Position Description

Wilderness Inquiry’s mission is to connect people of all ages, backgrounds, identities, and abilities through shared outdoor adventures so that all people can equitably experience the benefits of time spent in nature. 

At Wilderness Inquiry, we believe that everyone belongs. We work to ensure this belief holds true in our workplace, in our community, and in the outdoors. We pursue this belief through our mission and shared values of paddling together, nurturing inclusion, seeking the exceptional, and finding a way.  

Position Summary & Dimensions

Summary

The Education Program Manager is a pivotable member of the Day & Youth team focused on managing and developing mission-aligned outdoor adventure programs for youth and day-trip participants. This position leads on Canoemobile’s curriculum design based on positive youth development principles and social-emotional learning frameworks, ensuring content is standardized, high-quality, aligned to academic standards, and trauma-informed. This role is responsible for managing trip logistics (i.e., Trip Directing) for day-long experiences, providing exceptional customer service to our groups and leadership to the seasonal Outdoor Leaders who facilitate programs. A significant portion of the role involves partnership and account management for groups, serving as the primary liaison for both new and existing customers, while strategically meeting program budget and revenue goals. The Day & Youth Education Program Manager is also responsible for grant management, managing financial drawdowns and quantitative reporting. 

Dimensions

Working Title: Day & Youth Education Program Manager
Position Classification: Program Manager
Employment Conditions: Exempt
Department/Section: Programs & Adventures
Classification Range: $62,000-$72,000
Reports To: Senior Manager of Day & Youth Programs
Supervisory Responsibilities: Part Time Trip Director, Day Programs

Essential Roles and Responsibilities

Responsibility 1: Program Management & Development (40% FTE)

Tasks

1. Manage a portfolio of Day & Youth programs, ensuring program outcomes meet the needs of participant populations while maintaining truth to Wilderness Inquiry’s mission, values, safety, quality, cost effectiveness, revenue goals, and brand promise.
2. Collaborate with other members of the Day & Youth programs team to identify, design, and enhance new and existing program offerings that align with the Wilderness Inquiry mission and strategic vision for program goals and outcomes.
3. Develop, enhance, and lead Outdoor Leader training modules that promote social-emotional learning for youth on day and extended overnight trips.
4. Act as the team lead for youth program curriculum design and oversight for activities that are facilitated on day and extended youth programs: 
   1. Develop and implement program content based on positive youth development best practices that include a process of discovery and hands-on exploration and promote social-emotional learning.
   2. Ensure curriculum and new activities are: aligned to academic standards, age appropriate, high quality, relevant, and standardized across Wilderness Inquiry’s youth activity offerings.
   3. Oversee youth program material purchasing and activity kit management.
5. Lead program evaluation design, implementation, and assessment in years Wilderness Inquiry administers evaluations; as needed, manage external evaluator relationships and accountabilities, demonstrating high customer relationship skills. 
6. Develop and lead teacher training events and professional development opportunities that align with program goals and grant deliverables.
7. Seek out opportunities for trauma-informed, place-based, and culturally relevant training and curricula to integrate into new and existing program offerings that fit within organizational goals and budget; implement knowledge and learnings through staff training, program design, and curriculum development. 

Responsibility 2: Partnership & Account Management (25% FTE)

Tasks

1. Manage assigned customer accounts with organizations and individuals who travel and organize trips with Wilderness Inquiry, ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction.
2. Manage group contracts to achieve mission and program budget goals.
3. Demonstrate a high level of understanding of Wilderness Inquiry trip offerings and revenue goals in order to represent the best trip option aligned with a group’s goals, needs, and abilities.
4. Act as primary liaison for new customers/partner organizations, demonstrating strong customer relationship management skills aligned with Wilderness Inquiry’s values and mission.
5. Develop new relationships with potential customers/partners that are mission aligned.
6. Manage tactical components of customer accounts, including writing service agreements, issuing invoices, and maintaining accurate records.
7. Identify external audiences and assist with messaging for outreach efforts and campaigns regarding programs and initiatives. 

Responsibility 3: Grant Management & Reporting (15% FTE)

Tasks

1. Manage state government grant implementation, quantitative and narrative reporting, and financial drawdowns.
2. Manage program deliverables and outcomes for corporate/foundation grants related to youth programs.
3. Support grant applications by contributing to project goals, outcomes, and narratives; prepare materials, data, and key program-related testimonials for grant-related presentations and meetings. 
4. Administer grant-funded or required program evaluations, including assessment design, implementation, and review.
5. Develop and deliver presentations to funders at external outreach events, conferences, and other related programs to share program offerings and goals.

Responsibility 4: Trip Directing (20% FTE)

Tasks

1. Act as Trip Director for assigned itineraries and events, independently following standard operating procedures, best practices, and policies.
2. Manage all pre- and post-trip responsibilities for assigned events and demonstrate effective and timely communication with Outdoor Leaders, participants, and/or contract group organizers to ensure a high quality and safe trip experience.
3. Assess participant and group trip goals, abilities, and backgrounds in order to identify activities and create trip schedules that meet the unique needs of the group. 
4. Provide exceptional customer service to group organizers and Wilderness Inquiry contractees to foster positive relationships and ongoing engagement.
5. Support annual itinerary review process and provide ongoing updates to itineraries based on evaluation data from participants, staff, and contract contacts.
6. Coordinate and communicate with public lands agencies and service providers to ensure program sites are adequate and safe, as applicable.
7. Occasionally support Wilderness Inquiry programs in the field.
8. Maintain availability during and outside of regular office hours for trip support, communications, and emergencies that may occur on assigned trips.
9. Provide guidance to seasonal Outdoor Leaders as a staff mentor to promote a welcoming environment and represent a positive point of contact for leaders to share feedback.

Responsibility 5: Embrace Values, Community Agreements and Other Roles/Responsibilities as Assigned

Tasks

1. Support organizational special events including Seasonal Staff Training (May & September), Great River Race, Opportunity Fund, Quarterly Board Meetings, and other in office gatherings.
2. Perform all job responsibilities in a manner that centers Wilderness Inquiry values and supports a healthy, safe, and productive work environment for all employees by adhering to Workplace Community Agreements.

Please note: These are not intended to encompass all roles and responsibilities of this position; other duties may be assigned at the discretion of the supervisor.

Qualifications and Requirements

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or equivalent degree and 3+ years of professional experience in outdoor recreation, education, youth development, or a related field, OR 5+ years of professional experience in outdoor recreation, education, youth development, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience developing lesson plans and/or activity outlines, OR relevant experience that shows designing an instructional plan to meet measurable learning objectives
• Knowledge of formal (public, private, and/or charter school) or non-formal (after-school, camp, community centers, or related) educational and operational structures
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Project management skills including a demonstrated ability to manage multiple details and projects simultaneously
• Experience with delivery and facilitation of educational content and/or training
• Demonstrated proficiency with computers, spreadsheets, and database management

Desired Qualifications and Characteristics: 

• Demonstrated experience with curriculum design, and developing lesson plans aligned with K-12 academic standards
• Demonstrated experience with social-emotional learning and positive youth development principles
• Passion for Wilderness Inquiry’s inclusive mission, outdoor adventure, and connecting people to the benefits of nature
• A self-starter who takes initiative
• Professional experience with Mac computers, Google/G-Suite, and formal Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
• Collaborative and team-oriented
• Willingness to listen, learn, and continuously improve 
• Flexible, persistent, and attentive to detail

Physical Requirements:

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. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk and hear, and use hands to handle or touch objects or controls. The employee is regularly required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally be able to lift and carry heavy loads up to 50lbs over rough terrain for distances of up to 1,000 feet. On occasion the employee must be able to make loud verbal commands, sit and stand for significant periods of time while also directing vessels such as a canoe, use vision to directionally navigate safely, and endure a wide variety of temperatures and elements. Specific vision abilities required by this job include the ability to see while using a standard computer screen, close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. The above statements reflect the general details necessary to describe the principle functions of the occupation described and shall not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the occupation.

Work Environment:

This is a hybrid position which reports to Wilderness Inquiry’s Headquarters in Bloomington, MN. Individuals can expect a minimum of 2-3 days in-person, with more in-person days required during busy programming times. This position will be expected to attend and facilitate in-person day and overnight training in the field including the backcountry. Opportunities to work remotely will be available when responsibilities allow.