Upstate Open Positions

The following are open volunteer positions that are OUR MOST PRESSING NEEDS in the Upstate. For ongoing volunteer opportunities (i.e., drop-in, season-after-season, year-in-and-year-out), visit our “Volunteering in the Upstate” page.

We (and the planet) really do need you. Join us today!

Plant Sale Coordinator

Primary responsibility is to ensure that the Spring and Fall Plant sales run smoothly and efficiently. Over the years, the job has been made much easier by the delegation of many details to the team leaders (i.e. Permitting, Outside Vendor Liaison, Volunteer Coordinators, UNN Management, Plant Transport, Entrance, Site Manager, Equipment Transport, Checkout, Holding, etc.).

And, Kathy Harrington (our long-time sale coordinator) will be mentoring the person who takes this job for 2024.

The sale coordinator is responsible for assembling the teams with the help of the volunteer coordinators. Many of our teams have long-term volunteers who have done the job for years. Others are going to be staffed by first time volunteers, but we all were first timers at some point. All these teams now have well developed and tested policies and procedures in place, so the wheel doesn’t have to be reinvented every year. A site map is also in place and can be used every year at the Spring sale. Many hours of working and reworking every detail have gone into simplifying the tasks, from the site map to the specific jobs of each group.
When all positions have been filled, the coordinator sets up a meeting of all team leaders to “walk through” the sale and to ensure everyone is “on the same sheet of music.” This is where many ideas are brought up, worked through, then adopted, amended, or discarded.
The coordinator has been responsible for planning with the rental company for tables and chairs.
The coordinator also oversees the placement of plants at Conestee for the Spring sale once the plants are released by the UNN management team.
The coordinator, along with the site manager, is also responsible for safety issues such as foot and vehicle traffic and, if necessary, contacting emergency personnel.

The job requires good organizational and interpersonal skills, but no real knowledge of the plants (as counterintuitive as that sounds!). Come jump on our bandwagon!

Contact: [email protected]

Shopify Administrator

This person will work with the Plant Sale Coordinator during Plant Sales and the UNN management team throughout the year to ensure that things are working properly within Shopify from an administrative standpoint. We anticipate that this might involve 3-4 hours of work each month. Duties include:

overall general housekeeping needs within Shopify (staying current with upgrades/modifications and usage needs within SCNPS Upstate)
tracking and management of hardware used for sales (tablets, laser printer, CC readers, etc)
recruiting of additional volunteers to help with Shopify tasks
managing user access and permissions
managing products, inventory, and orders (with the help of the inventory management team)
opening and closing the online store as directed
helping with training of new volunteers

Contact: [email protected]

Plant Sale Site Manager

Primary responsibility is to ensure that the sale site (traditionally held at Conestee Park in Greenville, SC) is completely set up the Friday before the sale on Saturday.

The site map has evolved over the years to its present efficient and effective design. The layout of the site needs to be marked out using a tape measure and the site map. This task must be done first thing because plants will begin arriving at the site shortly after 9am and the locations of each species must be marked with placards designed for this purpose.
The site manager oversees the placement of all hardware (barricades, canopies, tables, chairs, outside vendor areas, hoses to keep the plants watered, etc.) One of the teams that reports to the site manager is the traffic control team and they are responsible for vehicle/pedestrian safety. The location of all fencing and barricades will need to be provided to Greenville Parks and Rec so they know how many barricades to bring (they deliver). They will have a record of what we used in 2023 as their guide for what/how many to bring.
The site manager will also direct the equipment transport team who will report on where all the equipment brought from the storage unit on Friday morning is to be placed. This will also be happening as the plants start arriving. Placement of the plants is under the supervision of the Plant Sale Coordinator and is not the responsibility of the site manager.
After the sale is over, everything that happened at the beginning of the sale happens again but in reverse. Any leftover plants must be returned to the Upstate Native Nursery (UNN). All hardware must be disassembled and organized for transport back to the storage unit. Hoses must be rewound and returned to the volunteer who brought them. The tables and chairs must be returned to the rental company. Assistance must be provided to Greenville Parks and Rec to return the barricades and any fencing they provided. The site must be left as it was found.

This is a job that requires a take-charge individual who enjoys working with people and who can direct the activities of several groups while standing on their head and juggling. 😊

Contact: [email protected]

Plant Sale Volunteer Coordinators (x2)

Two coordinators are needed to direct the 100+ volunteers at the Spring sale. These individuals work closely with the Plant Sale Coordinator to ensure all the required tasks are assigned. Good organizational skills are necessary; the desire to have fun is essential!