Water Education Colorado is currently hiring! 


Position Title: Education and Outreach Coordinator

Posted: Oct. 12, 2018

Location: Denver, CO

Position Type: Full-Time, Salaried

Organizational Background

Water Education Colorado is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 2002 to promote awareness and understanding of Colorado water resources and issues. Now the leading organization for informing and engaging Coloradans on water, we strive to ensure everyone from concerned citizens to seasoned professionals and elected officials are equipped to make smart decisions for a sustainable water future through leadership training, educational programming, and in-depth reporting. We reach more than 25,000 Colorado citizens each year with programs such as the Water Educator Network, Water Leaders, Water Fluency, Headwaters magazine, Fresh Water News, tours and workshops, webinars and radio.

Water Education Colorado offers a collaborative, flexible, fast-paced and rewarding work environment in a great location in Denver’s Uptown neighborhood. Our small business setting ensures every team member gains a diverse nonprofit experience. Working with WEco’s dynamic team, audiences, and broad-based community of supporters provides opportunities to engage within all major river basins in the state and to network with a wide variety of educators, top resource managers, and decision makers.

Position Summary

The Education and Outreach Coordinator will play an active role in achieving Water Education Colorado’s mission by implementing and expanding educational programs and outreach activities for more than 570 individual and organizational members, 5,500 supporters, and Colorado’s general public. Responsibilities lie within many of the organization’s functional areas, including member engagement and support, educational trainings and events, and communications, with a focus on the following:

Leading the Water Educator Network: WEco’s Water Educator Network is a membership program that provides leadership, coordination, resources and trainings for local water educators working across Colorado. The target audience includes K-12 teachers and university faculty as well as informal educators working for water providers, community organizations, watershed groups, and any other entity providing water education activities in Colorado.

The Education and Outreach Coordinator will maintain relationships with the existing network of 100+ educators across the state; stay apprised of their activities; provide timely program communications, expertise and resources to members; establish and pursue strategies for new member recruitment; and develop and facilitate professional development trainings around the state. Those trainings will include programs to train teachers and facilitators on the use of Project WET curriculum.

In addition, the position will be involved in the development and eventual implementation of a three-year Statewide Water Education Action Plan, a project WEco is just getting underway. This work may include implementing a strategy for seeding new opportunities for water education by working with and on behalf of Network members to gain support from local school districts and the Colorado Department of Education for water education curriculum, field trips, and projects.

Water Education Tours: The Education and Outreach Coordinator will be responsible for planning, promoting, implementing and evaluating tours of varying formats intended to expose audiences to current water resources advances, opportunities and challenges in the field. Tours vary each year, and may consist of one- or two-day bus tours, urban stream corridor bike tours, or other themed field trips.

Outreach Activities: The Education and Outreach Coordinator will be responsible for developing informal educational opportunities targeted toward the general public across the state. These may include activities such happy hour events with a panel discussion, or rainbarrel building workshops. This position is also responsible for outreach to engage audiences via social media, as well as attending conferences or other events to deliver presentations, host a table, or network.

Required Qualifications

  • Passion for educating Colorado’s citizens about the importance of the state’s water resources
  • A basic understanding of Colorado water management and hydrology
  • Bachelor’s degree in education, natural resources, environmental science or similar field
  • 3 years+ of related experience
  • Experience leading and facilitating groups in educational settings
  • Experience working with formal and non-formal educators, preferably on environmental education topics
  • Experience with event planning and logistics management
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Demonstrated ability to work both independently and in a team with minimal supervision
  • Availability for some intra-state travel; valid driver’s license required

Desired Qualifications

  • Professional classroom teaching experience
  • Experience working within an online Google platform (Google calendars, Google groups, etc.)
  • Experience with publication layout and design using desktop publishing software such as Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Publisher to design newsletters, flyers and other promotional materials
  • Experience using social media professionally to foster member and community engagement
  • Knowledge and understanding of Colorado State Academic Standards

Compensation and Accountability

This is a full-time salaried position with competitive benefits, including generous paid time off; health, dental, and life insurance; plus employer retirement contributions. Compensation is negotiable and will be determined based on background and experience. The position may require some overnight and weekend activities, though most duties will be performed during regular business hours. Travel is compensated. Some telecommuting and flex-time is allowed, however the majority of hours are expected to be performed on a regular schedule in the WEco office at 1750 Humboldt St. Suite 200, Denver, CO 80218. The position reports to the Executive Director.

Application Procedure

Please submit a letter of interest, resume, and 2-3 references electronically using “Education and Outreach Coordinator” in the subject line to: jobs@wateredco.org.