Green Cambridge is a local, 501(c)3 non-profit organization focused on environmental advocacy and community engagement in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The organization’s mission is to “create a more sustainable Cambridge, and to protect the environment for the health and safety of all.” 

Green Cambridge focuses on three program areas with the outcome of creating the next generation of environmental leaders, while also resulting in an immediate impact in our community through paid experiential career and educational opportunities for high schoolers:

• Canopy Crew: Urban forestry, arboriculture, municipal policy, community outreach, and advocacy
• Restore Corps: Wetland restoration, outreach, and advocacy work in the Alewife Reservation 
• Grow Together: Community growing spaces and advocacy for urban farming, supporting local food systems

Run by an Executive Director, Deputy Director, and other staff, with governance from a Board of Directors, the Youth Programs Manager position reports to the Deputy Director of Green Cambridge.

Overview of Role

The Youth Programs Manager is the youth-facing staff member who works with the rest of the team to facilitate our three programs in urban forestry, ecological restoration, and urban farming. The Youth Programs Manager will take the lead in ensuring the programs and their participants are successful. Additionally, the Youth Programs Manager may also provide assistance with fundraising and social media content creation.

• Running Canopy Crew (with an assistant)
• Developing and implementing Restore Corps
• Development of the Grow Together program

Canopy Crew is our most built-out program and has an existing curriculum and SOPs in place. Restore Corps is in development and will be prototyped in 2026. Grow Together is the least built-out as a youth-facing program and will be prototyped in 2027. All programmatic development will be supported by and in partnership with the full staff.

Canopy Crew

Canopy Crew is a career exploration program focused on urban forestry for Cambridge high school students aged 16-18 that takes place over the school year. The youth engage with their community and learn about vocational pathways in the environmental sciences,  community engagement, municipal policy, as well as arborist-approved tree-planting methods. Our guiding document is Cambridge’s Urban Forest Master Plan.

Restore Corps

Using the Alewife Reservation as an outdoor classroom, Restore Corps will be a paid ecological restoration program for teens on the 136-acre property owned by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. As envisioned, across 8 months, cohorts focus on removing invasive species, planting natives, trail and signage development, working across municipal lines, stakeholder development, and the implementation of aspects of projects previously identified in master plans. Our guiding documents are the Alewife Master Plan and the Alewife Community Health Action Plan we’ve developed with the National Park Service, along with local, state, and national partners.

Grow Together

Grow Together is a network of communal growing spaces across Cambridge that includes the Hurley Street Neighborhood Farm, the Riverside Press Park Community Farm, and the upcoming Alewife Park Community Garden. The Youth Programs Manager will collaborate with leadership and stakeholders to develop a youth-focused urban agriculture program to launch in 2027. Leading up to that launch, the program manager will assist during the growing season, from planting to maintenance to harvest to events.

Specific Duties 

• Develop and implement year-round place-based curricula to educate high school students on the role of urban tree canopy, ecological restoration, green infrastructure, and climate change mitigation in creating a sustainable and resilient urban space
• Lead an outreach campaign for Canopy Crew to engage Cambridge residents using social media, in-person interactions, and printed materials
• Coordinate and execute tree plantings with youth on private property following arborist-approved methods
• Assist with the development of Restore Corps based on the framework of Canopy Crew
• Collaborate with contracted ecological experts while working in the Alewife Reservation
• Oversee inventory of materials and supplies necessary for programmatic success
• Knowledge of relevant municipal policies, initiatives, and master plans to best align program goals
• Collaborate with city officials, local homeowners, educators, and field specialists
• Mentor high school students in environmental stewardship and workforce development

Qualifications and Requirements

Applicants have an interest and experience in a mix of environments, sustainability, community organizing, youth engagement, or municipal policy. Applicants have excellent written and spoken communication skills, are flexible and versatile, and are able to work with diverse stakeholders and community members. Above all, applicants should have a passion for creating a healthy environment and living in balance with nature in a highly urban environment. The specific duties of applicants may require additional, more specific skills or willingness to learn these skills. 

• Proficient in Google Suite, Slack, and Canva. Experience with GIS, Bloomerang, and Monday.com preferred  
• Fluency in another language(s) relevant to Cambridge (Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Haitian Creole, and Bengali) is a plus
• Valid driver's license
• Able to lift 50 lbs

Logistics 

Green Cambridge currently works in a hybrid model with at least three days in the office per week. From September to May, while Canopy Crew and Restore Corps are in session, Saturday in-person availability is required. Some weeknight availability may be necessary to attend relevant community events and meetings. Availability during the summer, particularly all of July and the first half of August, is required for the summer programs.

This role is full-time (35 hours per week) at $57,000/year and begins September 2, 2025.