Program Operation Manager

Program Operations Manager Position

The Program Operations Manager is a key member of the Bartram’s Garden team of change-makers working to position this 50-acre Southwest Philadelphia asset as a dynamic civic common and river garden. Reporting to the Director of Public Programs, the Program Operations Manager serves the mission of Bartram’s Garden by managing the calendar of shared space usage and supervising, supporting, and working alongside frontline staff that support daily site visitation.  

Duties and Responsibilities: 

Manage the Program Operations Team as they support and/or lead events, complete routine custodial duties, facilitate daily public access to the site, and operate the Welcome Center. Direct reports include:  

• Garden Ambassador Coordinator (fulltime, year-round)  

• Welcome Center Coordinator (fulltime, year-round) 

• Program Logistics Coordinator (fulltime, year-round)  

• Sitewide Custodial Coordinator (fulltime, year-round)  

Support the Garden Ambassadors Coordinator in employing exceptional communication and conflict de-escalation skills in service of a safe and welcoming environment for staff and visitors within the 50 + acre site 

Support the Welcome Center Coordinator in the delivery of high-quality reliable visitor services, effective communication of up to the minute information to staff and the public from the Welcome Center space, and cultivation of mutually beneficial vendor relationships via the commercial space including management of retail inventory and point of sales services. 

Support the Program Logistics Coordinator in working closely with partners and serving as an event planning person and/or day-of staff lead for many private or public events throughout the calendar year, ensuring that shared programming spaces and supplies are efficiently organized, well-stocked, and presentable, leading support of onsite staff as a daily Point Person, and completing daily custodial tasks as assigned.   

Support the Sitewide Custodial Coordinator in ensuring sitewide cleanliness by identifying, prioritizing, and completing custodial tasks, maintaining an inventory of janitorial supplies, supporting onsite staff as a daily Point Person, and providing program and event assistance as assigned.   

Facilitate transparency, efficiency, and communication within the Visitor Services Team and throughout the organization as a whole by gathering, organizing, and communicating logistical information relevant to both daily operations and special events. 

Maintain a dynamic shared site usage calendar  

Ensure appropriate staffing during all open hours (including evenings, weekends and holidays.)  

Orchestrate high quality staff support for a diverse array of activities that range from small to large-scale, executing effective communication and collaboration across teams, partners, and guests to address all event support needs and to ensure the protection of living collection, facilities, and historic landmark throughout event execution. 

Orchestrate and communicate staffing schedules to Visitor Services Team in a consistent, transparent, and equitable manner to foster an environment of collaboration, mutual support, and opportunity for work-life balance.  

Work collaboratively with the Program Logistics Coordinator and Director of Public Programs to track, document and crosscheck all Bartram’s Garden-led onsite event planning and maintain high standards in facilitating access to the public park   

Create and maintain detailed inventories of shared program supplies and support Coordinators in maintaining program-specific supply inventories 

Attend regular Logistics Team (Event Capacity Workgroup) meetings, compiling detailed event request digests to share regularly with staff and board via email  

Lead Program Operations team in the formal and informal collection and interpretation of staff and visitor feedback  

Coordinate the rotation of staff assigned to lead onsite daily operations via the Point Person role. 

Schedule outside contractors for parking support as needed  

Support the evolving needs of staff in public-facing roles. 

Model best practices in facilitating productive, efficient check-in meetings with team members, sharing relevant information and advancing relevant concerns promptly  

Work with Director of Public Programs and Coordinators to achieve proficiency in the duties required of each member of Visitor Services Team member; provide high-level coverage when team members are out sick, on vacation, etc., including sometimes serving as onsite Point Person  

Provide training and ongoing support to ensure that all Visitor Services staff are comfortable with their job requirements and that they are performing their duties in alignment with organization protocols. 

Serve as a member of the Safety Working group, attending regular meetings and supporting the ongoing development of effective sitewide safety protocols.  

Serve as a staff liaison for organizational partners as assigned, including the Greater Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition.  

Flex schedule as required to provide direct staff coverage to support access to additional onsite amenities such as FloatLab. 

Support the implementation and execution of events and public programs including all annual site-wide events including Southwest Spring Fest, Juneteenth, Twilight, Indigenous People’s Day, Harvest Fest, and Handmade Holidays  

With the support of the Human Resources manager and Executive Director, occasionally review security camera footage with law enforcement in response to incidents involving the public.  

Coordinate with the Director of Horticulture and Facilities and the Director of Public Programs to support emergency and extreme weather responses. 

Qualifications:  

Strong managerial skills and an established track record of managing a team of public-facing staff.  

Three to five years of experience in a visitor-centric organization including managing multiple projects, scheduling, and budgeting 

Customer service skills with diverse populations, including youth  

Strong computer skills (Excel, Word, Outlook and web-based work platforms) 

Proficiency with Shopify or other point-of-sale systems and best practices in retail inventory management  

Personal or professional familiarity with Southwest Philadelphia preferred 

Able to work collaboratively with people from diverse backgrounds in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, and religion. 

Experience working in communities of color, commitment to racial, economic, environmental and social justice. 

Strong organization, multi-tasking and time management skills 

Flexibility to work holidays, weekends, early mornings and late nights in both indoor & outdoor and in all weather conditions. 

Ability to lift 40 lbs. and to perform physical tasks under a variety of conditions 

Position Requirement 

PA Criminal Background Check, Federal Bureau of Investigation Clearance, PA Child Abuse Clearance are required prior to start date. 

Schedule and Benefits  

This is a full-time, exempt, year-round position with a salary range of $52,000 to $55,000 per year. This is a working manager position, and the right candidate can expect to routinely fill in for members of their team who are out sick or on vacation. Our site is open daily, and the Program Operations Manager will often be required to work Tuesdays through Saturdays along with weekends, holidays, early mornings, and late nights. Benefits include healthcare and dental coverage, short and long-term disability coverage, paid holidays, vacation, and sick time. 

Timeline 

We will begin reaching out to qualified candidates in mid to late March, targeting a mid-April to early May start date.