Overview
The Outdoor Recreation Coordinator supports USC’s outdoor recreation program through student staff supervision, risk management, operational planning, and program support across core areas such as adventure trips, indoor climbing, and equipment rental. This role will be accountable for contributing to a positive, friendly work environment that encourages, enhances and demonstrates collaboration, teamwork, professionalism and equity among staff, students and patrons on a daily basis.
This is primarily a position of program leadership. The role stays connected to student development, staff training, and technical practice while focusing much of its time on supervision, planning, logistics, communication, budgeting, and working within university systems.
Job Duties:
Supervise, train, and support approximately 30 student employees.
Lead student staff development through hiring, onboarding, coaching, evaluation, and ongoing feedback.
Support the administration and delivery of outdoor recreation programs and services, including adventure trips, climbing, and gear rental/repair.
Serve as a primary lead for selected program areas based on the candidate’s experience and current departmental needs.
Support budgeting, purchasing, equipment management, trip logistics, and future planning for staffing, training, scheduling, and budget needs.
Help maintain high standards for risk management, staff readiness, program quality, and participant experience.
Be accountable for contributing to a positive, friendly work environment that encourages, enhances and demonstrates collaboration, teamwork, professionalism and equity among staff, students and patrons on a daily basis.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Position Context:
A significant portion of the role involves office-based work, coordination, documentation, communication, scheduling, and working within university systems. This role remains connected to field-based practice through program support, trip auditing, and ongoing professional development.
Strong technical judgment is essential. This position is expected to bring deep experience in one or two core areas and apply that expertise through staff training, technical instruction, and risk management decision-making. The position supports a broad outdoor recreation program, but no one person is not expected to be the technical lead for every area.
Schedule Expectations:
This position requires a variable schedule based on program responsibilities and the rhythms of the university environment. Evening and weekend work will be required as needed to support student staff, programs, and services that operate outside a standard 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. schedule. This position is also designated as essential personnel during inclement weather and other emergencies.
Note: May be eligible for transition to a 10.5-month appointment after first year—contingent upon satisfactory performance and good standing.
Qualifications:
(Minimum)Bachelor's degree and 3 or more years of relevant experience
Current First Aid/CPR/AED certification, or ability to obtain within an established period after hire.
Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification, or ability to obtain within an established period after hire.
(Preferred) Master’s degree in related field, 1 year related experience.
(Preferred) Experience in collegiate outdoor recreation, experiential education, outdoor education, guiding, or a related setting
Required Skills:
Demonstrated expertise in one or two of the following areas: climbing (indoor and/or outdoor), paddling (whitewater, canoe, kayak, raft, or SUP), or general trip leadership and management.
Ability to make sound risk management decisions and provide technical instruction and/or staff training in areas of expertise.
Working occasional nights and weekends aligned with departmental and university needs throughout academic year
Preferred Skills:
Experience with program administration, including scheduling, logistics, equipment systems, budgeting, or operational planning.
Relevant Certification including: SPI, CWI, SWR, Paddling Instructor (SUP, kayak, canoe, raft, etc), WEMT
Staff Supervision - especially student staff
About University of South Carolina
South Carolina's unrivaled college experience has been sought by students, faculty and academic researchers for more than 200 years. Founded in 1801, the university is located in Columbia, the capital of South Carolina.
