Job Title: Director of Education
Location: The Watershed Institute, Pennington, NJ
Job Type: Full-Time, in person
Reports To: Chief of Strategy & Program
Application Deadline: November 24, 2025
About The Watershed Institute:
The Watershed Institute is dedicated to keeping central New Jersey’s water clean, safe, and healthy. Through a combination of conservation, advocacy, science, and education, we work to protect and restore our environment and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.
Position Summary:
The Director of Education leads The Watershed Institute’s education program to advance our water protection mission with audiences that span preschool through lifelong learners. The position reports to the Chief of Strategy & Program and oversees a team of full-time and part-time educators who design, implement and evaluate a wide range of education programs for schools, community groups, families, and the public. This role combines program development, team leadership, and direct instruction to help foster environmental literacy and inspire action to protect and restore watersheds and waterways throughout the region.
The Director of Education also works closely with The Watershed Institute’s advancement and leadership teams to help market our education programs, build partnerships with schools and other institutions, and develop financial support for the education program.
Key Responsibilities:
Program Development & Management
- Provide leadership and mentoring to The Watershed Institute’s experienced team of educators who provide programming to schools and community groups, professional development for teachers, summer camp, and programs to connect learners of all ages to the “joy of nature”.
- Collaborate with the Advancement team and the Chief of Strategy and Program to identify and secure grant funding.
- Develop and implement a strategy and business plan to scale The Watershed Institute’s innovative STEM programming that engages students with local waterways and leads to action to protect them.
- Collaborate with The Watershed Institute’s Science, Policy and Conservation teams to integrate their work into educational programming.
- Build upon The Watershed Institute’s progress in integrating justice, equity, diversity and inclusion into education programming. Coordinate with partner schools, teachers, and community groups to tailor programming to diverse audiences.
- Develop appropriate metrics to demonstrate program impact and alignment with state and national education standards (e.g., NJSLS, MWEE) as well as assess program impact.
Instruction & Facilitation
- Expand advanced middle and high school level programming including offerings for chemistry, biology, engineering, and programs informed by The Watershed Institute’s 30+ year data set sourced from the StreamWatch water monitoring program.
- Serve as lead educator for key programs as needed.
Administrative & Team Leadership and Grant Management
- Collaborate, mentor and enhance the experience of The Watershed Institute’s education staff of 8 full and part-time employees. Responsible for hiring, coaching, and evaluating.
- Lead budgeting, scheduling, and reporting related to education programs.
- Maintain program data for assessment and grant reporting.
- Collaborate with the marketing team to promote educational offerings.
Community Engagement
- Represent The Watershed Institute at community events and public programs.
- Build relationships with schools, civic organizations, and other partners to expand educational reach.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in environmental education, science education, environmental science, biology, or related field.
- Minimum 5 years of experience in environmental or outdoor education, with experience in program coordination or leadership.
- Management experience including hiring, coaching, and evaluating.
- Facility with advanced high school level science content.
- Knowledge of New Jersey ecosystems and familiarity with NJSLS and other education frameworks.
- Strong organizational and communication skills.
- Comfortable working outdoors in a variety of weather conditions.
- Experience working with diverse communities and promoting inclusive educational practices.
- Ability to work on occasional evenings and weekends.
- Valid driver’s license and ability to travel locally.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in curriculum development and teacher training.
- Facility working with large data sets
- Spanish or other second language proficiency is a plus.
- CPR/First Aid certification.
Compensation & Benefits:
- Salary range: $80,000 – $95,000, commensurate with experience.
- Comprehensive benefits package includes health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, and professional development opportunities.
How to Apply:
Submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references to [email protected]. Please include “Education Director Application” in the subject line.
The Watershed Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
