Senior Program Coordinator

Job Title:  Senior Program Coordinator

About the Duke Forest:

The Office of the Duke Forest is the university department responsible for the management and stewardship of the Duke Forest Teaching and Research Laboratory. The mission of the Duke Forest is to facilitate research that addresses fundamental and applied questions across a variety of disciplines and to aid in the instruction of all students in their pursuit of knowledge, especially regarding the stewardship of our natural resources. In total, the Duke Forest is approximately 7,100 acres in Durham, Orange, and Alamance counties. Management of the Duke Forest is guided by a comprehensive plan that promotes the Forest’s academic mission while ensuring the protection of its natural resources. Five major management priorities that aim to maximize a wide variety of forest benefits guide the allocation of forest resources, and in particular, direct staff time and energy. These priorities also underlie strategic efforts to enhance the value of the Duke Forest as a University and community asset. More information is available at: dukeforest.duke.edu.

Occupational Summary:

The Senior Program Coordinator (SPC) is a talented administrator and educator with interests in science, the environment, and in connecting people with both. The SPC provides critical capacity for the Office of the Duke Forest (ODF) across its three strategic pillars—community engagement, stewardship for sustainability, and research and teaching. The SPC reports directly to the Assistant Director of Teaching and Research (AD-TR) and collaborates closely with the Executive Director (ED), the Assistant Director of Engagement (AD-E), as well as other programmatic, administrative, and field staff. With the support of these colleagues, the SPC leads the coordination and oversees the implementation of established programs and creates new, innovative programs or projects that advance the Duke Forest Strategic Plan. The SPC also supports collaboration between ODF, Duke’s Office of Climate and Sustainability, and other units under its umbrella to advance the University’s Climate Commitment. A successful SPC appreciates the numerous roles the Duke Forest plays and the diverse audiences it serves. The SPC expresses a sincere commitment to the Duke Forest mission and demonstrates enthusiasm for working within the dynamic, collaborative, and supportive Duke Forest team structure.

Work Performed:

Work Performed:

Community Engagement

• Coordinate the existing community science program, Herpetofauna of the Duke Forest.

• Tasks include but are not limited to: recruit, manage, and train volunteers; maintain programs’ physical and digital infrastructures; create and deliver regular communications; manage data collection systems and perform QA/QC; respond to and manage program or volunteer issues; collect volunteer feedback; and perform annual program assessment.

• Represent the Forest to a diverse suite of stakeholders including: the teaching and research community; university and K-12 students; local citizenry; and Duke University administrators through tours, presentations, multimedia projects, interviews, and more.

• Preparation for tours, et al, includes but is not limited to: developing and delivering content; coordinating with presenters (as needed); advertising and coordinating sign-ups; managing and implementing logistics (including parking, directions, etc.).

• Topics include but are not limited to: natural history, human history, teaching and research legacy, natural resources conservation, and current activities across these themes.

• Identify and manage opportunities to collaborate with Duke Forest staff, as well as university and community partners, to generate actionable ideas that enhance the inclusiveness and accessibility of Duke Forest programs and the diversity of audiences engaged; collect and organize data that helps track progress.

• Create resources, and support users within and outside of Duke, to independently use the Duke Forest for experiential learning.

• Lead and/or support special event coordination alongside Duke Forest staff, e.g., Volunteer Appreciation Cookout (lead) and Annual Gathering (support).

Management & Stewardship

• Coordinate existing stewardship program, the Forest Stewards Volunteer Program. Tasks include but are not limited to those listed above for Herpetofauna Program, plus coordination and occasional field work with Duke Forest field staff to address issues identified by volunteers.

• Assist the Operations Coordinator and the Maintenance and Infrastructure Manager with the administration and coordination of the Annual Deer Management Program, including spotlight surveys.

• Assist the Operations Coordinator and Forest Technician with coordination of volunteer events as requested by groups and/or as needed by Duke Forest staff to support management.

Teaching & Research

• Support the AD-TR in the work to strategically expand focus to projects and programs that support the Duke Forest Strategic Plan; the Duke Climate Commitment; and the University’s priorities to expand experiential learning opportunities and develop academic initiatives that explore/address issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

• Convene/coordinate opportunities to work with existing ODF staff, as well as university and community partners, to generate actionable plans to enhance the inclusiveness and accessibility of Duke Forest’s teaching and research programs (see similar task under Community Engagement).

• Facilitate use of the Duke Forest for teaching and research purposes through on-the-ground orientation to resources and sharing of background information and data.

General

• Support the ED, as needed, with special project coordination. Tasks include but are not limited to background research and write up; schedule and facilitate meetings; capture and summarize notes; facilitate communications; and synthesize and report out on findings. Recent example projects include the Duke Forest Cabin Visioning Process and the 2024 – 2029 Duke Forest Strategic Plan.

• Support the AD-E with the development of the Forest’s communications including creating content for web, newsletter, social media, and the annual Duke Forest LOG bulletin.

• Supervise/manage student workers that may be hired to support program work.

• Assist with occasional all-team efforts and field management activities (e.g., Spotlight Surveys, Deer phone management, prescribed burns).

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required.

• Minimum 3-years’ experience supporting/managing/implementing programs and events with a strong communications component.

• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills; experience managing multiple concurrent projects.

• Excellent interpersonal, teamwork, and collaboration skills; experience working in a dynamic team environment with multiple goals and stakeholders.

• Excellent writing and editing skills; experience differentiating audiences and creating targeted messaging across platforms.

• Experience with communication and program management tools such as listservs, Microsoft Teams, and Airtable.

• High proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel (required); Adobe Creative Suite and Airtable (preferred).

• Experience with ArcGIS and geospatial tools (strongly preferred).

• Valid NC Driver’s license (required).

Location:

The SPC is primarily an office-based role that will work from ODF’s office location on Duke University’s West Campus in Durham, NC. However, the successful applicant will also be willing and

physically able to drive a Duke Forest truck and to engage in work outdoors in the Duke Forest in all seasons, as necessary. The successful applicant will be a consummate team player ready to work in the office or in the field as needed. Some weekend and evening work may be required.

Hours:

40 hours per week, typically 8 – 4:30pm; some weekend and after normal business hours work required.

To apply:

Apply via the Duke Human Resources website. Address cover letter to Lee Anne Reilly, Assistant Director of Teaching and Research. Applications will be accepted and processed on a rolling basis. Selected applicants will be contacted for phone and/or in-person interviews. www.careers.duke.edu

Note: The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of

the specific duties and responsibilities of any position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

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Minimum Qualifications

Education

Work requires analytical, communications and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree program.

Experience

Work requires three years of experience in program administration or OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE involving academic, instructional or counseling activities to acquire skills necessary to plan, coordinate and implement a variety of program activities and events.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

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