Director of Programs

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By Wasatch Community Gardens 9/14/2026 Admin/OperationsLeadership and Management

Organization Description:

Wasatch Community Gardens (WCG) is a community-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to

empowering people to grow and eat healthy, organic, local food. Since 1989, we have provided

children, adults, and families in Salt Lake County with access to land and education for growing and

eating fresh produce, while building and nurturing community connections through gardening and

healthy food. We accomplish this through six main programs: Advocacy & Justice, Community Gardens, Education, Job Training, Youth and School Gardens, and Volunteers.

Overview:

The Director of Programs oversees all programs related to the organization's mission and directly manages each Program Director. This position works with program staff and the Executive Director to analyze community needs to support, guide, and enhance WCG's current programs and develop new programs as community need dictates. This position works alongside the Agricultural Operations Department (site and infrastructure management) and the External Relations Department (fundraising, events, outreach, and marketing) to represent program priorities, offerings, and needs. The Director of Programs reports to the Executive Director.

Program Department Support:

40%

Team Management

Directly supervise a team of 5-7 Program Directors Model positive leadership with respect for others and a commitment to ethics, READI (Race, Equity, Access, Diversity, Inclusion)

Encourage collaboration and optimization of resources amongst program teams and within larger organization landscape

Establish clear expectations, support strong performance, and foster a culture of accountability toward goals, team collaboration and adherence to organizational standards

Support teams by taking on tasks to fill staffing gaps when required

Encourage professional development and growth among program staff

Ensure program staff compliance with the law and organizational policy/process

Program Operations & Development

Oversee program leadership in maintaining, adapting, redesigning, and discontinuing current program offerings based on staff sustainability, organizational budget/funding considerations, READI alignment, and community demand

Identify opportunities to strengthen program sustainability, cost recovery, and earned-income generation while maintaining program quality and impact

Budgeting

Develop, follow, and regularly review annual program budgets in collaboration with program directors

Process and approve program staff expenses, reimbursement requests

Evaluate and approve program staff's requests for professional development funding/support

Strategic Planning

Work with Executive Director, Department Directors, and program staff to update the organization's 3-5 year strategic plan, monitor achievement of the plan's program goals and objectives, and implement necessary course corrections to achieve those goals and objectives

Assist programs in administering, managing, and collecting program impact surveys and demographic data to track and analyze against organizational and program goals

Track new growth opportunities for programs, prioritizing neighborhoods with limited or no access to fresh, healthy food, and work with program directors on feasibility of implementation

Internal Collaboration

Foster and exemplify the organizational attitude toward collective responsibility of cultivation of donors/supporters, participants, programming, sites, and infrastructure.

Agricultural Operations (AgOps) Department

Ensure program staff collaborate with AgOps Site Managers and other production staff to match program produce needs with production capacity

Ensure program staff collaborate with AgOps Site Managers to design sites, maintain infrastructure, and manage safe spaces for programming to take place

External Relations Department

Ensure consistent program messaging and branding, and provide content for collateral and campaigns

Work to coordinate and plan program involvement in organization events and outreach opportunities

Ensure program staff coordinate with External Relations team in managing Joomla! and CiviCRM web platforms, which support data management, website calendaring, online offerings, and online registration pages

Collaborate with Grants team to identify funding opportunities, craft messaging to fit funder requirements, contribute to application and reporting processes on behalf of program staff, and ensure accountability and record-keeping to support grants reporting

External Collaboration

Field external requests for programming support/partnership by receiving website form submissions, coordinating and attending initial meetings, matching requests to the appropriate staff, and otherwise gathering information to allow program staff to make informed decisions around opportunities

Coordinate and/or attend meetings with program partners, community stakeholders, neighborhood representatives, and other stakeholders impacted by and/or engaged with WCG programming

Participate in and/or present at community gatherings, conferences, and other public-facing events related to WCG's mission, values, and programming

Department Leadership:

20%

Advocate on behalf of program staff in department leadership spaces

Lead annual planning retreats and budgeting process for the Program Department, in partnership with the Executive Director

Work with the Executive Director to adapt programming to an ever-evolving community need and budgetary environment

Coordinate regularly with WCG's other Department Directors (Agricultural Operations and External Relations) to support cross-department collaboration and communication

Maintain and refine core administrative processes including: internal/external program reporting, strategic planning and follow-through, relationship matrices, adherence to READI principles in decision-making, etc.

Establish and reinforce departmental best practices for documentation, folder structures, and CiviCRM (constituent relationship management) use

Participate in organization policy/process creation and accountability

Personnel Management:

30%

Lead recruitment, hiring, and dismissal processes for program director roles

Support Program Directors in recruitment and hiring processes amongst their teams

Lead and support program staff in navigating interpersonal conflict amongst staff, programming partners, program participants, and/or other stakeholders with care and compassion

Partner with Department Directors and the Executive Director on annual review processes and support staff in managing time, schedules, and timesheet compliance

Additional Responsibilities:

10%

Attend and actively participate in staff meetings, team meetings, staff workdays, and trainings

Occasional public speaking surrounding program initiatives, successes, and structures in internal and external settings

Participate in and lead/support staff/board committees as appropriate

Qualifications:

Required:

Bachelor's degree in any field; preference given to candidates with a graduate degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Business & Communications, or related field

At least three years in a team leadership role, preferably supervising a team of 4+ direct reports

At least three years of nonprofit program management and development experience

A deep understanding of, and commitment to, equity and applied experience in infusing equity within organizations, including a strong racial equity analysis and an understanding of how racism and agriculture intersect

Experience in facilitating group processes and positive group dynamics, with a strong ability to mediate, manage conflict, and negotiate with internal and external partners

Superb interpersonal skills, with an impressive history of forging strong relationships with multiple internal and external stakeholders

Strong verbal and written communication skills

Experience creating, negotiating, and working within a budget

Commitment to learning about and practicing anti-racism, inclusion, and equity in food justice

Positive and flexible attitude, ability to solve problems creatively, willingness to ask for help

Preferred:

Master's degree or equivalent experience

Advanced understanding of how to break large goals into smaller pieces of work, with demonstrated success managing teams to success

Valid drivers' license in order to operate WCG vehicles

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Gmail and Google Workspace, Canva, and Asana, or willingness to learn

Experience following food safety protocols or willingness to learn

Hours:

This position is a full-time (40 hours per week) leadership role, requiring responsiveness and adaptability. While core activities typically occur during standard business hours, the Director of Programs maintains a flexible schedule aligned with organizational needs. Some evenings and weekends will be required with advanced notice, with some longer weeks needed depending on the season.

Work Environments:

Office in-person primarily

Wasatch Community Gardens' Campus and gardens

Potential/developing garden space

Government/community/partner locations

Fundraising and event locations

Salary and Benefits:

Compensation will be commensurate with qualifications and experience with a hiring range of $67,000-$70,000 and a growth range of $70,000-$75,000. Includes health insurance, HSA option, 401K, paid holidays, sick and vacation leave, Reproductive Health and Wellness Leave, comp time, and access to garden produce.

This is an exempt position and does not qualify for overtime pay.

To Apply:

Please email the following materials to openings@wasatchgardens.

org:

Resume

Names, titles, and phone numbers of three professional references

Short response (one page total) to the following items:

Why are you interested in this position?

What is your leadership style and how would that style contribute to this position?

What strengths will you bring to our organization and this position?

Please put "Director of Programs" in the subject line of your email. Applications will be accepted until Friday, October 16 at 5 pm. Applications received by this date will receive priority consideration, though we will continue accepting applications until the position is filled. Applications without references and responses to the questions above will not be considered. Final candidate must submit to and clear a background check in order to work with program participants.