Part-time (0.8 FTE) 

Bridgewater, Lutruwita/Tasmania

Material Institute is a not-for-profit that brings together 24 Carrot Gardens and a range of activities to support children, young people and their families to be healthy, resilient and able to achieve their full potential. Our flagship program, 24 Carrot Gardens (24CG), supports kitchen gardens across 24 schools statewide, alongside a growing range of community programs and social enterprises.

24CG’s work is delivered through a network of school gardens, kitchens and education specialists, where purpose-built spaces connect nature, seasonality and food into students' lives. Our Program Managers sit at the intersection, navigating the space between programming, infrastructure, students, educators, school administrators, and our internal team. The aim is to ensure that each school receives responsive support that recognises local community and context.

We have an opportunity for a Program Manager to work with a designated cluster of primary and secondary 24CG schools. In addition, you will also take a lead role in establishing long-term projects to elevate our kitchen programming over time.

About the Role

• As the primary contact for a group of southern schools, partner with School Leadership Teams to ensure their kitchen garden programs are coordinated, adequately resourced, and positively impacting school communities.
• Liaise between schools and internal resourcing to coordinate responsive, practical, and realistic support to Kitchen and Garden Specialists and Lead Teachers.
• Develop relationships with School Leadership Teams that are grounded in collaboration, support, and clear boundaries.
• Keep administration systems and processes up to date by maintaining central program databases, circulating financial details, and supporting schools with cyclical impact measurement surveys.
• Work with our Head Chef to develop a selection of relevant kitchen programming materials that support programming and align with school garden produce.
• Assess existing kitchen infrastructure across our schools and collaborate with relevant peers to prioritise equipment investments and upgrades.
• Stay up to date with the food education and relief landscape, identifying opportunities to partner and connect external organisations with 24CG schools where mutual benefits exist.

The You

• An adaptable program manager who understands the nuance of unique school settings without losing sight of the holistic 24CG program.
• Capable of observing, assessing, and responding to requests for support with objectivity and acknowledgement of boundaries, supporting schools to hold operational ownership where appropriate.
• Maintains standards when shifting between different contexts, such as just-in-time troubleshooting for schools complex group-wide initiatives.
• Brings food expertise or a complementary skillset, coupled with the ability to develop and lead projects that support and further 24CG food programming.
• A natural collaborator who can build trust and rapport with a diverse group of peers, and is motivated by contributing to the collective in the interests of the program.

To Apply: Submit your application via the "Apply Now" button. Applications close at 9am on the closing date. For further information, contact [email protected] using the subject line: 24CG Southern Program Manager enquiry via EthicalJobs.

We are a child-safe organisation, committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people we work with.