Labor and Community Job Opportunities, Opportunities

City Parks Foundation Seeks Catalyst Organizer (NYC)

Description

ABOUT CITY PARKS FOUNDATION 

At City Parks Foundation (CPF), we are dedicated to invigorating and transforming New York City parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through sports, arts, community building, and education programs for all New Yorkers. Our programs — located in more than 350 parks, recreation centers, and public schools across New York City — reach 425,000 people each year.

  • CityParks Shows brings hundreds of live music, dance and theater performances to communities throughout New York City’s five boroughs. The SummerStage festival presents over 100 free performances and benefit concerts each year in 16 parks throughout the city, ranging from American pop, Latin and world music to dance, spoken word and theater. The Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, home to one of the last public marionette companies in the US, presents modern takes on classic fairytales, and the traveling PuppetMobile presents family-friendly puppet shows and workshops outdoors around the city, free of charge.
  • Partnership for Parks is a unique public-private partnership between CPF and NYC Parks that supports and champions neighborhood volunteers by giving them the tools they need to advocate and care for their neighborhood parks and green spaces.
  • CityParks Learn environmental education programs help students experience the fun of science, while learning about their relationship to the natural world and the ways in which they can protect our natural environment. We provide environmental science programs for elementary, middle and high school students throughout New York City, serving nearly 3,000 kids through school-day, afterschool and summer programming, as well as credit-bearing training and paid internships for teenagers.
  • CityParks Play activates New York’s neighborhood parks with free sports programs for kids, including tennis, soccer, golf, track & field, and multi sport instruction, as well as fitness classes for seniors. We help New Yorkers stay active and healthy, discover new sports, and make new friends.

Our ethos is simple: we believe thriving parks mean thriving communities.

POSITION SUMMARY 

Catalyst, a program of Partnerships for Parks, harnesses the resources of City Parks Foundation, NYC Parks, and local partners to improve high needs parks and build community in historically underserved neighborhoods. The Catalyst Organizer will connect local residents, groups, and community-based organizations with their local open spaces; foster park and water stewardship and community-building activities among local residents and groups; and promote parks as a community resource for civic engagement, activation, programming, and environmental stewardship. The Catalyst Organizer will expand engagement in 3 – 5 sites at any given time, which will shift every 1 – 2 years.

The Catalyst Organizer will be expected to work as part of a team and report to the Director of Catalyst.

REQUIREMENTS

  • Develop a thorough understanding of assigned Catalyst parks and local issues, demographics and opportunities
  • Through asset mapping and onsite/neighborhood activation, identify stakeholders interested in caring for their park and community
  • Cultivate partnerships with intensive, customized support
  • Facilitate communication and collaboration among interested partners
  • Support the leadership development of local partners as ongoing, sustainable park and waterfront stewards by connecting them to Partnerships for Parks and other skill building and engagement opportunities
  • Conduct ongoing coaching for partners in alignment with Catalyst goals
  • Document, highlight, promote, and advance partner and Partnerships for Parks efforts in and around Catalyst parks
  • Serve as liaison between community partners and NYC Parks, CPF and other organizations
  • Connect and leverage local and regional resources to support and amplify community partner efforts
  • Track Catalyst work in database – maintain individual and organizational records, input outcomes and other important details as determined by the Catalyst Director
  • Develop internal and external reports as needed
  • Participate in work plan development and strategic planning
  • Work closely with Catalyst Director and CPF fundraising team to inform fundraising plans and reporting
  • Support special Partnerships for Parks initiatives as needed, working collaboratively across program areas to share best practices and support stewardship development broadly

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Demonstrable ability to work with diverse constituencies
  • Community organizing, coalition-building, public service/administration, and/or programming experience – degree in related field preferred, not required
  • Strong public speaking, writing, and listening skills
  • Motivated, resourceful, and creative self-starter with a passion for sustainable community development who is confident working both individually and as part of a team
  • Responsible, detail-oriented, and organized project manager
  • Experience planning community-led events and/or collaborative projects that feature multiple stakeholders and interests
  • Comfort and facility with office software and Google apps
  • Experience with qualitative and quantitative data collection
  • Willingness to travel frequently around NYC and work on-site as often as needed
  • Flexible schedule – ability to work nights and weekends
  • Driver’s License, required
  • Bi or multilingual strongly preferred

WORKING FOR CITY PARKS FOUNDATION 

Benefits include excellent healthcare and dental package, vacation, paid holidays, 403(b) Retirement Plan, Transit Check program, life insurance, and flexible spending plan. City Parks Foundation is a collegial, mission-focused organization that values its employees and encourages professional growth and advancement.

Professional Level: None specified

Minimum Education Required: No requirement

How To Apply

Interested parties should email cover letter, resume, and salary requirements to: TEnoch@CityParksFoundation.org. Put “Catalyst Organizer” in subject header.

Thank you for your interest in City Parks Foundation, an equal opportunity employer. Only potential candidates will be contacted. No calls, please.