New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) is a community development corporation committed to sustainable development in housing opportunities, economic development, vacant land strategies, community engagement, health and wellness, and real estate development. NKCDC advances social equity and economic empowerment by nurturing and creating opportunities for residents to live and actively shaping their neighborhoods of choice. To that end, NKCDC provides free resources to residents and businesses in the Kensington, Fishtown, and Port Richmond neighborhoods.

NKCDC has a strong reputation, both locally and nationally, with longstanding credibility of serving as a trusted and valuable partner and collaborator. The organization is one of only two community development organizations in Philadelphia chartered members of the NeighborWorks America network. Our current work using a trauma-informed community engagement model, applying a racial equity lens across the organization, and leading programs at the intersection of health and housing are keeping NKCDC at the cutting edge of community development. NKCDC draws on the strengths of the communities in Kensington, Fishtown, and Port Richmond — a population of over 62,800, 23% of whom live below the federal poverty level — to make sure neighborhood development benefits all residents. More information can be found at nkcdc.org.

Function

As an Outdoor Programming and Urban Agriculture Associate at New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC), you will support the Program Manager in all operations and programming related to outdoor nature-based and urban agriculture activities in community greenspaces and community engagement related to greenspace planning. You will assist in collecting resident feedback around greening, support delivery of programming for all ages, facilitate partnerships and collaboration between departments and other organizations, and help maintain NKCDC’s garden spaces. This role offers a dynamic environment where each day varies based on seasonal priorities and program needs.

Funding

This position is supported by multiple funding sources; including William Penn Foundation (50%) and SNAP-Ed (50%). Subject to change.

The cycles for these funding sources are federal fiscal year (Oct 1) and calendar year.

Reports to

Urban Agriculture and Community Garden Program Manager

Responsibilities

Greenspace Planning & Community Engagement

• Support community feedback meetings and engage in dialogue with community members to address concerns and suggestions
• Attend meetings with partner organizations to collaborate on shared initiatives and projects
• Employ a diverse range of engagement strategies including hosting and facilitating hands-on community events, surveying, distributing flyers, door knocking, and tabling to reach different audiences.
• Outdoor Nature-Based Programming & Garden Activation
• Deliver inclusive educational programming for all ages at NKCDC garden sites and partner gardens
• Cultivate and manage community partnerships to activate garden spaces effectively
• Support and guide both adult and youth volunteers in neighborhood garden initiatives
• Conduct outreach by creating and posting flyers, liaising with community partners, and promoting events and programs
• Help maintain NKCDC edible and pollinator gardens through plant care, trash removal, and ensuring accessibility during open hours

Garden Based Nutrition Education

• Support the development and delivery of garden-based nutrition lessons and cooking demonstrations that connect fresh produce to healthy eating habits
• Collaborate with NKCDC’s Nourish team to align garden programming with evidence-based nutrition curricula and educational standards
• Facilitate hands-on classes, tastings, and seasonal workshops that integrate topics such as:
• Harvest-to-table food preparation and healthy cooking techniques
• Seasonal produce selection, storage, and recipe adaptation
• Culturally relevant and affordable meal planning
• Composting, soil health, and food waste reduction as part of sustainable nutrition practices

General Responsibilities

• Use provided processes to collect and organize data
• Gather community feedback on programming offerings and goals to inform future initiatives
• Build trust and supportive relationships with community members, modeling healthy lifestyle behaviors
• Attend regular team meetings, training sessions, and coaching with NKCDC’s Health & Wellness team
• Act as a bridge between residents and public health, food access, and clinical care systems
• Gather participant feedback and document attendance, outcomes, and photos for reporting and evaluation
• Build trust with residents through consistent presence in garden spaces, modeling healthy lifestyle behaviors and food access advocacy
• Perform additional tasks as assigned

Compensation

The wage rate for this position will be $25.11/yr. with a Full-time schedule, 35 hours per week. To counter pay inequality and uphold internal parity, we use a nonnegotiable starting salary system, while benchmarking our pay to competitive markets in the nonprofit sector. Excellent benefits include an HMO/PPO health plan, long- and short-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid vacation, and a 403(b)-retirement plan. This position is available for (1) work from home day. Work hours are from 9am-5pm. This position will be on-site at our central office, 2771 Ruth Street, Suite 1, Philadelphia, PA 19134.

Application

Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume via our Paylocity Application. Applications received by November 14, 2025, will be given full consideration. All candidate resumes are considered and kept on file for one year, but we cannot always respond personally depending on the volume of inquiries.

Hiring process

Our hiring process includes a 20–30-minute interview with HR, followed by an in-person interview with the hiring manager, and finally an hour-long “panel” interview with 4-8 staff members. Reference checks are conducted after the final interview.

Equal Employment Opportunity

NKCDC provides Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, race, national or ethnic origin, gender identity or expression, religion, language, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or physical ability. We know groups subjected to systemic oppression– including people of color, women, people from working class backgrounds, and people who identify as LGBTQ – are less likely to apply unless and until they meet every requirement for a job. Therefore, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other communities who are marginalized.

• Passion for urban nature, agriculture, and community development, including empowerment and self-determination.
• Ability to collaborate effectively and build relationships with diverse community members and organizations.
• Experience teaching and guiding diverse groups and volunteers of all ages.
• Enthusiasm and experience for working, learning, and teaching outdoors.
• Awareness of food justice, land sovereignty, and health issues, with a desire to learn more
• Knowledge, experience, or training in agriculture, horticulture, or community development is desirable.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and work schedules, including occasional evening and weekend hours.
• Physical ability to perform tasks involving bending, crouching, kneeling, and lifting up to 30?lbs.
• Knowledge or lived experience of the Kensington, Fishtown, and Port Richmond neighborhoods.
• Spanish language proficiency preferred.