Friends of Lafitte Greenway seeks a passionate and dynamic individual to develop, deliver, and evaluate the organization's projects, programming, and community engagement activities.

Position Summary:

• Status: Full-Time / Exempt
• Compensation: $40,000-$55,000
• Benefits: Health, Vision, & Dental Insurance, 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 13 paid holidays, Simple IRA Retirement Plan - 3-5% employer match.
• Report to: Executive Director
• Schedule & Location: Some evenings and weekends will be required. Activities will include a combination of office work, and activities on the Greenway managing programs, projects, and events.

To Apply: 

This position will be posted until the position is filled.

1. Complete online application form: Programs & Projects Manager 2022 Form
2. Submit your resume and cover letter: As email attachments to [email protected]. Please follow these naming guidelines:

   a. Email Subject Line: Programs & Projects Manager Application
   b. Resume File Name: "LastName_FirstName_Resume"
   c. Cover Letter File Name: "LastName_FirstName_CoverLetter"

About Friends of Lafitte Greenway:

Friends of Lafitte Greenway (Friends) is a community-driven non-profit committed to the mission to build, program, and promote the Lafitte Greenway as a great public space. Our vision is a healthy and vibrant Greenway that connects people to nature, their destinations, and each other.

Friends was formed in early 2006 by New Orleans community members who saw an opportunity to rethink their community’s landscape to enhance livability, environmental sustainability, open space equity, health, and revitalization. The organization built a network of diverse constituents who shared its vision of preserving the continuous open space in the former Lafitte rail corridor, and developing a Greenway that encourages active living, stimulates economic development, and links adjacent neighborhoods, cultural amenities, historic sites, and public spaces.

The Lafitte Greenway opened in November 2015 as a 2.6 mile pedestrian and bike path and linear park, connecting neighborhoods from Armstrong Park to City Park. The Lafitte Greenway is a public park, managed by the City of New Orleans and the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD) in close partnership with Friends of Lafitte Greenway. Working through a formal public-private partnership agreement with the City and NORD, we collaborate to program, develop, and steward the Greenway. 

Friends is guided by a Board of Directors, members, volunteers, and staff. We deliver high-quality programming and projects, communications, and advocacy and improvements to make the Greenway an excellent public space for the New Orleans community.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Planning, & Implementation - Lead development of annual Programs & Projects Plan, furthering organization’s strategic goals and responding to community input. Set program goals, milestones, budgets, policies and procedures. Manage program and project implementation from start to completion, ensuring all programs and activities are of high quality and comply with Friends’ policies and funding requirements.
• Partnerships - Develop and maintain productive relationships and communications with partner organizations and stakeholders including City and government officials, partner nonprofits, community organizations, businesses, and donors, to ensure program and project success. Manage response to programmatic partnership requests for programs, projects, and events on the Greenway.
• Data, Evaluation, and Reporting - Manage data collection and digital record-keeping for all programs and projects for comprehensive evaluation. Prepare written reports and briefings for funders, Executive Director, Board of Directors, and partners.
• Budgeting & Financial Management - Develop and manage program and project budgets. Monitor programs/project spending against budgets. Oversee program financial accountability and controls working with the Finance Committee.
• Personnel Management - Recruit, train, and manage program and project teams including program staff, AmeriCorps members, contractors, ambassadors, interns, and volunteers.
• Committee & Volunteer Management - Manage program and project committees, including inviting participants, scheduling committee meetings, developing agendas and supporting documents, facilitating meetings, and coordinating follow-ups. Engage and oversee volunteer support and participation.
• Community Engagement - Lead Friends community outreach and engagement activities. Conduct surveys, hold community meetings, present to neighborhood organizations, community, and stakeholder groups. Manage Greenway Ambassador Program, and engage Greenway volunteers and prospective partners.
• Communications - Represent Friends externally through participation in coalitions, public presentations, tours, and meetings. Working with Development & Communications Manager, develop and distribute digital and print content and materials to promote programs and activities, including emails, web content, posters, flyers, social media, and media releases. Respond to emails for programmatic and project requests on the Greenway.
• Fundraising & Administration - Support fundraising activities, working with Development and Communications Manager and Executive Director, including event-planning, grant-writing, and donor development.

Current Programs and Projects:

In 2022, Friends of Lafitte Greenway is beginning a new cycle of strategic planning. The Projects & Programs Manager will work with the Board, staff, and community stakeholders to shape the future of Greenway projects and programming. Current program activities and projects that the Projects & Programs Manager will be responsible for managing is provided below, organized into three program sectors.

• People - A community-oriented and highly used public space. 
  • Broad to the Bayou Planning - Planning, design, public engagement, and development of underutilized space to incorporate into the Greenway.
  • Greenway Signage - Development of new interpretive and wayfinding signage on the Greenway.
  • Trail Amenities - Installation of improvements to the Greenway such as benches, trash cans, paths, picnic tables, and bike pump stations.
  • Arts Activation - Temporary and permanent art installations to activate the Greenway, including a 2022 mural project.
  • Get Fit the Greenway - Free outdoor fitness class series.
  • Supernova - Light-based artwork and community celebration: December 2022.
  • Cultural & Community Events - Music series, Halloween Spooktacular, Movies in the Park, Easter Eggstravaganza, Kite Day, and other community arts and cultural events.
  • Greenway Ambassadors - Community is at the heart of Friends of Lafitte Greenway's work. The Lafitte Greenway Ambassador program empowers community leaders to drive our programs and events, outreach activities, tours, and more on the Greenway.

• Nature - A well-maintained ecosystem that is thriving, attractive, and sustainable. 
  • Swale & Meadow Establishment - Initiative to re-establish Greenway meadows and bioswale demonstration spaces. 
  • Tree Planting - Project to reforest sections of the Greenway with bald cypress.
  • Volunteer Stewardship - Hosting volunteer clean-up, planting, and invasive species removing days, approximately once per month.
  • Greenway Walking Tours - Leading historic and environmental educational walking tours of the Greenway.

• Transportation - A transportation connector that safely links neighborhoods and locations along the Greenway.
  • Bioswale Bridges - Collaborating with partner organizations to build new bike and pedestrian bridges across the Greenway’s bioswales.
  • Complete Streets Coalition - Participation as active members of the New Orleans Complete Street Coalition.
  • Complete the Greenway Campaign - Project to plan and complete Lafitte Greenway trail to Canal Boulevard.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree 
• 3+ years of relevant professional work experience in a related field
• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to work effectively with a wide range of people
• Great computer skills including Google Suite, word, excel, email, social media.
• Project and program timeline management skills. Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Relationship management experience with partners, contractors, and stakeholders.
• Highly organized and detail oriented.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work in a deadline-oriented office in a complex, fast-moving, and changing environment.
• An entrepreneurial spirit with a high degree of creativity, flexibility, problem-solving ability, and initiative.
• Self-motivated, results-driven, detail-oriented, and energetic.
• Able to listen, lead, persuade, motivate, convey key messages, respect and diplomatically maintain positive relationships with a wide range of audiences and constituencies throughout the community.
• Passionate about our mission, and aligned with our values.
• Strong public speaking and presentation skills.
• Culturally sensitive and politically savvy.
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods.
• Ability to work on a non-traditional schedule that includes some evenings and weekends.
• Ability to lift 40 pounds in order to set up program equipment and supplies.

COVID Vaccination

Employees are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (i.e., have received both doses of a two-dose vaccine or a single dose of a one-dose vaccine) and must provide proof of vaccination upon request by the organization. Requests for potential accommodation shall be considered in accordance with applicable law if and at such time as a conditional offer of employment is extended to a candidate. Applicants should not provide any medical or genetic information with their application

Equal Opportunity Employment

Friends will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, sex, color, religion, gender, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, creed, culture, or ancestry, and (2) where applicable, will take affirmative action to ensure that employees are treated during employment without regard to their race, sex, color, religion, gender, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, creed, culture, or ancestry. This applies to, but not is not limited to the following: employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoff or termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training, including apprenticeship. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, gender, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, creed, culture, or ancestry. 

Non-Discrimination

Friends will not discriminate on the basis, whether in fact or perception, of a person's race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, domestic partner status, marital status, physical or mental disability, or AIDS- or HIV-status against (1) any employee of the City working with Friends in any of its operations within Orleans Parish or (2) any person seeking accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, services, or membership in all business, social, or other establishments or organizations operated by Friends. Friends abides by all applicable federal, state and local laws relating to non-discrimination, including, without limitation, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.