Job Opportunity

Position: Program Manager
Program: Growing Up Organic
Organization: Canadian Organic Growers
Location: Ottawa ON. This role is primarily remote. There may be periodic travel required.

Canadian Organic Grower’s (COG) mission is to provide education, advocacy, and leadership to help build an agricultural system that empowers farmers and consumers, enhances human health, builds community, and mitigates climate change while increasing Canadian food sovereignty (cog.ca).

• Position Details: Manager, Growing Up Organic Program
• Term: full-time, 37.5 hrs/week
• Start Date: Ideally immediately, but negotiable for the right candidate
• Reporting: Director, Education, Extension & Outreach

Position Overview:

The GUO Program Manager leads the delivery of the organization’s Growing Up Organic (GUO) program in the Ottawa area. Their primary objective is to bring school gardens to life as vibrant, hands-on learning spaces. This role builds strong relationships with local school boards educators and community partners and ensures programs are engaging, inclusive and aligned with seasonal and curricular goals.

Main Tasks:

The Manager oversees program staff, manages program budgets, supports educational content development, and oversees the coordination of program logistics. They also track program impact and work closely within COG’s Department of Education, Extension and Outreach (DEEO) including with the Manager of Youth Programming to stay connected with the broader youth-focused programming at Canadian Organic Growers (COG).

Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Delivery

• Supervise program staff to ensure successful workshop facilitation.
• Deliver and oversee annual in-school programming activities on time and to budget.
• Oversee the onboarding for new schools and the maintenance of strong relationships with partner schools and educators.
• Oversee the development and outreach communications and educational content for participating educators.
• Develop and manage the program budget(s) monthly and annually.
• Participate in program fundraising throughout the year, increasing activity during slower program periods.

Educational Development

• Provide context, guidance, and ideas to inform the development and revision of educational materials and resources, ensuring alignment with provincial curriculum standards
• Support facilitators on best practices in garden / experiential education as it relates to GUO.
• Develop new opportunities for partnerships and collaboration with schools, farmers, and organizations including with Indigenous peoples and other equity deserving groups.
• Represent GUO at public forums, including webinars, events, conferences, and working groups.

Resource & Site Coordination

• Oversee seasonal workshop schedules and garden placement approvals.
• Oversee workshop material planning and organization.

Evaluation & Reporting

• Work with DEEO to align program delivery with organizational goals.
• Oversee the collection of program feedback from facilitators and program participants for improvements and impact.
• Manage reporting to local school boards and other stakeholders on the status and impact of the GUO program.

Core Competencies:

• Knowledge of: experiential learning, organic gardening, organic farming, interdisciplinary education, the Ontario and nation-wide curriculums, food and agriculture literacy, climate change, equity and inclusion, etc.
• Strong presentation, facilitation and public speaking skills.
• Strong organizational, self-management, and team management skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a remote and on-site (in schools) work setting and manage multiple projects/activities/deadlines in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively to coordinate work plans across projects to ensure milestones are met on time and to budget.
• Excellent communications skills, both written and oral, are required along with a strong customer service orientation.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, combined with empathy and courtesy, and the ability to connect meaningfully with a broad range of persons from educators to children and youth.
• Highly motivated to transform the education system in Canada to include food and agriculture literacy, the environment, and experiential education.

Employment Requirements:

The preferred candidate will have the Core Competencies listed above, and:

• University/college degree or diploma in education, agriculture, ag business, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 2 - 3 years proven work experience in a similar position.
• Demonstrated experience working with small organizations, and community initiatives such as not for profits / charities.
• Strong knowledge of organic gardening principles, outdoor / experiential education, food systems, and school gardens as educational tools.
• Experience in teaching or facilitating outdoor education to children and youth.
• Experience developing teachable lessons & workshops.
• Experience managing program budget including oversight for accounts paybale/receivable (bookkeeping support is provided).
• Adept at Microsoft Office Suite, G Suite, and strong familiarity with project management tools (ASANA), methodologies, and best practices and/or be willing and able to adapt to new platforms and technologies.
• Proficient in video conferencing via Google Meets, Microsoft Teams, and/or Zoom.
• Police record check for working with vulnerable populations.

Additional Assets:

• Ability to communicate effectively in both of Canada’s official languages.
• Grant writing and fundraising skills.
• Knowledgeable in Canva and Mailchimp.

Other Duties:

This role may include other tasks and responsibilities that may arise during the term of this position aligned to the competencies outlined in this job description. New tasks will be discussed in advance and every effort will be made to keep tasks within reason to the original duties outlined within this job description.

Working Conditions:

• This role is primarily remote. There may be periodic travel required.
• The Manager requires a fully equipped home office (own computer, internet etc.).

Equal Opportunity:

COG is committed to policy and programming that acknowledge and serve the diversity within our sector. COG provides equal employment opportunities to employees and contractors regardless of their gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. COG believes that our sector, and our work as a national organization, will be stronger with decreased barriers to entry and as such we strongly encourage people who belong to an equity-deserving groups (2SLGBTQ+, BIPOC, women, etc) to apply to join our team, and to self-identify in your application if you feel comfortable. We offer a family-friendly environment that allows for flexible work arrangements to support staff diversity and ensure a healthy work-life balance.

The contents above indicate the experience and qualifications needed to succeed in the job. COG understands that candidates may not have all the qualifications listed. If you possess approximately 80 percent of the essential experience/qualifications, we encourage you to apply.

Terms of Employment and Benefit Entitlements:

This is a full/part-time position. The successful candidate should have the legal right to work in Canada.

• Manager salary range: $60,000 - $75,000
• A health and dental benefits package is provided to employees
• 3 weeks paid vacation leave is, plus office closure between December 25th-January 1st, and personal and sick leave
• Flexible working hours
• Monthly cell-phone stipend will be provided

Closing Date: January 9th, 2026 or until a suitable candidate is found

Interested candidates can send one PDF including both cover letter and resume to Nathalie at: guo-ottawa@cog.ca

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