Associate Director of Youth Education

Who We Are

The Mountaineers is a community of outdoor recreationists and conservationists founded in 1906 to explore the peaks and waterways of the Pacific Northwest. Today, we have more than 17,000 members and seven branches in Western Washington, where we deliver most of our outdoor education programming. Thanks to the work of generations of volunteers and our internationally recognized publishing division, we continue to enjoy an outstanding reputation in the fields of outdoor education, recreation, and public lands conservation and advocacy.

Our dedicated volunteers and staff get people outside to experience the power of the natural world. We advocate for access and protection of recreational lands so that future generations can enjoy these places too. Our core value of community reflects the belief that a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. Our 65 staff, divided between our program centers and our nonprofit publishing division, Mountaineers Books, and 3,000+ volunteers work together to achieve our mission to enrich lives by helping people explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Learn more at mountaineers.org.

Position Description

The Associate Director of Youth Education is responsible for oversight of Mountaineers Youth

Education

• Programs in Seattle. Youth programs include Day, Overnight and School Break Camps; Year Round Clubs; Partner Programs; and a Gear Library. The Associate Director is responsible for fiscal oversight and strategic guidance for all youth programs as well as partnership with Youth

Education

• Programs staff at other branches of The Mountaineers. This position supervises three direct reports on the Youth

Education

• Team and will provide team leadership and guide the setting of vision, goals and strategies for youth programming that are in line with The Mountaineers mission and strategic plan. This position also serves as a staff liaison for the several adult programming Mountaineers Activity Councils.

Key Responsibilities

Youth Education:

• Ensure youth programs are managed effectively, including:

• Staff leadership

• Volunteer leadership and instruction

• Participation tracking

• Safety and risk management procedures are reviewed and updated on a regular basis; and implemented in all programs

• Track state and local regulations to ensure compliance of all youth programs

• Ensure programming is within the models and guidelines for Mountaineers Youth Programs, including a focus on access, outreach, and inclusion.

• Provide leadership and mentorship for youth team to develop and manage budgets, including tracking overtime, monthly actuals, and regular re-forecasting.

• Facilitate cross-team partnership and alignment with our South Sound youth programs

• Oversee staff and volunteer training

• Work with youth team to establish and implement a social media strategy that aligns with Mountaineers communications strategy

• Market programs through other means as appropriate, in partnership with Communications team

• Responsible for vision, direction and growth of youth programs within The Mountaineers strategic plan and priorities

• Set and manage measurable goals for growth and retention of existing programs

• Manage introduction of new programming according to strategic plan and youth education strategy

• Ensure new and existing youth programming is within standard Mountaineers procedures

• Build strong relationships with key partners including Outdoors Empowered Network, key program partners, and key contract vendors

• Adult Education

• Liaison with volunteers to develop a regular equivalency program, including reciprocity opportunities with partner programs.

• Work with

Education

• Team to develop and maintain training for Trip, Course, Committee, and Branch Leaders

• Provide guidance and structure for curriculum development and course design for volunteers

• Prepared and deliver educational and instructional content for volunteer leaders

• Oversee and assist volunteer instructors with developing and implementing online elearning courses

• Program Oversight

• Average 8 days/year in-person with each program (camps, clubs, partner programs, gear library), totaling 2-3 days/month or 10-15% of time in program

• Provide additional program coverage where needed

• Hire, train and supervise year-round part-time staff and provide mid-year and annual performance evaluations

• Partner with Camps Manager on summer staff hiring

• Ensure staff and volunteers maintain appropriate training and certifications

• Manage Child Protection Policies as well as other related policies and provide required trainings to staff and volunteers

• Provide meaningful volunteer recognition and development as appropriate

• Additional Leadership Responsibilities

• Assist Development Team with fundraising efforts

• Staff support for the 2-3 adult programs

• Participate in 40-60 hours of Mountaineers work outside of Youth Programming, which can include:

• Mountaineers Gala (required)

• Participating in Mountaineers adult activities (courses or trips)

• Supporting Mountaineers events

• Attending Branch events

• Attending relevant Board meetings

• Supporting project requests from other departments

• Staff Supervision

• Supervise three direct reports running camps, clubs, partner programs, and the gear library.

• Provide ongoing development opportunities and goal setting for program leads

Requirements

• Knowledge of youth development and learning principles

• Experience rock climbing and/or desire & commitment to learn

• Cultural competency and demonstrated ability to work with people of all races, ages, genders, abilities and economic backgrounds.

• Ability to pass a national criminal background and sex offender check.

• Desired Qualifications

• 4 years youth outdoor programming experience, including leadership experience. Ideally, experience will include a blend of: traditional summer camp, school-based outdoor education, and expedition learning.

• Experience working with partners to execute outdoor programming

• 4-year degree from an accredited college/university

• Ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings and weekends

• Experience training and supervising others

• Demonstrated interpersonal and customer service skills

• Demonstrated excellence in written communication

• Experience with curriculum development

• Experience working with adult volunteers

• Strong organization skills

• Understanding of the organizational structure and programs of The Mountaineers

• CPR & Wilderness First Responder Certification, Lifeguard Certification and Leave No Trace Certification preferred

• Cultivating an inclusive staff is central to The Mountaineers focus on advancing equity. Our core values are Adventure, Advocacy, Community, Education, and Volunteerism, and we believe a diverse and inclusive environment inspires unity, respect, and passion for our work and one another. We’re interested in hearing from people who can work with colleagues of varied experience and background. The Mountaineers is an equal-opportunity employer, and candidates from all backgrounds are considered, and as an organization that values equity and inclusion, we highly encourage people of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, and veterans to apply.

• The Mountaineers believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. We are committed to building a culture where all people feel emotionally and physically safe. In support of this commitment, all prospective employees must agree to abide by The Mountaineers Code of Ethics and our Child Protection Policies. We do not tolerate discrimination, sexual misconduct, harassment, micro-aggressions, retaliation, assault, or any form of child abuse.

• Work Environment

• This role is based in Seattle, WA, at The Mountaineers Program Center in Magnuson Park. Supporting a people-centric outdoor community, this position should prepare to have a regular presence in our Seattle-based program center at least 3 days/week M-F, with opportunities to flex time in the office with a partial remote work schedule. The Mountaineers will provide a laptop computer for remote access. For remote work, our employees are expected to have a suitable remote work environment, including broadband internet access, to accomplish their job duties.

• Physical Demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee will be required to stand for extended periods of time while leading youth, and must be able to hike on uneven and hilly terrain continuously for up to ten miles.