Love animals? Want to make a positive impact on the planet? Come join Woodland Park Zoo as an Empathy Collaborative Specialist! This position, in collaboration with Learning & Innovation department leadership and staff, will work with community partners to co-design environmental programs that meet shared zoo and community partners’ goals. This is a limited duration, grant-funded position ending March 31, 2024.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with key community partners.
• Support collaboration between zoo and project partners, such as AmeriCorps VISTA members and Antioch University.
• Engage with community partners to facilitate co-design processes and plan implementation of culturally relevant empathy-based programs that incorporate conservation priorities and areas of interest highlighted by community.
• Develop and create community-based co-design process and best practices.
• Support zoo and Antioch University teams to assess effectiveness of modified experiences in programming and events to measure the zoo’s progress at achieving the staff and community outcomes. Coordinate the refinement/iteration of programming based on feedback from staff, community, and key stakeholders.
• Prepare learnings for conference presentations and participate in Advancing Conservation through Empathy for Wildlife Network conversations.
• Draft communications and support zoo-wide project communication, including facilitation of cross-departmental discussions to incorporate co-design best practices and community input zoo-wide.
• Work with department leadership to develop co-design best practices and integrate them more fully into program development and zoo-wide norms.
• Research content and participate in professional development opportunities to stay informed of new trends and topics in community-based programming and co-design; share knowledge with colleagues.
• Research and write articles, blog posts, flyers, publications, grant report/narrative information, communications/interpretive materials, and other supporting materials.
• Support grant writing, grant reports, donor cultivation tours, events, and other fundraising initiatives as directed by department leadership.
• Perform other duties or projects as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree (B.S. or B.A.) in related field and four (4) or more years’ related experience in informal learning, environmental education, program development, community development, or similar fields; and/or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, ability to incorporate different perspectives, and work with diverse populations and stakeholders (staff, partners, volunteers, visitors, etc.).
• Experience developing and facilitating engaging, inclusive, and justice-oriented programming for a variety of audiences.
• Experience working in diverse communities including multiple generations (seniors, youth, working adults), as well as across ethnic and racial communities.
• Experience discussing science, conservation and/or nature in both formal and informal settings.
• Experience with community-focused and culturally relevant programming.
• Demonstrated project management skills that include attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to creatively manage projects with many moving parts.
• Proficient and experienced in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
• Ability to prioritize workload and schedules in a fast-paced environment with multiple agendas.
• Open to experimentation, learning, and adjustments along the way; ability to push through ambiguity to deliver results.
• Ability to work successfully both independently and in a team setting.
• Ability to work a non-standard/flexible schedule, which may include weekends, evenings, and holidays.

PREFERRED SKILLS

• Washington State Driver’s License.
• Ability to speak a language in addition to English.
• Experience with empathy-based education objectives, social-emotional learning objectives, and/or other related education experience.
• Experience with community co-design or participatory design process.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• This position may be required to lift and/or move up to 35 pounds.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to perform essential functions.

Want to know more? Read the full job description here! 

Pay: $58,000-62,000 per year, plus benefits 

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. A criminal background check will be required of the selected applicant.