Summer Green Leaders Educator

Job Title: Summer Green Leaders Educator 

Department: Education

Reports to: Youth & Family Partnerships Manager 

Classification:   Seasonal Contract 

Employment Dates:  Jun 8, 2026- Aug 20, 2026 - 20 hrs/week  8am-1pm Monday-Thursday

Salary range:  $29.57/hour

About Bird Alliance of Oregon

Bird Alliance of Oregon has been a leading voice in conservation for over a century. Through conservation advocacy, environmental education, and wildlife rehabilitation, we promote the understanding, enjoyment, and protection of native birds, other wildlife and their habitats. We are located in a 172-acre wildlife sanctuary next to Forest Park, just minutes from downtown Portland.

The goal of Bird Alliance of Oregon Education is to build inclusive flyways between joy, learning and advocacy in nature. Through school programs, camps, adult classes, trips, youth leadership, free events and deep collaborations, we expand access to the outdoors; amplify connections between birds, people and place; and create opportunities for all people to love and care for the natural world in ways that are meaningful for them. In partnership, we strive to nurture just communities working together to make a difference.

Just as birds connect landscapes across an ecosystem, we understand our work in a rich context of cultural communities, neighborhoods and networks across our region. We seek to build

connectivity, common purpose and collective impact through collaboration. We value the profound legacy of stewardship that people who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color have

brought to this work for generations, and we see partnership and mutual aid as essential to everything we do. We’re grateful to spend our days exploring, laughing, and looking up in wonder, and we believe joy is a powerful driver of change, both personal and collective. Together, we hope to foster a lasting, resonant sense of place in the outdoors, and invite everyone to take action for conservation in their own community and throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Position Summary

Bird Alliance of Oregon’s Summer Green Leaders Educator is an educator, organizer and relationship-builder who values the deep connection between nature, family, and community. They appreciate the vital insights that high school youth bring to their neighborhoods and are excited to work with young adults as collaborators in restoring and planting native ecology. They have a passion for Pacific Northwest ecology and see racial and environmental justice as inseparable from their work. They are excited to work collaboratively with partners to build common purpose and respond to the needs and passions of our constituents.

Now in its fifth year, the Green Leaders Program is a 7-month, paid, leadership training program for high school youth, ages 15-20. In collaboration with the Youth & Family Partnerships Manager - the Green Leader Specialist has spearheaded the development of a new track for this program focused on horticulture and sustainable ecology.  The Summer Green Leaders Educator will act as the support to the horticulture track. 

Green Leaders was developed in partnership with Hacienda Community Development Corporation (CDC) to engage Hacienda youth as stewards and naturalists in their own community. It is essential that the Summer Green Leaders Educator has strong, demonstrated lived experience with communities of color. As the community that we work with are Spanish-speaking, proficiency in Spanish is preferred but not required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Support Green Leader Specialist with the Green Leaders curriculum focused on land restoration practices, introduced species identification and removal, native planting, and trail maintenance
• Collaborate with BAO’s Sanctuaries staff to lead horticultural projects for youth at both BAO’s long-standing Sanctuary near Forest Park and our site on East 82nd Avenue
• Be responsive to various emotional and physical needs of the Green Leaders
• Elevate and incorporate land stewardship practices drawn from indigenous learning and communities of color 
• Support equity and inclusion goals, including highlighting the work of people of color, LGBTQIA and other historically marginalized communities in our programs
• Arrange for program provisions such as transportation, food, and equipment, if needed
• Assist with the transportation of Green Leaders, if needed
• Seek out ways to engage youth and families in caring for local green spaces including BAO’s 82nd Ave site, as well as Baltimore Woods, Wilkes Creek Park, and other community-driven locations

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience and comfort leading programs in informal or outdoor settings
• Desire to collaborate and intentionally build authentic, responsive relationships with youth and community partners
• Knowledge of general forest ecology and strong understanding of traditional ecological knowledge desirable
• Experience supporting, mentoring and training high-school-age youth
• Lived experience and demonstrated cultural competency and commitment to working with communities of color, immigrants, and underserved communities
• Patience, collaboration, authentic listening, and responsiveness
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage a flexible and dynamic program schedule
• Possess current Basic First Aid and CPR certification

Working Conditions

• Ability to hike up to 1.5-2 miles on uneven terrain

• Must possess a current driver’s license

• Ability to follow COVID-19 safety procedures and guidelines

• Bending at waist, sitting, kneeling, walking, crouching as job may require

• Ability to lift up to 5o pounds

• Ability to work in adverse weather conditions

Application

Bird Alliance of Oregon does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, national origin, political affiliation or mental or physical handicap. Candidates of color are strongly encouraged to apply. Bird Alliance of Oregon is committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment, reflecting the diversity of our community in its board, staff, volunteers, and members; ensuring its internal culture, business practices, and programs are welcoming and advancing its diversity goals; and empowering people to make positive changes in their community and environment. All Bird Alliance of Oregon employees are expected to serve diverse audiences and help advance our diversity strategies. More background on our diversity efforts can be found at http:/birdallianceoregon.org/about.

Salary : $30