Beach Programs Manager

About the Organization

Heal the Bay is the most recognized environmental nonprofit group in LA for a reason: we have been keeping Southern California’s coastal waters and watersheds safe, healthy, and clean for people and marine life since 1985. Using education, science, advocacy, and community action, we raise awareness and make progress with practical solutions to often complex problems. We conduct hundreds of beach and community cleanups each year, informing people about the root causes of pollution along the shorelines and in their neighborhoods. We advocate for strict water quality regulations that protect the health of both humans and the animals that call local creeks, rivers, and the Santa Monica Bay home. We operate the award-winning Heal the Bay Aquarium at the Santa Monica Pier, inspiring visitors to become stewards for the region’s most important natural resource: clean water. We also educate and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards, with more than 10,000 students joining us each year for school field trips, science-based classroom presentations, and events. Learn more about us at www.healthebay.org/our-impact

About the Role

The Beach Programs Manager is part of Heal the Bay’s community programs team and manages Heal the Bay’s most well-known programs, our beach cleanups. The Beach Programs Manager is responsible for running monthly public beach cleanups, our Adopt-A-Beach program, corporate beach cleanups, and, with the Coastal Cleanup Day Associate Specialist, manages Coastal Cleanup Day for L.A. County. This is an excellent leadership opportunity that provides experience in community outreach, event planning, and non-profit work. 

Expectations & Responsibilities

• Manage monthly Nothin’ But Sand Saturday beach cleanups; train and manage Beach Captain volunteers
• Manage Adopt-A-Beach program (scheduling 300+ cleanups per year / budgets, permits, reports etc.)
• Oversee Suits on the Sand (Corporate) Cleanups, including coordinating with the development team and staffing cleanup events
• Manage part-time Community Programs Associates
• Manage overall Coastal Cleanup Day logistics and budget for 10,000+ volunteers and 70+ cleanup sites, including recruiting and training site captains
• Recruit, interview, hire, and manage temporary Coastal Cleanup Day Associate Specialist and key program interns
• Manage the Marine Debris Database; ensure data quality; produce reports to be used for advocacy and policy work
• Establish and maintain relationships with other agencies and organizations in the community including, L.A. County Dept. of Beaches & Harbors
• Coordinate Emergency Storm Response (volunteers for post-rain emergency cleanups)
• Coordinate Earth Month cleanup activities
• Make presentations throughout the year to community groups, neighborhood councils, city councils, schools, and businesses about Coastal Cleanup Day, watershed awareness, and ocean health
• Assist in grant writing and soliciting sponsorships
• Manage budget, oversee cleanup supplies, and create program impact reports
• Represent Heal the Bay at public events & meetings, media opportunities, and stakeholder meetings
• Participate actively in organization campaigns and educational programming, including Heal the Bay’s Aquarium, as part of the Community Programs Team

Experience & Skills

• Thrive at the beach and are passionate about safeguarding our coastal ecosystems.
• Enjoy educating diverse audiences on ocean pollution and its impacts.
• Have prior experience in event coordination.
• Are highly organized, detail-oriented, and adept at managing multiple projects both independently and collaboratively.
• Have a valid driver’s license and are comfortable driving our extended bed pickup truck to various outreach events.
• Possess database skills or have experience with Salesforce or similar CRM systems.
• Have prior experience in project management.
• Are proficient in Microsoft Office applications.

Compensation

This is a full-time non-exempt position, $23.00 – $25.00 an hour, depending on experience, with appropriate state and federal taxes withheld. All Heal the Bay recognized holidays will be compensated at 1.5x normal pay rate in accordance with time worked.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement contributions, and paid time off. Heal the Bay covers 90 percent of employee medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums. Full-time employees are also eligible for life insurance and participation in the organization’s Simple IRA retirement plan. Employees receive paid vacation and Heal the Bay recognized holidays in accordance with organizational policy. In accordance with California labor law, employees are eligible to accrue and use up to 72 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year after completing 30 days of employment.

Schedule

Full-time with an average of 40 hours per week, based on operational and programmatic needs. The Beach Programs Manager must be available to work in-person at Heal the Bay Aquarium, on the beach, and possible off-site educational programs. Weekends, holidays, and after-hours events are required and will be part of the regular schedule. Percent of tasks or department work scheduled will be determined by availability and programs scheduled.

Location

The employee’s primary work location will be the Heal the Bay Aquarium at the Santa Monica Pier. This position also includes work at the beach directly adjacent to the Aquarium, as well as at other cleanup sites, schools, and community event locations throughout Los Angeles County. Work will take place both indoors and outdoors, depending on program needs and scheduled activities.

Physical Demands

The employee is regularly asked to carry up to 40 pounds across the sand. The employee is also asked to load up to 40 pounds into a large truck at a time. The employee is also regularly asked to be in outdoor weather/beach conditions.  

Heal the Bay is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status and we strongly encourage applications from individuals that reflect the diversity of Los Angeles County. If you don’t meet all of the preferred skills above, you are still encouraged to apply and will be considered based on diverse and equivalent skills and experience.

Heal the Bay complies with AB 1008, the Fair Chance Act, during the hiring process. Once a conditional job offer has been made the candidate will be asked to complete a Live Scan criminal background check. A thorough assessment of conviction history will be considered including the nature and gravity of the criminal history, the time that has passed since the conviction, and the nature of the job the candidate is seeking.