with compensatory PTO for holiday work). After school programs, summer camp, and school vacation day programs are core responsibilities of this job. The workload may vary seasonally, with some seasons of up to 50 hours per week and other seasons with a lighter schedule - the work is intended to average no more than 40 hours per week over the year.

See our org wide work HERE.

The programs that this position has a direct or support role in managing are HERE.

Job Description

This position is part of the leadership team for Children's Programs and is often the primary supervisor for children and staff at times when other program leaders are not on campus and assumes Director on Duty responsibilities at those times.

School Year: From September through mid-June this position is primarily dedicated to teaching in and supporting our programs for children, with management responsibilities for specific programs as assigned.

Summer: This position works in summer camp, typically in an administrative role as a licensed camp director or assistant director.

Program Management Responsibilities:

  • After School Program (30%): Manage day to day program needs including communication with bus routes, attendance, activity planning, materials prep, first aid, safety decisions, caring for emotional and medical needs of children, supervision of staff, and parent communications.
  • Vacation Day Programs (10%): Manage all aspects of vacation day programs including activity planning, materials prep, first aid, safety decisions, caring for emotional and medical needs of children, supervision of staff, planning and facilitating the flow of activities and transitions, and parent communications.
  • Summer Camp (20%): Work in a leadership role to support camp operations, including admin work, staff training and supervision, and direct camper and parent facing responsibilities.
  • Program Management responsibilities for assigned programs:
    • Calendaring, communications, and supplies management
    • Manage budgets, reports, and deliverables for programs and any relevant grants
    • Use Active Network to manage enrollments, payment, and account notes
    • Checking email and voicemail and responding to messages during working hours is a daily requirement of this role, including responding to time sensitive parent or staff needs outside of regular hours when necessary.
    • Be the primary responder to child conflict, parent concerns, and other sensitive situations.
    • Staff supervision: Participate in staff supervision as it relates to the programs managed by this position, including hiring, scheduling, time card administration, adherence to the terms of the union contract, and providing ongoing performance feedback to staff. Plan and lead staff meetings and trainings as relevant to program management assignments.


Teaching Responsibilities (20%): On average, this position will teach four farm and nature based outdoor education field trips per week and will teach or support in other programs as needed. Teaching skills and responsibilities include:
  • Planning and leading nature based lessons and activities for groups of children
  • Meeting social and emotional needs of children, including behavior management and modifying plans and schedules to meet the needs of individual children.
  • Use excellent communication skills, including speaking with children and adults as well as written communications including emails to parents and teachers.
Campus Care Schedule and Responsibilities (20%): On average, this position has 10 hours per week that are flexibly used for program admin time and campus care. Campus care responsibilities include:
  • Maintenance of program teaching and play areas (may include mowing, weed whacking, firewood management, management of program supplies, children's garden care, small repairs, and other needs as they arise)
  • Animal Care as needed, which may include a regular weekly task list. This will routinely include PM animal chores at the end of after school program and summer camp days.
  • The physical labor and handy-person type responsibilities can be modified to fit the skills and abilities of the right person.
Position Requirements:
  • Ability and willingness to engage in all of the listed responsibilities
  • A minimum of two full time years of experience in a program manager position with responsibilities that reflect the duties in this job description, including both the admin side of the work and the child facing teaching and leadership work.
  • A minimum of two full time years (or seasonal equivalent) of experience with planning and leading nature based lessons and activities for groups of children in a formal or informal setting (school, camp, nature center).
  • Excellent communication skills, including speaking with children and adults and professional written communications including emails to parents and other external audiences.
  • Ability to work independently and be self directed as well as to compromise, communicate, be flexible, and work closely with a staff team.
  • Strong critical thinking and problem solving skills and ability to use sound judgment as part of routine daily work.
  • Commitment to working joyfully and inclusively with children and adults of all identities, with much of our work serving a racially and economically diverse urban community.
  • Comfort with working in a setting with farm animals and native wildlife
  • Ability and willingness to engage in the physical requirements of this role, including being physically active for the majority of an 8 hour day, safely navigating outdoor terrain, carrying a backpack with teaching supplies, and working outside in all weather conditions.
  • Be a leader in cultivating and modeling a productive, positive staff culture. We are a small, hard working team with a norm of showing up, having a "let's make it happen" mindset, being great teammates for each other, and knowing that the work we do is meaningful and joyful!


Compensation

Full time position: Salary for this position starts at $551695-$60000 and is on the salary Scale III (full scale in linked document below).

Full time roles include 25 days of PTO, 13 paid holidays, and eligibility for a benefits package that includes health, life, dental, and more.

This position is not represented by our Collective Bargaining Agreement with UAW local 2110.

To Apply

If interested, complete the online application via ADP.

Applications received by June 26, 2026 will receive priority consideration. The application will remain open until the position is filled.

Anticipated start date is between August 1 - September 1, 2026.

Nondiscrimination Policy and Notice

Pursuant to Title IX and its regulations ("Final Rule" released on April 19, 2024), the Board of Directors has adopted and implemented a policy stating that the Common Ground District does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity it operates, including admission and employment. Common Ground High School does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, status as a veteran, status as a victim of domestic violence, marital status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, protective hairstyles, alienage, ancestry, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law and prohibits discrimination, including harassment, in any education program or activity it operates. The Board shall provide protections from all forms of sex-based harassment, including sexual violence and unwelcome sex-based conduct that creates a hostile environment by limiting or denying a person's ability to participate in or benefit from a school's education program or activity. The Common Ground District shall take prompt and effective action to end any sex discrimination in its education programs or activities to provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of sex discrimination complaints, prevent recurrence, and remedy its effects. To that end, the District shall act promptly and effectively in response to information about conduct that reasonably may constitute discrimination, including sexual violence and other forms of sex-based harassment. The district shall also ensure that all school employees are trained about their obligations to address sex discrimination and their obligations to notify or provide contact information for the Title IX Coordinator. The Common Ground Board of Directors Non-discrimination policy includes protections for students, employees, and applicants against discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, or recovery from these conditions and shall provide reasonable modifications for students based on pregnancy or related conditions, allow for lactation for employees, and access to a clean, private lactation space for students and employees. Common Ground shall not disclose personally identifiable information obtained through complying with Title IX, with limited exceptions, such as when there had been prior written consent or when the information is disclosed to the parent of a minor. Retaliation against anyone who, in good faith, makes a report of harassment or discrimination, files a complaint of harassment or discrimination, serves as a witness, or participates in an investigation or grievance process is also a violation of Common Ground District's non-discrimination policy and is prohibited.

About the Company

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Common Ground High School

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