Horticulture Specialist

Location: Niles, Kansas City, MO

Job Summary

The essential function of the project is to increase access to healthy foods for Niles Home youth and neighborhood families in surrounding urban core neighborhoods, which includes residents of Theron B Watkins, a nearby housing development.

The key components to this project will provide Niles Home youth and area neighborhood participants’ hands on gardening instruction and educational programming related to gardening and healthy eating.

Workshop learning and participation will take place at two locations, Niles Home and the Clymer Community Center, adjacent to the Theron B Watkins housing development making workshops accessible to residents.

• Flexible schedule
• Monday-Friday
• Up to 20 hrs. per week

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide project participants with education related to gardening and healthy eating, plan environmental activities such as composting, rain gardens, field trips, and cultivate new projects for garden participants.
• Manage the organic garden and native planting area.
• Work with the youth to determine their therapeutic needs as related to horticultural therapy in conjunction with the Niles Treatment Team and/or Niles Prep Teachers
• Provide oversight and management of the Seasonal Community Market
• Manage assignments for the Healthy Lifestyles Project Community Liaison
• Coordinate volunteer activities for the Healthy Lifestyles Project

Education and/or Experience:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or ability required to perform this job satisfactorily, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Qualifications:

At least one to two years in organizing and implementing a project; have adequate knowledge base of healthy eating habits; basic knowledge and experience in gardening; basic computer and clerical skills.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Why KVC?

KVC is a nonprofit child placing and behavioral health agency with a long legacy of compassionately serving children and families. We are committed to providing our employees with a supportive and rewarding work environment. We also believe in the importance of work-life balance, and we offer a variety of programs and resources to help our employees achieve it (Wellbeing Committee, DEI B Committee, Talent Development Programs, etc.).

At KVC Health Systems, our employees are our greatest asset. Based on the voice of our employees, KVC debuted with an 83 Work Wellbeing score on Indeed, a rating so high and rare that it places KVC among the top 1% of employers nationally. We are committed to providing a positive, supportive work environment where you can do your best work and love coming to work every day.