Youth Clubs Program Instructor

Who We Are:

The Mountaineers is a community of outdoor recreationists and conservationists founded in 1906 to explore the peaks and waterways of the Pacific Northwest. Today, we have 15,000 members and 7 branches throughout Washington state, and thanks to the work of generations of volunteers we continue to enjoy an outstanding reputation in the field of outdoor education and recreation. 

Our dedicated staff and volunteers get people outside to experience the power of the outdoors and we advocate for access and protection of recreational lands so that future generations can enjoy these places too. Our program centers have 40 staff, and Mountaineers Books, our nonprofit publishing division, has 25 staff all helping to achieve our mission of enriching lives by helping people explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Please visit mountaineers.org to learn more.

Position Overview:

The Youth Clubs Program Instructor is responsible for providing excellent program leadership for our Mountaineers youth clubs. Program Instructors will work with the youth clubs members on their outdoor trips (Pathfinders, Nomads, Explorers, & Junior MAC). The youth clubs are year-round programs for youth designed to introduce the participants to a variety of outdoor activities and skills including hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, snowshoeing, skiing, and others. Most of the youth club trips take place on the weekends. The Program Instructor will be the primary leader of the trips they are assigned and will be supported by other adult chaperones and/or volunteers. This individual may also have the opportunity to work with other parts of The Mountaineers youth programs. Key Responsibilities:

Trip Preparation

• Prepare and load up required gear for trips. As part of leading outdoor trips, the Program Instructor will be expected to report to The Mountaineers before the scheduled start time of the trip to pull any gear that may be needed from The Mountaineers facility in Seattle.
• Specifics of each type of trip will vary and the Program Instructor will be briefed on exactly how to carry out a given trip by the Youth Field Coordinator and/or Associate Program Manager. 

Trip Leadership

• Attend and lead weekend outdoor trips. Logistics planning and communication with members will be coordinated by the Associate Program Manager and/or Youth Field Coordinator. The Program Instructor is not obligated to create the itineraries or other elements of the plan for any trips, but the option to take more ownership over trip planning will be available. 

Trip Wrap-Up

• Ensure that all Mountaineers gear used on the trip is well inventoried and returned in good condition. This may require the Program Coordinator to return the gear themselves or arrange a time for the participants to return the gear. Maintain a gear tracking sheet for each trip to ensure no gear is lost. 
• Report to Youth Field Coordinator and/or Associate Program Manager on the attendance and learning outcomes of the trip. This will require the Program Instructor to take notes throughout the trip and during the trip debrief. 

Quality Service

• The Program Instructor is expected to actively contribute to the creation of a positive learning environment by conducting themselves in a professional, friendly, and supportive manner. 

Desired Qualifications:

• Extensive personal experience rock climbing, hiking, backpacking and/or snowshoeing
• High school diploma
• Current First Aid/CPR certification
• Ability to pass a criminal background check
• Experience working with youth and/or customer service experience
• Outdoor education experience
• Proficiency belaying in a top-rope environment 

Physical Demands:

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.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to stand for extended periods of time while leading youth, and must be able to hike on uneven and hilly terrain continuously for up to 10 miles. The employee is occasionally required to bend, squat, run, or climb as part of duties leading youth.