Posted by Big City Mountaineers on 02/11/2022

Job Basics

Industry Sector: Action, Outdoor

Job Categories: Admin/Clerical, Customer Service, Operations, Outdoor Education

Company Type: DoesnotApply

State: CO

City: Golden

Country: United States

Required Experience: 1 - 3 years

Contact Name: David Taus

Job Type: Full Time

Salary: $40,000 - $48,000/year

Required to Relocate: Yes

Required to Travel: No

Employee May Telecommute: No

Job Seeker Must Live Within: 50+ miles

Job Description & Requirements

About Big City Mountaineers

At Big City Mountaineers, we work alongside the transformative powers of nature to foster a lasting impact in the lives of youth from disinvested communities. BCM creates opportunities for 12 to 18 year-olds to connect with nature and uncover their own sources of strength, resilience, confidence, serenity and joy by providing free, fully outfitted, and professionally led outdoor experiences. BCM’s programming culminates in a weeklong backcountry trip, which is often the first time the youth we serve experience the outdoors in such a way. The BCM experience enables youth to take on healthy and relevant challenges and cultivate a connection to themselves, their community, to nature, and to joy.

For over thirty years, BCM’s programming has shown staying power beyond the norm, and has come to be a recognized and highly regarded national nonprofit that is supported by a stable operating budget.  BCM is at an exciting point in its history, one that holds great potential and opportunity to reimagine how the organization can best deliver on its mission. Our team includes a dedicated staff, seasonal trip instructors, and volunteers.

Though we are headquartered in Colorado, Big City Mountaineers’ regional hubs touch both coasts, and several locations in between. We are located on the ancestral territories the Ute, (Denver, CO), the Sioux and Anishinibawaki (Minneapolis, MN), the Ohlone, Ramaytush, Chochenyo, and Muwekma (San Francisco Bay Area), the Duwamish (Seattle, WA), the Cowlitz and Chinook (Portland, OR), and the Massachusett and Pawtucket (Boston, MA).

Position Overview

The National Operations Coordinator (NOC) will work across all major areas of BCM’s functioning, and is essential to keeping BCM running smoothly and efficiently.  The NOC can expect to work with all members of BCM’s staff, and will report to the Executive Director.

The NOC is an integral part of the program team, ensuring that Regional Program Managers and the National Program Director are supported in terms of logistics, data, and processes. This “behind the curtain” work, when done well, will significantly elevate the quality of BCM’s national programming and impact. The NOC will have the opportunity to directly support the specific regional efforts on the ground as need arises. 

The NOC will also support BCM’s development function by helping to steward donors, volunteers, and the larger BCM community. The NOC can expect to have frequent contact with BCM’s community of supporters via phone, email, and potentially in person, and will often be responsible for making the first contact with people interested in engaging with BCM in various ways. 

Having direct prior experience in the areas mentioned below is valuable, but what is most important is being an organized, fastidious, flexible, and personable human being who has deep passion for BCM’s mission and work. This position is an excellent opportunity for individuals who have a desire to gain broad and varied early career experience in a nationally recognized nonprofit focused on youth development and outdoor access.

We intend for the NOC to work out of BCM’s headquarters in Denver, CO, with options to work remotely as the situation allows and COVID requires. We, however, will consider a very limited number of applications from exceptional candidates who do not live in the Denver area. 

The National Operations Coordinator’s specific essential duties include:

Logistics Management

• Managing National Gear & Gear Incentive Inventory 

• In-Kind goods donations (in and out) 

• Food purchasing

• Shipping gear and program documents to and from regions 

• Satellite phone rentals / management and Garmin subscription 

• Support with Partner and Participant Contract & Form Management 

Donor, Volunteer, and Community Relations

• Volunteer recruitment, intake, and initial screening 

• Coordinating volunteers for non-program events 

• Initial response to Summit for Someone and Adventure for Someone inquiries 

• Volunteer appreciation and stewardship 

• Proofreading, and editing newsletters and collateral 

• Supporting mail and email communications with donors and community members on an as-needed basis

General Administration

• Trip participant database support 

• Monitor Mail, main phone number, info@bigcitymountaineers.org email address

• Travel and meeting logistics for staff 

• Support for communications with BCM’s community of supporters

Role Requirements

• Personal and professional values consistent with BCM’s mission, values, and principles, including principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• High degree of motivation to increase access to the outdoors for youth from disinvested communities,

• Unwavering belief in the power of nature-based experiences to help youth strengthen life skills and build community

• Residence in or near Denver, CO

• Prior professional or personal experience managing complex logistics and administrative tasks in a fastidious and organized manner

• Prior professional experience representing an organization to vendors, customers, and/or partners

• Demonstrated ability to make meaningful, authentic connections with people across various lines of difference

• Demonstrated ability to manage administrative details, including maintaining accurate and complete data available in real time

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in multiple formats (written and verbal) to diverse audiences

• Clean driving record

Additional Qualifications

• Familiarity with the local communities BCM serves

• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently, and to know when each is required

• Interpersonal awareness, ability to cultivate trusting interpersonal relationships and connect with people across lines of difference

• Comfort giving and receiving feedback up a supervisory hierarchy

• Ability to set priorities and manage multiple projects simultaneously

• Ability to inspire passion for BCM’s work and programs, internally and externally

• Willingness to hold self and others accountable for all organizational policies

• Personal or professional experience, familiarity, and comfort in backcountry and outdoor settings

• Experience working from a home office and/or remotely, including comfort with technology platforms that enable effective remote collaboration (Google Workspace, Slack, Salesforce, Zoom)

• Spanish speaking or bilingual (preferred)

Employment & Compensation

This is a full-time hourly position, with a starting annual salary range of $40,000 - $48,000/year. The National Operations Coordinator will be eligible to receive medical, dental, and vision insurance within one month of hire.  Big City Mountaineers employees enjoy a generous paid time off policy (over 30 paid days off per calendar year) and flexibility in terms of work schedule and location. Employees have access to additional benefits after an initial period of employment.

Expected start date for this position is April 18, 2022.

How to Apply & Timeline

Please submit a current resume and thoughtful cover letter detailing why you believe your experience, capacity, and passions align with BCM’s needs to David Taus, Executive Director, at david@bigcitymountaineers.org. In your cover letter, be sure to address the following:

• What compelled you to apply to this specific position with Big City Mountaineers?

• What prior professional or personal experience has prepared you for this role?

• How does your personal identity and/or lived experience play a role in your motivation to do this work?

Combining both documents into a single PDF is preferred.

All applications must be received no later than Sunday, March 6, 2022. If we feel you might be a good potential fit for the role, we will be in touch to schedule an interview; first round interviews will occur on a rolling basis and take place, at latest, by March 18.

Big City Mountaineers is invested in cultivating a diverse candidate pool and is interested in connecting with candidates whose identities and/or lived experiences are similar to the youth we work with. We understand that our next National Operations Coordinator may not have taken a traditional professional path, and we encourage interested individuals to apply even if you don't meet every one of our qualifications listed.

About Big City Mountaineers

At Big City Mountaineers, we work alongside the transformative power of nature and in partnership with youth agencies to have a positive impact on the lives of young people.

Our programs focus on providing access to the outdoors for youth from communities that have historically lacked equitable access to nature. By providing free, fully outfitted, and professionally led outdoor and backcountry trips, we’re able to give students ages 8 to 18 the opportunity to connect with nature and reconnect with their strengths, skills, and resilience.

We engage young people in seven metropolitan areas across the country, including Boston, Denver, Miami, Minneapolis, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle.