Reports to: Senior Director, Programs and Safety Location: Mazama, Washington Status: Full-Time; year-round; exempt Salary: $55,000 - $70,000, commensurate with experience Start Date: April 1, 2023
Organization Description
With over 50 years of innovation in experiential and outdoor education in the Pacific Northwest, Northwest Outward Bound School (NWOBS) continues to change lives through challenge and discovery. Our students test their strengths, challenge their fears, and discover that they are capable of far more than they ever thought possible. They learn how to bring out the best in themselves every single day and to apply that goodness back to their world. By bringing their Outward Bound experiences back to their families, schools and communities, our students are the leaders who will help create the peaceful, equitable, and sustainable world we all yearn to have.
Our transformative and educational wilderness courses are set in some of the most dramatic and stunning parts of the United States. NWOBS was founded in 1965 and facilitates wilderness-based programs in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, and serves urban youth, schools, and partner organizations in the Portland metropolitan area. As an Outward Bound School, we are committed to the core values of compassion, integrity, excellence, inclusion, and diversity. NWOBS strives to achieve the following outcomes: building character, developing leadership skills, and creating an ethic of social and environmental responsibility.
Our administrative team consists of 20 dedicated and supportive leaders spread over three locations, a virtual administrative hub in Portland and base camps in Central Oregon and Northern Washington. We also employ phenomenal instructors steeped in youth development, social and emotional learning, technical outdoor skills, and expert facilitation.
Position Summary
The Washington Program Director (PD) provides overall program leadership, and is responsible for program safety and quality, and the business administration and local operations that support courses staged in Mazama, WA. The PD will ensure the program aligns and supports the School’s strategic framework and vision. The successful candidate will be expected to have past training and experience in equity, inclusion, and diversity work, particularly pertaining to youth education and partnerships with culturally specific programming. Compliance with our current COVID-19 Vaccination Policy is required for all NWOBS employees.
Primary Roles and Responsibilities
Program Leadership
Collaborate with the Senior Director of Programs & Safety (SDPS), Program Leadership Team (PLT), Mazama Leadership Team, Development, and Student Services departments, to develop and fulfill school and program strategy, vision, and goals.
Provide oversight, leadership, and management for all NWOBS program planning, delivery, and trainings operating in WA. Ensure all courses remain true to mission, values, design principles, and outcomes of NWOBS.
Drive Washington Program innovation, including development and continual improvement of course curricula, and new and innovative course types.
Collaborate with the Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity with the development of programming to support equity efforts.
Initiate, manage, and strengthen strategic community relationships that enhance program effectiveness and sustainability, including course expansion and aspirational course development.
Assure all programs adhere to OBUSA and NWOBS safety and human resource policies and procedures, as well as local, State, and Federal laws, NWOBS operating procedures and administrative standards.
Manage use and development of program resources (local and national).
Collaborate with PDs at other regional schools on national projects and initiatives.
Program and Safety Management
Oversee local course planning and staff briefings. Conduct supervisory field visits to ensure quality and program safety.
Oversee student arrival and departure and student out-of-field systems and procedures.
Monitor public policy and act as NWOBS liaison with our local community, advocating for the School and programs.
Manage and maintain a healthy and collaborative relationship with all land managers and community members. Oversee yearly timely renewal of applicable permits and reservations.
Responsible for budget forecast/tracking and assisting with annual budget development for Washington Programs. Manage program within defined budgetary constraints with an eye for fiscal responsibility, adjusting appropriately as revenue and expense fluctuates during the year.
Ensure the development and effective management of all facilities, systems, and resources at the base. Oversee basecamp maintenance and upkeep, adhering to all local and national workplace safety codes and policies.
Manage all aspects of the operation, ensuring the Washington Programs operate within all departmental standard operating procedures. Review and revise local operating policies and procedures on an annual basis.
Participate in the incident command and 24-hour on-call system; act as Operations Officer for critical incidents.
Ensure complete, accurate, and timely incident reporting for all courses.
In collaboration with SDPS and Program Leadership Team, create priorities, content, and delivery methods for program safety.
Investigate and respond to customer needs, including frequent interactions with students and their families.
Oversee the implementation of the Domains of Thriving Learning Model and delivery of the Outward Bound Outcomes Survey in trainings and on courses through collaboration with other program administrators and the Outward Bound Professional Learning Lab.
Staff Development and Management
Supervise and support local program team, including direct oversight of the Washington Program administrative team.
Provide leadership, direction, and motivation for the Washington program staff, and actively develop basecamp culture in support of Outward Bound’s values.
Lead development and performance decisions for all base staff positions. Consult with the SDPS and Business Operations Director on issuing agreements, and addressing performance, development and pay.
Oversee the Washington Associate Program Director- Staff & Training and Washington Logistics Manager- Logistics’ work to manage staffing, training, staff development, logistics systems and organizational feedback and response systems for Washington Programs.
Knowledge & Skills
Minimum of 6 years in the education/outdoor education/experiential learning field, or a similar combination of experience and education, is required. A bachelor’s degree (not required) in a related field can replace 2 years of required experience.
Minimum of 3 years team management and supervisory experience required.
A demonstrated commitment to engaging in equity, inclusion, and diversity efforts (either within a professional or personal setting).
Successful applicant will possess the interpersonal skills and versatility to effectively build relationships and develop staff across a broad spectrum.
Ability to thrive in a collaborative environment with field staff, program management staff, and organizational leadership.
Ability to have open, honest, and difficult conversations, including the ability to give and receive feedback with direct reports and colleagues.
Strong personal motivation, initiative, commitment, follow-through, and passion for NWOBS mission.
Ability to perform under tight deadlines and meet financial goals.
Experience working with a variety of populations, including but not limited to secondary school youth, educators, community leaders, corporate leaders.
Background and experience in business, education, non-profit management, or another related field a plus.
Experience in Washington program outdoor skills areas (sea kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, mountaineering, or backpacking) preferred.
Accountabilities
This position reports to the Senior Director of Programs & Safety. The Washington Program Director directly supervises the Washington Associate Program Director, Logistics Manager, Administrative Director, and Senior Course Directors.
Compensation
This is a full-time, year-round, salaried position.
Salary is commensurate with experience within Northwest Outward Bound School’s Program Director annual range of $55,000 - $70,000.
This is a benefits-eligible position. NWOBS benefits package includes comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance. Employees accrue 15 days of paid time off, 12 days of paid sick time, and 13 paid holidays in the first year.
Free and discounted Employee Assistance Plan services, including 24/7 Crisis line, up to 5 counseling sessions per occurrence valued at $1,000 per case, well-being coaching, and screened referrals for childcare, eldercare, legal, and financial services.
Professional development opportunities, including $250/year toward external training, as well as in-house training on Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity, Mental Health First Aid, Community resiliency Model, Sexual Misconduct Prevention, and other role-specific training.
All positions qualify to participate in our gear discount program and course tuition discounts.
To Apply
To apply, please email a cover letter and resume in PDF format to: [email protected]. In your cover letter, please describe what motivates and excites you about this position and how it connects with your longer-term goals. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.
We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible. Review of applications will begin on March 8, 2023. The position will remain open until filled with a desired, but negotiable, start date of April 1, 2023.
No other emails or phone calls, please. We appreciate all responses, but due to the expected high volume of resumes received, we can only contact those applicants whose qualifications best match the position requirements.
NWOBS recognizes that there are barriers precluding people with marginalized identities (e.g., black, indigenous, and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, genderqueer, trans, people from low income communities, rural communities, people with disabilities, and more) from being able to access transformative and inclusive educational experiences. These barriers also prevent people from accessing and having inclusive and culturally relevant experiences in the outdoors.
NWOBS believes it has the responsibility, as an educational institution, to dismantle these barriers so that it can fulfill its mission of changing the lives of all who desire a quality outdoor education experience, and not just the lives of those with the privilege of being able to access NWOBS today. As such, NWOBS aspires to be more reflective of and relevant to the communities in the Pacific Northwest, both within its staff and leadership body as well as its student body.
NWOBS is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of NWOBS to provide equal employment opportunity in accordance with applicable law to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, military status, political opinion, national origin, familial status, mental or physical disability, source of income, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law, in all personnel actions
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