To help Katie Gerber and me with the guided trips, immediately after the New Year I plan to bring on a full-time Program Manager. If you’re interested in and qualified for this position, please apply by December 6, 2024.
Context
My goal in making this hire is simple: to delegate more of my responsibilities. The Program Manager will directly inherit some of my workload, and they will also take on some tasks currently performed by Katie (who can then take ownership of other things that I currently do). I will remain engaged with the program, but I will be investing more time in long-term initiatives and in developing related products and services.
Katie and I plan to tailor the position around the experience and skills of the final candidate. From our perspective, a long list of things must get done to run high quality trips and to maintain a successful business. We will divide this work amongst the three of us in the most sensical way.
Responsibilities
Required
In a home office, the Program Manager will likely need to:
- Manage the Planning Curriculum and a half-dozen instructors;
- Serve as one of the Planning Curriculum instructors;
- Coordinate trip logistics, like guide lodging, car shuttling, and bush flights;
- Submit commercial permit applications and use reports;
- Secure necessary wilderness permits;
- Assist with basic accounting and HR functions; and,
- Support marketing and content development efforts.
The Program Manager must also be a competent backpacking guide. They will need to:
- Guide in most of our five locations, sometimes for just one session and other times possibly for all of them (refer to the trip schedule to set expectations);
- Oversee our operations and other guides, in rare instances when Andrew or Katie are absent.
Extra credit
If they have experience with or a knack for it, we would love to involve the Program Manager with:
- Developing our routes and printing maps;
- Creating and producing content, including writing, audio, and video for a blog, newsletter, podcast, social media, affiliate marketing, and/or online course;
- Launching consumer product good(s), such as packaged meals or backpacking clothing and equipment.
Qualifications
Apply for this position only if you:
- Have worked as a professional backpacking guide, ideally in some of our locations, and share the ethos of our program;
- Will function well in an organization that is very spreadsheet-driven and -dependent; and,
- Hope to remain with the program for multiple years (3+).
We would like the Program Manager to have prior experience with:
- Managing projects and teams, and/or
- Creating or developing content.
I want a Project Manager who will be:
- Reliable and independently productive, with regular but not extensive oversight;
- Entrepreneurial, by continually identifying opportunities to improve and grow the program;
- Attentive to detail, because small mistakes can have huge ramifications in this business;
- Task oriented, because hundreds of things must get done before each trip; and,
- Professional, with good communication skills, high emotional intelligence, willingness to give and receive feedback, and a client-first mindset.
Management and training
The Program Manager will work directly with Andrew and Katie, and sometimes Alan (our Operations Manager), depending on the project.
Hours and seasonality
This is a full-time position. Expect a 40-hour workweek overall, with seasonal fluctuations of heavier and lighter workloads. It’s very busy January through July; it’s slower in August and September; and very quiet in October and November before it picks up some in December.
Location
- It’s best if the Project Manager lives within about an hour of Boulder, Colo., so that we could occasionally meet in-person and so that they could help Alan with some operational functions.
- It’s good if the Project Manager lives within a half-day of Boulder, Colo., so that I have an additional option for transporting trip supplies and equipment (besides me driving the van).
- It’s okay if the Project Manager lives in the western US, so that they’re close to some of our trip locations like Utah, California, and Greater Yellowstone.
If you live in the East or overseas, I would discourage you from applying.
Hiring timeline
- Oct 31: Position posted
- Dec 6: Application deadline
- Dec 9-11: Interviews
- Dec 13: Position offered
- Jan 13, 2025: Start date
Compensation and benefits
- Base salary of $60,000-$65,000
- Performance-based bonus
- 3 percent SIMPLE IRA match
- Pre-tax health insurance subsidy
- Home office subsidy
- Flexible vacation time
It’s intangible, but it matters: The Project Manager will be doing fun and meaningful work; the program is reputable and produces a high quality service; and Katie and I, and the guide team, are trustworthy, supportive, and cheerful co-workers.
To apply
- Apply by Friday, December 6
Apply using this form- THIS POSITION IS CLOSED