Overview
The Program Manager is a role model and mentor within the High Sierra community, providing daily leadership, administrative support, and management of the High Sierra basecamp and programming. Responsibilities include supervising courses and field staff, ensuring quality training, programming, and community building, and some administrative duties. The Program Manager reports to the High Sierra Program Director and works in collaboration with other High Sierra Program Admin Staff.
Responsibilities Include:
Course Management
– Collaborate as a member of the High Sierra Program Team to determine and fulfill program needs, goals, and strategy.
– Conduct and/or coordinate pre- and post-course functions, including Student Services communications, CD check-ins and consistencies, and pre-course meetings.
– Assist in educational and technical training creation, curriculum, assessment, and oversight.
– Directly oversee and conduct check-ins with staff about their promotion and development in technical, educational, and interpersonal skills.
– Communicate effectively with partner agencies to coordinate course plans.
Program Leadership
– In coordination with the Program Administrative Team, support all facility needs, including basecamp opening and closing, general maintenance, and community gatherings.
– Be a mentor and role model of best practices in the community and workplace at all times.
– Represent Outward Bound California appropriately when interacting with outside agencies and people
Safety & Risk Management
– Support in critical incident responses and on-call system, which may require after work hours and could happen during scheduled time off.
– Ensure accurate and complete incident reporting for all courses.
– In coordination with the Program Team, create the content and delivery methods for safety briefings.
– If the applicant has technical rock climbing skills and program needs dictate, they may take on oversight of our climbing programs.
– Uphold Outward Bound’s zero-tolerance policy for incidents of child abuse and neglect. Protecting our minor students against abuse and neglect is of the highest priority
Administrative Duties
– Coordinate the collection, completion, and filing of all course paperwork—update forms as needed.
– Ensure proper recording of financial transactions, including gear store and petty cash.
– In coordination with the Program Team, fulfill program oversight duties throughout the season, such as maintenance and tracking of course materials.
Qualifications:
Experience with Outward Bound or other wilderness expeditionary programs (NOLS multi-day course or equivalent)
Bachelor’s degree and/or 3-5 years’ experience in the outdoor education/experiential learning field, or any similar combination of education and experience
Wilderness First Responder, CPR and CA Epinephrine certifications
Have had a valid US or Canadian driver’s license for at least five years
Required Skills:
Passionate about Outward Bound’s mission, programs, and course activities
Have a deep understanding and personal commitment to equity and inclusion in the outdoors and can mentor staff in this topic
Great organizational skills, self-motivated, and flexible
Works both independently and cooperatively, and can balance multiple projects at a time
Effective communicator with the ability to give and receive both positive and constructive feedback
Proficient with computer systems, primarily G Suite
Preferred Skills:
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor or higher certification
Experience in the Outward Bound Course Director role
Current CA Class C Commercial Driver’s License
Experience with curriculum development with an equity focus
Salesforce experience
Previous supervisory experience
About Outward Bound California
Outward Bound California (OBCA) is a non-profit that uses challenging experiences in outdoor settings to create social-emotional learning opportunities for our students (ages 12 and up, including adults). We offer a wide range of programs, from 1-day experiences on our San Francisco Challenge Course to multi-day rock climbing and backpacking courses in the High Sierra and Joshua Tree. OBCA is committed to increasing access for those that have traditionally been excluded from outdoor spaces. We do this, in part, through our 40+ community partnerships and by offering partial or full scholarships to over 2/3 of our students.
Equity and Inclusion Statement:
We believe that all people should have safe access to the outdoors and culturally relevant and responsive educational programming. OBCA is also striving to create an equitable and inclusive internal culture where all staff members feel represented and honored for their identities and lived experiences. We examine how power, bias,
