Associate Manager of Policy & Planning

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 16,000 members and seven branches across 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 to and protection of recreational lands so that future generations can enjoy these places as well. Our core value of community reflects our belief that a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. Our 45 staff, 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.

Visit mountaineers.org to learn more.

Position Overview

The Mountaineers is seeking a dynamic and dedicated Associate Manager of Policy & Planning to support public land planning and policy efforts to improve sustainable and equitable outdoor access. You’ll join our collaborative Conservation and Advocacy team to help advance The Mountaineers conservation goals of protecting public lands and the outdoor experience. Reporting to the Conservation and Advocacy Director and working closely with Mountaineers programs staff, land managers, and external partners, the Associate Manager of Policy & Planning will support our involvement in public land planning and regulatory processes as well as legislative initiatives. This position will play a key role in advancing The Mountaineers strategic priorities of improving access to outdoor teaching spaces on public lands and achieving high-impact outcomes for conservation and sustainable recreation access, as outlined in our strategic plan. This role will require flexibility, creativity, and curiosity, and offers the opportunity (and expectation) for increased responsibility over time.

You will love this job if:

• You are passionate about outdoor recreation and conservation and helping people access transformational outdoor experiences.
• You enjoy diving into the details of public land planning documents and love to discuss conservation and recreation policy.
• You are an excellent communicator with a knack for breaking down complex topics.
• You are a self-directed, creative thinker who revels in the details.
• You are a skilled project manager with an ability to work with multiple stakeholders, partner organizations, and staff teams.
• You are looking for an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the future of outdoor education and recreational access to the Pacific Northwest’s public lands and waters.

Key Responsibilities

Permits and Access Planning

This position will work closely with the Conservation & Advocacy Director and Mountaineers programs staff to develop strategy for navigating complicated federal and state recreation permit systems. The goal is to improve access to outdoor teaching spaces on public lands. This position will:

• Build trusted relationships and coordinate meetings with federal and state land managers and partners. Collaborate to build creative, practical, and long-term solutions to permitting challenges.
• Analyze, research, and develop comment letters and communications on legislation, policy directives, and land management planning processes that directly impact The Mountaineers ability to obtain permits and/or access critical outdoor teaching spaces.
• Manage volunteer engagement around permits and access work through facilitation of a new Permits and Access Workgroup.
• Apply for new recreation permits for our courses and programs and expand use in key areas.

Permit Management: This position is one of three staff positions at The Mountaineers that supports our annual recreational permitting processes with federal, state, and local land managers. This position will:

• Manage annual recreational permitting processes, including completing and submitting permit applications and reporting.
• Support communication and collaboration with volunteers on permitting.

Land Management Planning: In partnership with the Conservation & Advocacy Director, the Associate Manager of Policy & Planning significantly contributes to The Mountaineers’ involvement in federal and state public land planning and regulatory processes and public land collaboratives. This position will:

• Analyze and research federal and state public land and recreation plans and strategies, including environmental assessment and environmental impact statements and proposed regulations related to public land planning, conservation, and sustainable and equitable recreation access.
• In partnership with the Advocacy & Engagement Manager, develop comment letters and advocacy communications strategies like blog posts and action alerts related to these issues.
• Together with the Conservation & Advocacy Director and Mountaineers programs staff, build trusted relationships with decision makers, including land management agency staff, tribal governments, partner organizations, and others.
• Attend and represent The Mountaineers at coalition and agency meetings regarding land planning processes.

Public Lands Policy and Advocacy: This position supports the Conservation & Advocacy Director in advancing federal legislation related to conservation, public lands policy, and sustainable and equitable outdoor access. This position will:

• Research and analyze federal public lands and outdoor access legislation.
• In partnership with the Advocacy & Engagement Manager, develop a wide range of materials to support policy and advocacy efforts, including comment letters, memos, reports, factsheets, blog posts, and action alerts.
• Attend and represent The Mountaineers at a variety of coalition meetings regarding federal public lands policy and advocacy.

Requirements

• Cultural competency and demonstrated ability to work with people of all races, ages, genders, abilities, and economic backgrounds.
• Ability to maintain confidential member and donor information.
• Ability to pass a national criminal background and sex offender check.

Desired Qualifications

• Relevant education and/or experience in public land, natural resources, or environmental management, planning, policy, or advocacy.
• Knowledge of current public lands conservation and recreation issues and familiarity with Pacific Northwest public lands and waters.
• Personal interest in human-powered outdoor recreation is a plus.
• Personal experience with or desire to participate in Mountaineers programs.
• Experience working with volunteers.
• Proven project management experience, with exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills and the ability to translate complex topics for a general audience.
• Experience coordinating concurrent projects with multiple partners/stakeholders/staff teams.
• Strong interpersonal skills and relationship-building skills.
• Self-motivated and able to work both independently and within a team.
• Comfort with ambiguity, shifting timelines and priorities, and playing the long game.
• Strategic thinker who connects daily responsibilities to broader organizational goals and mission.
• Comfort with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and CRM platforms like Salesforce.

Commitment to Equity and Belonging

Cultivating an inclusive staff is central to The Mountaineers focus on advancing equity. Our core values are Adventure, Advocacy, Community, Education, and Volunteerism, and we believe a diverse and inclusive environment inspires unity, respect, and passion for our work and one another. We’re interested in hearing from people who can work with colleagues of varied experience and background. The Mountaineers is an equal-opportunity employer, and candidates from all backgrounds are considered, and as an organization that values equity and inclusion, we highly encourage people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and veterans to apply.

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, 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, The Associate Manager of Policy & Planning is expected to have a suitable remote work environment, including broadband internet access, to accomplish their job duties.

Physical Demands

• Ability to occasionally work evening and weekend hours, as necessary.
• Must have regular and reliable transportation for local travel and willing to travel when necessary.

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.

This position is for a full-time, non-exempt (overtime eligible) employee working approximately 40 hours per week.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. Vacation benefits start at 15 days annually. Additional benefits include:

• Free Mountaineers membership
• Opportunities to advance your outdoor skills with $1,000 toward Mountaineers courses each year
• Flexible working environment, with up to 40% remote work for most employees
• Two free tickets to many Mountaineers events
• Free copy of each newly published Mountaineers Books title
• Access to outdoor industry prodeals
• Discounted stays at our three ski-in, ski-out mountain lodges
• Four on-site climbing and bouldering walls
• Free parking for your bike or car, and an office located right on a bus line, with alternative transportation reimbursement
• In-office shower for midday run, climbing session, or morning commute
• We offer a dog friendly environment.