Position: Senior Coordinator, PLT Education Programs

Supervisor: Director, Education and PLT Network

Location: Washington D.C. (hybrid, in office 2-3 days/week)

Status: Regular, Full-Time, Not Exempt from overtime.

ABOUT US:

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) is a non-profit leader dedicated to advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. A key driver of SFI’s success is its ability to engage diverse communities to deliver across its 4 pillars: Standards, Conservation, Community, Education.

Project Learning Tree (PLT), SFI’s education program, advances environmental education, forest literacy and career pathways using trees and forests as windows on the world. Our award-winning resources offer a lifetime of learning from early childhood through adulthood. Our wide and diverse PLT Network provides professional development for educators and opportunities for young people to explore nature and the diversity of green careers in the forest and conservation sector. Together, we are growing future forest and conservation leaders.

SFI is proud to provide our employees with a collaborative, dynamic, and rewarding professional experience, with a competitive compensation and benefits package and growth opportunities. Our benefits include:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family
• Retirement plan with generous employer contribution and additional matching contribution up to 11% of your salary, provided you also contribute 4%
• Paid Time Off: generous vacation policy, ranging from 2 weeks to 5 weeks increasing with experience, all 11 federal holidays, plus 4 floating holidays annually that may be used to observe additional religious, cultural, or traditional occasions that are meaningful to you, 12 sick days annually
• Educational assistance and investment in professional development

ABOUT THIS ROLE:

The Senior Coordinator, PLT Education Programs advances SFI’s mission by supporting PLT’s dynamic network of state and international partners, including over 80 state agencies, nonprofit organizations, universities, trade associations, and others. The Senior Coordinator works collaboratively with PLT State Programs on the promotion, delivery, and dissemination of PLT’s curriculum materials, professional development, and other initiatives. This position will work closely with SFI’s entire education team in both the U.S. and Canada and play a pivotal role in providing project management leadership. SFI embraces an ambitious plan to grow the scale and reach of PLT to advance environmental literacy, stewardship, and career pathways. The Senior Coordinator prioritizes Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), across all collaborative work.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Manage SFI Education Grants proposal review, contract execution, fund disbursement, and deliverable reporting processes working collaboratively with Sr. Coordinator, PLT Education Systems
• Provide proactive support and guidance to PLT Network in program delivery and operations, including:
  • Project managing MOU development, execution, and renewal process with PLT delivery partners in the US and internationally, in support of Director, Strategic Partnerships and Director, Education and PLT Network.
  • Leading onboarding of new PLT State Coordinators and offboarding of departing PLT State Coordinators.
  • Acting as project manager for virtual learning series and quarterly virtual Town Halls for PLT Network including 7-10 virtual events annually.
  • Tracking state-level PLT programs to identify potential opportunities to elevate work for development of national-level resources and/or highlight in national communications.
  • Acting as the initial point of contact and ensuring timely responses, working collaboratively with the Education pillar team.
  • Manage the content development and distribution of monthly communications with PLT Network.
• Lead exploration and research in support of new delivery models for PLT programming including expanding reach to pre-service audiences, district school boards, and underserved communities.
• Coordinate reporting on grants and sponsorships received, including keeping track of reporting requirements and timeline, requesting, and capturing project deliverable updates across the team and PLT Network, and drafting narrative reports.
• Support the Director of Strategic Partnerships and the Director of Education and PLT Network in the tracking and execution of PLT programming for funding deliverables, including MOU development and execution, acting as the main point of contact for PLT State Coordinators in the logistics and project management of state and regional work.
• Support the Director of Education and PLT Network in the development and delivery of the PLT Annual Conference and Education Operating Committee meetings including content development, coordinating concurrent session call for proposals, review, and selection, managing speakers and awards process, and event management.
• Support the Director of Education and PLT Network to identify PLT Network training and support needs and collaborate with SFI colleagues to develop resources and tools to meet those needs.
• Support the development of communication materials to increase the reach of PLT programming in collaboration. with Director, Sales, and Marketing.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position will not initially have direct employee supervisory responsibilities.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS / TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

Physical requirements include ability to work from a desk at a computer for prolonged periods of time; occasional lifting/carrying of up to 15 pounds. Subject to sitting, standing, reaching, walking, twisting, and kneeling to perform the essential functions.

This position requires occasional travel to the US and Canada, up to 15% of time.

WORK LOCATION:

The Senior Coordinator, PLT Education Programs role is open to individuals within commuting distance of Washington, DC. Employees located withing commuting distance of Washington, DC are required to work from the office 2-3 days per week, with Tuesdays and Wednesdays as designated in-office days.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, education or environmental studies preferred, or equivalent relevant work experience.
• At least 3 years of experience in formal or nonformal education delivery or an education-adjacent position.
• Prior experience/awareness of the PLT program, working with district school boards, project management, and grant management and reporting a plus.

QUALIFICATIONS/PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

The ideal candidate will bring:

• Passion about environmental education in formal and nonformal settings.
• Demonstrated understanding of the US educational landscape including federal-, state-, district-, and school-level administrative structure.
• Familiarity with national-level education standards including NGSS and Common Core and how these relate to and interact with state-level education standards.
• Track record for project management of multiple, concurrent projects including prioritizing activities and managing timelines.
• Superior written and verbal communications skills to clearly and succinctly communicate.
• Excellent organizational skills with attention to detail and the ability to effectively plan, analyze, execute, and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to be a problem solver and a utility player.
• Positive attitude and high energy, enjoyment working cooperatively in a team environment, and will prioritize the mission over individual agendas.
• Experience building/maintaining positive and collaborative relationships with partners and stakeholders.
• Track record for handling tasks with diplomacy, tenacity, patience, and a drive for results in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Windows and Microsoft Office suite (particularly Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
• A sound work ethic with the ability to act both independently and as part of a team.
• Direct experience in the forestry or natural resources sectors preferred.
• Experience with Salesforce is a plus.
• Proficiency in Spanish and/or French is a plus.

 APPLY:

Applications DUE April 5, 2025. Early applications encouraged.

We strive to be a diverse and inclusive organization that strongly supports the growth and development of its people. As such, we realize that not every candidate will perfectly meet all the requirements outlined in this (or any) posting. If you believe you bring the “must have” experiences, skills, and qualifications, and are confident that you can learn the rest, we encourage you to go ahead and apply for a position with us.

The salary range for this position is $55,000 to $65,000; the successful candidate’s actual salary will be dependent upon a number of factors, including geography, education/training, experience, time-in-role, management qualifications (as applicable) and skillset.

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SFI is proud to provide our employees with a collaborative, dynamic, and rewarding professional experience, with a competitive compensation and benefits package and growth opportunities. We are committed to creating a diverse environment and being an equal opportunity employer. Our team represents a broad range of cultures, education, disciplines, and work and life experiences, and we strive to leverage these differences in our daily work. We will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic. We believe in creating an empowered and supportive team that is committed to advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaborations.

Learn more about SFI Staff Culture, read our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy, and review our Indigenous Relations Commitment.