Community Gardens Manager - Part Time

GENERAL DEFINITION

This part-time position manages and coordinates the Lehigh County Community Gardens Program. Lehigh County has two community garden sites, one in the Jordan Creek Parkway and one near the Cedarbrook nursing home facility. There are 200 + individual garden plots managed by Farm Preservation.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

This position reports directly to the Director of Farmland Preservation, or designee.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES OF THE POSITION

An employee assigned to this title shall perform all of the duties listed in this job description, which minor level duties performed / or assigned may not be listed.

Prepares and mails garden plot registration forms, plot assignments, rules and other correspondence to gardeners.

Maintains garden plot assignments and payment records.

Communicates with gardeners through direct personal contact, phone, email, and on-site notices.

Monitors garden plots for rule compliance through at minimum, 2X / week onsite inspections during the growing season. And at minimum once per week inspections weather permitting.

Works with gardeners to resolve and correct rule violations.

If required, notifies gardeners that they must abandon their plots if they have repeated uncorrected rule violations.

Organizes and assists with the maintenance of the community garden common areas.

Coordinates and assists in the clean-up of abandoned garden plots.

Organizes and conducts community garden meetings.

Mediates disputes between gardeners.

Assists in the writing and administration of grants benefiting the community gardens.

REQUIREMENTS

- EDUCATION: High School Diploma or GED.

- EXPERIENCE: Vegetable gardening experience.

- CERTIFICATION/LICENSE: Employees assigned to this position will be required to possess and maintain a valid and current motor vehicle operator's license.

- KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of vegetable gardening techniques.

Knowledge of clerical practices and procedures commonly employed in administrative,

government or similar offices.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse group of community gardeners.

Ability to operate personal computers and to use word processing (Microsoft Word), spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel), and presentation (Microsoft PowerPoint) software.

Ability to organize workload, establish priorities and complete technical/clerical assignments.

Ability to work outdoors in hot/cold or inclement weather.

Ability to read, write, speak, understand or communicate in English sufficiently to perform

the duties of this position.

Ability to conduct meetings and give informational presentations to large groups.

Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the

essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Telephones, personal computers, calculators, writing implements, cameras, copy machines, scanners, shredders, weed trimmers and gardening tools.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to ten (10) pounds.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may work in an office setting, but will also spend considerable work time outside at the two Lehigh County Community Garden sites.