Operations Manager

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 more than 16,000 members and seven branches in Western Washington, where we deliver most of our outdoor education programming. Thanks to the work of generations of volunteers and our internationally recognized publishing division, we continue to enjoy an outstanding reputation in the fields of outdoor education, recreation, and public lands conservation and advocacy.

Our dedicated volunteers and staff get people outside to experience the power of the natural world. We advocate for access and protection of recreational lands so that future generations can enjoy these places too. Our core value of community reflects the belief that a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. Our 65 staff members, divided between our program centers and our nonprofit publishing division, Mountaineers Books, and 2,500+ volunteers work together to achieve our mission to enrich lives by helping people explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Learn more at mountaineers.org.

Position Overview

Our next Operations Manager will serve a critical role in supporting well-functioning operations at the Seattle Program Center. This position leads the Seattle Program Center’s facility rental business, provides operational coordination and systems support for Mountaineers programs, and serves as a key staff partner in organizational risk management.

The Operations Manager has direct responsibility for managing and growing the facility rentals program, a vital revenue stream that supports The Mountaineers’ mission-driven programming. In addition, this role provides operational infrastructure and risk management support for both volunteer- and staff-led programs, helping ensure high-quality experiences for members, partners, and the broader community.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Operations, the Operations Manager works closely with operations, programs, and volunteer leadership to develop and maintain systems, policies, and practices that support effective operations, responsible risk management, and continuous improvement across the organization.

This position primarily works with volunteers and vendors, but may supervise 1-2 direct reports as needed to achieve the organization’s objectives.

A successful Operations Manager brings strong relationship-management skills, a sense of ownership, and a commitment to building and following clear processes. They are a creative problem-solver who is comfortable operating in ambiguity, balancing competing priorities, and making sound decisions with incomplete information.

Success in this role will be measured by growth in facility rental revenue, effective implementation of operational and risk management policies, and positive experiences for volunteers, staff, and external partners.

Objectives and Key Results

• Facility Rental Management:
  • Meet or exceed annual facility rental revenue goals while developing and executing a plan for sustained, long-term growth.
  • Deliver a consistently positive rental experience for clients, as measured by post-event feedback and repeat bookings.
  • Improve efficiency and reliability of the rental booking process through clear communication, timely processing, and effective coordination with facilities staff, volunteers, and staff
• Regular Operations:
  • Ensure efficient and equitable use of Seattle Program Center (SPC) spaces by managing SPC calendar and resolving competing requests.
  • Deliver consistent operational support for programs, including building access “Opener/Closer” training, vehicle fleet management, virtual meeting logistics, volunteer-led activity council coordination, and land use permitting.
• Risk Management:
  • Support the volunteer-led Risk Management Committee in advancing its annual objectives.
  • Support the development, implementation, and maintenance of operational risk management tools and policies in collaboration with Associate Director of Operations, including Emergency Action Plans, Standard Operating Procedures, and vehicle-related policies and training.

Key Responsibilities

Facility Rental Management (50%)

The Operations Manager leads the facility rental business at The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center. As a nonprofit organization, rental revenue is essential to sustaining our mission-driven work in outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. This role has end-to-end ownership of the rental program, from client engagement and event execution to financial performance and strategic growth.

The Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring a high-quality experience for external clients while balancing the needs of Mountaineers programs, volunteers, and staff. They will develop and execute strategies to grow rental revenue in alignment with organizational values, capacity, and operational priorities.

• Manage the full facility rental lifecycle, including responding to client inquiries, contracting and booking events, coordinating event staffing, and overseeing invoicing processes.
• Lead biweekly scheduling meetings with the Facilities Manager and Facilities Associate to coordinate staffing and ensure smooth event execution.
• Develop and implement a marketing and revenue growth strategy for the facility rental program in partnership with the Communications and Operations teams.
• Monitor rental performance and collaborate with the Associate Director of Operations to develop and maintain rental revenue forecasts as part of the annual operations budget.
• Ensure rental activities align with organizational policies, risk management practices, and capacity constraints.
• Provide up to 10 hours of event coverage per month.

Regular Operations (30%)

The Operations Manager will serve as the primary point of contact for ongoing operations based at the Seattle Program Center, including coordinating internal room reservations, scheduling volunteer-led virtual meetings, vehicle fleet management, and land use permitting. Success in this area requires the ability to prioritize competing needs, communicate clearly with a wide range of stakeholders, and maintain and/or develop reliable systems that support both planned programming and respond to unexpected operational demands.

• Manage the Seattle Program Center calendar, balancing the needs of external rentals, Mountaineers courses, meetings, and events.
• Administer the organization’s vehicle fleet, including vehicle use policies, maintenance coordination, insurance requirements, and driver training program.
• Oversee SPC facility access (“Opener/Closer”) training for volunteers and staff.
• Partner with the Conservation team to manage land use permits and maintain positive relationships with land managers.
• Provide administrative support to a volunteer-led activity council.
• Attend and participate in volunteer and staff- led programs, as needed.

Risk Management (20%)

The Operations Manager supports organizational risk management by partnering with the volunteer-led Risk Management Committee and operations leadership to maintain and improve staff-based and Seattle Program Center-based policies, procedures, and trainings. This role focuses on providing administrative and coordination support to the committee and helping ensure that risk management materials – such as Emergency Action Plans, Standard Operating Procedures, and vehicle-related policies and trainings – are current, practical, and usable.

• Support the volunteer-led Risk Management Committee in advancing its annual objectives, as defined by the Risk Management Committee Chair, including serving as the primary staff point of contact and providing regular administrative and coordination support.
• Support the development, implementation, and maintenance of staff-based and Seattle Program Center-based risk management policies, procedures, and trainings in collaboration with the Associate Director of Operations, including Emergency Action Plans, Standard Operating Procedures, and vehicle-related policies and training.

You’ll love this job if:

• You thrive in ambiguity, are resourceful and curious, and enjoy turning loosely defined problems into clear, workable systems. You are self-motivated, value measurable outcomes, and are energized by problem-solving in a dynamic environment.
• You want to join a tenured, collaborative team that is invested in your growth and success. You’ll be supported through thoughtful onboarding and ongoing learning, with opportunities to take ownership of projects aligned with your interests and strengths.
• You enjoy working with smart, mission-driven colleagues who love the outdoors and value collaboration. You’ll regularly partner with staff and volunteers to solve operational challenges and see the mission impact of your work.
• You want to be part of a supportive community of volunteers connecting people to the outdoors and each other. Our members have the opportunity to connect with transformative outdoor experiences, and that magic translates to our work culture. Every day is different and offers opportunities to connect in a new way.

Requirements

• Cultural competency and demonstrated ability to work with people of all races, ages, genders, abilities and economic backgrounds.
• Maintain confidential member and donor information.
• Ability to pass a national criminal background and sex offender check (applicants will be disqualified from consideration for any felony conviction involving a minor, a sexual offense, or violence).

Desired Qualifications

While we do not anticipate that candidates will have the full slate of qualifications listed below, these are the qualifications that will make someone successful in the position. Candidates should see this role as an opportunity for personal and professional growth, and have a desire to learn and grow in areas below where they currently lack experience.

• Experience supporting or managing event, facility, or space rentals, including client communication, scheduling, coordination, and delivery of high-quality customer experiences.
• Operational and systems-thinking skills, including the ability to build, follow, and improve processes that support reliable day-to-day operations.
• Strong customer service orientation, with the ability to build positive relationships with external clients, volunteers, and internal partners.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize effectively amid competing requests and deadlines, balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Budget and financial literacy, including experience tracking revenue, supporting forecasts, or working within an operating budget.
• Experience supporting or implementing organizational policies, procedures, or trainings in an operations or program context, or a demonstrated ability to learn and apply these systems.
• Familiarity with risk management concepts in organizational, facilities, or program settings, or experience working in environments where safety, compliance, and risk awareness are integral to operations.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage in complex or sensitive conversations with professionalism and empathy.

Commitment to Equity and Belonging

Cultivating an inclusive staff is central to The Mountaineers focus on advancing equity in alignment with our core values. We’re interested in hearing from people who can work with colleagues of varied professional and lived experience. We encourage you to apply even if your background is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.

We are also committed to building a culture where all people feel emotionally and physically safe. In support of this commitment, all prospective employees must agree to abide by The Mountaineers Code of Ethics and our Child Protection Policies. We do not tolerate discrimination, sexual misconduct, harassment, micro-aggressions, retaliation, assault, or any form of child abuse.

Work Environment

This role is based in Seattle, WA, at The Mountaineers Program Center in Magnuson Park. Supporting a people-centric outdoor community, this position should prepare to have a regular presence in our Seattle-based program center 5 days/week for the first 3 months; then at least 3 days/week M-F, with opportunities to flex time in the office with a partial remote work schedule. The Mountaineers will provide a laptop computer for remote access. For remote work, our employees are expected to have a suitable remote work environment, including broadband internet access, to accomplish their job duties.

Physical Demands

• Ability to work evening and weekend hours, as necessary (typically 1-3 weekend days per month and 1-2 evening meetings per week).
• Must have regular and reliable transportation for local travel and willing to travel when necessary.
• Frequent local travel expected.
• Ability to work on a computer up to 8 hours per day
• Ability to lift/move 25 pounds.
• Ability to hike 2 miles with up to 500’ elevation gain on uneven terrain

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.

Compensation & Benefits

This position is for a full-time, non-exempt employee. Salary range is $26-$29/hour, depending on experience. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance, and paid sick, vacation, and holiday time. 401(k) retirement plan available after three months.

PTO benefit package includes:

• 15 paid days vacation in first year, with additional accrual based on tenure
• 4 paid volunteer days
• 12 paid holidays
• Paid sick leave according to Seattle's Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance

Additional benefits include:

• Flexible working environment, with up to 40% remote work for most employees
• Mountaineers Family membership, including member access to our three mountain lodges
• Opportunities to advance your outdoor skills with $1,000 toward Mountaineers courses each year
• Two free tickets to many Mountaineers events
• Free copy of each newly published Mountaineers Books title
• Access to outdoor industry discounts (prodeals)
• Four on-site climbing and bouldering walls
• Bring your dog to work days
• Free parking for your bike or car, and an office located right on a bus line, with alternative transportation reimbursement (up to $100 per month for full time employees)
• In-office shower for midday run, climbing session, or morning commute