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 Day & Youth Program Coordinator is a dynamic role dedicated to connecting youth and communities to the outdoors through inclusive adventures. This position manages the end-to-end logistics for day-long events—including trip directing, permits, and reservations—while overseeing our program’s educational kits and supporting the implementation of the youth program curriculum. As a primary liaison for youth-serving organizations, this position uses strong relationship management skills to help partners plan meaningful trips that reflect Wilderness Inquiry’s mission and values while meeting the unique needs of their youth.

Dimensions

Working Title: Day & Youth Program Coordinator
Position Classification: Coordinator
Employment Conditions: Exempt
Department/Section: Program & Adventures
Classification Range: $50,000 – $60,000
Reports To: Senior Manager of Day & Youth Programs
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Environment: Hybrid, with some days reporting to the Wilderness Inquiry office in Bloomington; additional days & overnights spent in the field

Essential Roles and Responsibilities

Responsibility 1: Program Coordination and Implementation (40% FTE)

Tasks

1. Support Wilderness Inquiry Day & Youth programs to ensure 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. Acquire reservations and permits for Wilderness Inquiry single day events. 
   1. Coordinate reservations of portable restrooms, bus transportation, and staff lodging, and ensure completion of special use permits. 
   2. Manage special event vendor relationships and communications. 
3. Assist with youth program curriculum development for activities that are facilitated on day and extended youth programs, and are based on positive youth development best practices that include a process of discovery and hands-on exploration and promote social-emotional learning.
4. Maintain a positive working relationship with Mississippi National River Association (MNRA) National Park Service (NPS) rangers, and coordinate with NPS staff to schedule rangers on relevant events within the MNRRA corridor.
5. Facilitate site visits and assessments for existing and new event locations for Wilderness Inquiry day programs to ensure safety and accessibility for staff and participants. 
6. 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.
7. Ensure program deliverables and outcomes are met for corporate/foundation grants related to youth programs.
8. Support implementation of staff training, including assisting with development of training materials.
9. Professionally represent Wilderness Inquiry at community, outreach, tabling, or recruitment events.

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. 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 groups’ goals, needs, and abilities.  
3. Manage group service agreements to achieve mission and program budget goals.
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 partners who 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: 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 4: Education Kit Coordination & Youth Program Administrative Support (15% FTE)

Tasks

1. Manage the inventory and organization of Wilderness Inquiry’s education kits in partnership with the Operations team with high quality systems that minimize re-purchasing costs of missing or damaged items.
2. Oversee a complete inventory of education kits three times per year, including managing staff who will be taking inventory. 
3. Order education kit materials as needed with purchasing and budget guidance of the Day & Youth Education Program Manager.
4. Assist with Day & Youth Program management of other youth program related supplies as needed.
5. Prepare Google Folders, Canoemobile binders, and additional materials as needed in preparation for extended Canoemobile tours.
6. Support post trip event completion responsibilities and processing of event paperwork.

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

1. Support organizational special events including Seasonal Staff Training (May & September), Great River Race, Partner Paddle, Opportunity Fund, 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 1+ year of professional experience in environmental education, outdoor recreation, youth development, or a related field, OR 3+ years of professional experience in environmental education, outdoor recreation, youth development, or a related field
• Experience in youth or young adult program coordination, event planning, and/or partnership management
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Project management skills
• Experience with delivery and facilitation of educational content and/or training
• Demonstrated proficiency with computers, spreadsheets, and database management
• Ability to pass a background check

Desired Qualifications and Characteristics:

• Demonstrated experience developing lesson plans and/or activities for youth
• Knowledge of formal (public, private, and/or charter school) or non-formal (after-school, camp, community centers, or related) educational and operational structures
• 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
• Excellent computer and database skills
• Collaborative and team-oriented
• Willingness to listen, learn, and continuously improve 
• Flexible, persistent, organized, and attentive to detail 
• Enjoys variety and is open to learning new roles

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.

Application Deadline:

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until March 22, 2026.