Outdoor Programs Manager

Gonzaga University, United States

Updated: about 11 hours ago
Location: Spokane, WASHINGTON
Deadline: 04 Jun 2024

First Section


Who We Are
At Gonzaga we don’t just state our mission. We live it every day as a Catholic, Jesuit, and humanistic University. It is the reason we exist and the foundation for our purpose: educating students for lives of leadership and service. From students to faculty and staff members, everyone here knows what we stand for – and they know how valuable our mission is to the success of our institution.
Our diverse selection of benefits is part of Gonzaga’s commitment to care for and meet the needs of our employees and their families. The University provides full-time employees in their first year: a PPO Medical plan administered by Premera Blue Cross, employer-paid dental programs through Delta Dental, vision coverage through VSP, employer-paid Life Insurance, and optional employee-paid Life Insurance through Lincoln Financial, TIAA 403(b) Retirement plan including free onsite financial planning and advising, Employee Assistance Program through Supportlinc, Zagfit Wellness program with access to GU’s onsite fitness center and Spokane Transit Authority (STA) bus passes. Additionally, full-time (40 hours per week) staff employees accrue 4 hours of sick time per pay period (pro-rated for less than 40 hours/week), vacation time starting at 5 hours per pay period (pro-rated for less than 40 hours/week) and 17 paid holidays. Additional benefits such as Long Term Disability and Tuition Waivers are available after the first year of employment.
For more information, click here .
Position Title Outdoor Programs Manager
Posting Number S2278P
Department GU Outdoors & Immersive Outdoor Learning (IOL)
Work Schedule
Variable, Some nights, overnight, weekends and field work up to 3 weeks at a time are required.
Employment Status Regular
Temporary or Fixed-Term Assignment End Date
Hours per Week 40
Months per Year 11
Job Purpose
Gonzaga University Outdoor Program is seeking Program Managers (2 positions) to work with programming, training and logistics. Outdoor Programs consists of both co-curricular and academic-focused outdoor experiential education. Program managers will focus on either co-curricular programming or academic programming. Outdoor education at Gonzaga focuses on getting students in the outdoors in and around the Inland Northwest to create friendships, enhance wellbeing, provide technical outdoor skills, develop leaders, and instill a sense of respect and awe for the outdoors.
The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to offer for this position is $48,292 – $49,920 annually. The internal full salary range is $48,292 – $65,337.
Anticipated/Budgeted Salary (Annualized 12 months, 40 hours/week) 48292 - 49920
Minimum Salary (Annualized 12 months, 40 hours/week) 48292
Salary Midpoint (Annualized 12 months, 40 hours/week) 56815
Maximum Salary (Annualized 12 months, 40 hours/week) 65337


Essential Functions


Essential Function Category Title Program Leadership
% of time for section 40%
Function Details
  • Design, recruit, and offer outdoor experiential curriculum that serves staff, students, and faculty.
  • Develop and manage budgets for co-curricular and academic programs.
  • Work with the professional staff team in all aspects of the Outdoor Recreation program including trips, clinics, events, bike and ski shop, rental equipment, and pre-orientation program.
  • Works with Director of Outdoor Programs and University Risk Management to develop, maintain, and enforce standards of risk management for outdoor trips, as well as on-call communication, and incident response, and approving trip plans.
  • May be required to make incident response decisions in absence of Director.
  • Manage catalog of designated course areas and associated documents.
  • Obtain and manage compliance with local, state, and federal permitting for field experiences.
  • Share on-call responsibilities within professional staff team.
Essential Function Category Title Field Experiences, Facilitation, Instruction
% of time for section 20%
Function Details
  • Provide extended expedition leadership, serving as the primary field staff for Gonzaga-in-the-Wilderness (3 weeks), New Trip Leader Backpacking (1 week), or Spring Break (1 week).
  • Serve as primary field staff on trips as needed and as the program expert in at least one technical activity.
  • Instruct, facilitate, or co-teach academic courses in areas of expertise as appropriate.
  • Design, develop curriculum and facilitate the Trip Leader Training Program. Respond to feedback and programmatic trends to update curriculum year over year.
  • Contribute to Gonzaga Outdoors’ Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion trainings for staff and trip leaders.
Essential Function Category Title Student supervision & Training
% of time for section 20%
Function Details
  • Supervise a subset of student employees.
  • Supervisory tasks such as, but not limited too, effective and ongoing performance management, team development, conflict management, hiring and onboarding, creating opportunities, and building morale.
  • Meet operational targets, develop innovate solutions, and continuously improve department and operational efforts.
  • Develop and support inclusive environments by actively building relationships and demonstrate a bias for collaboration, and communicate regularly with all team members through multiple mechanisms.
  • Steward all resources, including budget, effectively and appropriately.
  • Evaluate, track, and provide regular feedback on individual Trip Leader development.
  • Support Student Growth by acting as an advisor and mentor to students involved in the program.
  • Support students in finding and securing a variety of internal and external, professional and academic opportunities.
  • Work with the Director to train and supervise Student Head Trip Leaders.
Essential Function Category Title Collaborations, Partnership, Outreach
% of time for section 20%
Function Details
  • Collaborate directly with staff and faculty from across the university to develop, market, instruct, and assess courses that bring students into the outdoor classroom.
  • Co-create and facilitate specific outdoor experiences with student affairs programs and academic departments.
  • Effectively build and steward relationships with internal and external stakeholders.


Other Functions


Other Functions
  • Contribute to the vision, mission, and strategies of Outdoor Programs.
  • Attend and contribute to Departmental, and Divisional (Student Affairs) meetings.
  • Safely drive a 12-passenger van with participants, as well as other University owned and rented vehicles.
  • Other tasks as requested by the Department.


University Competencies


University Work Values
Promoting Excellence in Academic Endeavors and Professional Practice
• Fostering intellectual depth, competence, reflection, and creativity in pursuing exemplary, rather than satisfactory, outcomes
Sharing Responsibility for Mission Identity and Leadership
• Making a personal commitment to learn about Gonzaga’s mission, discovering ways to contribute individually and collaboratively to our distinctive learning and research community
Affirming a Commitment to Human Dignity
• Engaging one another with profound respect, professionalism, and cura personalis while supporting one another’s continued learning, development, and maximizing of potential
Advancing a Culture of Inclusiveness
• Developing cultural fluencies and global awarenesses, and practicing habits that enable us to value, recruit, and support community members from historically underrepresented backgrounds
Caring for Our Common Home and Integral Ecology
• Growing ecological awareness of and respect for the interconnectedness of human and non-human life, and the need to develop and practice habits that are mutually beneficial to all life
Cultivating Individual and Community Accountability
• Demonstrating mutual commitment to our shared project by holding ourselves and others responsible for actions, expecting appropriate behavior, and aligning activities with ethical and professional standards


Qualifications/Knowledge Required/Years Experience Required


Degree Required Bachelor's Degree
Certifications and/or Licensures required
  • Current Wilderness First Responder Certification or higher
  • Washington State Driver’s License​
  • Good Driving Record
Knowledge Required Specialist Knowledge in field
Years Experience Required 3-4.99 years
Minimum Qualifications
  • BA + three (3) years in Outdoor Recreation, Leadership, Education or other relevant field.
  • Ability to act as a risk manager, including staying up to date on best-practices and industry standards, weighing risks to outcomes for various aspects of the program, and supporting the culture of risk management within the program.​
Desired Qualifications
  • Master’s Degree in Outdoor Recreation, Leadership, Education or other relevant field.
  • Knowledge of experiential education and outdoor leadership pedagogy, with the integration of Jesuit perspectives.
  • An understanding and ability to apply student development theories in an adventure setting with a priority on student learning and growth..
  • Certifications and/or equivalent experience demonstrating proven ability to act in lead instructor role in numerous outdoor disciplines.​
Physical / Environmental Qualifications
  • Candidate is responsible for leading kayaking, hiking, backpacking, climbing, mountain biking and camping trips and must be physically able to participate in such activities.
  • Must be able to stay at a specific front desk location for 90% of shift.
  • Wrist and hand movement related to computer work
  • Bend, stoop, kneel, stretch and reach
  • Must be able to work outdoors for sustained periods of time in all weather and environmental conditions.
  • Must be able to lift and carry at least 50 pounds.
  • Must be able to bend, stand, lean, and kneel on a regular basis and for sustained periods of time.
  • Must be able to safely self-transport over uneven terrain or in a confined space.
  • Must be able to work in shared spaces with other employees and customers.


Posting Detail Information


Open Date 05/14/2024
Close Date 06/04/2024
Open Until Filled No
Application Review Begins On 06/04/2024
Special Instructions to Applicants
EEO Statement
Gonzaga University is a Jesuit, Catholic, humanistic institution, and is therefore interested in candidates who will contribute to its distinctive mission. Gonzaga University is a committed EEO/AA employer and diversity candidates are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their disability status and/or protected veteran status. Applicants with disabilities needing reasonable accommodations to complete the application or hiring process should contact Human Resources (509) 313-5996.
Clery Statement
Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics
The safety of all members of the campus community is of vital concern to Gonzaga University. Information regarding crime prevention advice, the law enforcement authority of Campus Security, policies concerning the reporting of any crimes which occurred on the campus (and other specified locations), other security and safety-related policies, as well as the crime statistics for the most recent 3-year period may be found in the Campus Safety and Security Guide and Annual Fire Safety Report. The Gonzaga-In-Florence Safety & Security Guide is also available.
A copy of the report can be found online at www.Gonzaga.edu/Clery . A paper copy of the Campus Safety & Security Guide and Annual Fire Safety Report or the Gonzaga-In-Florence Safety & Security Guide may be obtained by contacting the Student Development Office on main campus, College Hall 120. The Florence Guide may also be obtained on the Florence campus in room 105.

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