Head Instructor - Climbing

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position has an end date of May 2, 2025 and offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed on our Benefits Overview page .

Location - This role is in-person. Work primarily takes place at North Campus, Edmonton.

Working for the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is teeming with change makers, community builders, and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

Working for the Department/Faculty 

Campus & Community Recreation is the host of multiple wellness activities and events that run throughout the University of Alberta campus. This includes recreational events and programs that are available at North Campus as well as South Campus. Campus & Community Recreation offers programs and facilities aimed to meet the needs and interests of the broad range of communities that we serve. From group exercise to individualized personal training; from healthy living activities to physical assessments preparing for specific work environments; from recreational sports to elite sport training; and a range of ethnic and cultural dance, Campus & Community Recreation has the breadth and depth of activities to enhance the experiences of students, staff and community members alike.

The role of Campus & Community Recreation is to contribute to the overall academic vision of the university. We support our communities (students, staff, faculty, and community members) to explore and enhance their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being through physical and social activity. We strongly believe in the power of recreational activities to support these needs.

Position 

Reporting to the Team Lead, Student-Led Activities (SLA), the Wilson Climbing Centre Head Instructor is an important member of the Wilson Climbing Centre team within Campus & Community Recreation. Campus & Community Recreation supports the management of sport and recreation facilities, programs, services and events serving a variety of communities including University of Alberta students, staff, faculty, and general community members.

A key element of the Head Instructor position will be acting as the lead instructor. This role will have many hours in the bouldering lounge and the high wall area(s), actively monitoring the facility. The Head Instructor will perform a variety of administrative work including assisting clients, working in our registration system and staff paperwork. Instructing programs and leading group bookings is a requirement in this position.

As Head Instructor your primary role will be to provide support to your fellow instructors in order to facilitate the efficient, effective and safe operation of the Wilson Climbing Centre. This position will also assist in inspections of all equipment, as well as the climbing wall facilities.

**Please note that this position will have a normal work week schedule Tuesday-Saturday and requires the ability to work evening hours.

Duties 

• Performs all roles and duties of a Climbing Instructor/Tech
• Assists the Team Lead, Student Led Activities and the Coordinator(s), Climbing Facility & Programs with development, review, evaluation of lesson plans for all climbing programs
• Assists the Team Lead, Student Led Activities and the Coordinator(s), Climbing Facility & Programs with the day to day oversight of casual climbing staff, wall patrons, and user groups while in the Wilson Climbing Centre area
• Assists the Team Lead, Student Led Activities and the Coordinator(s), Climbing Facility & Programs with the onboarding, orientation, and training of instructors
• Performs daily / weekly / monthly / annual facility, equipment, and maintenance checks
• Reports any Safety/Facility Management issues to the Coordinator(s), Climbing Facility & Programs
• This role is a Safety Sensitive Position.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma
• Current ACMG Certified Gym Instructor (CGI) Level 1 and/or CWA Climbing Wall Instructor (CWI)
• Current Intermediate (Standard) First Aid (received in last 3 years)
• Current CPR Level C (received in last year)
• Completion of Workplace Violence & Harassment Prevention certification (provided as part of onboarding)
• Completion of Culture of Care / Supervising Others course (provided as part of onboarding)
• Cleared Police Information Check and Vulnerable Sector Check
• Completion of Safe Sport Training
• Minimum of 1 year teaching/facilitation experience is required
• Strong communication and conflict resolution skills
• Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate others in a team setting
• Emergency Response skills and knowledge of specialized lifesaving equipment

Preferred Qualifications

• NCCP certification is considered an asset
• Experience with route setting is considered an asset
• Experience with elite / competitive climbing participation and/or instruction is considered an asset

At the University of Alberta, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates. If you require accommodations to participate in the interview process, please let us know at the time of booking your interview and we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.

Note: Online applications are accepted until midnight Mountain Standard Time of the closing date.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.