I’m hiring: Operations Manager (and maybe Instructor + Guide)

To help me during the 2024 season I plan to make a new hire. This is a local position, and the individual must live within a reasonable commuting distance of south Boulder, Colorado (75-ish minutes max, and ideally much less).

The Operations Manager is responsible for all program gear, food, and other supplies. With the necessary qualifications, this individual may also serve as an Online Instructor and/or as a Backpacking Guide.

When reviewing applications, my primary goal is to find an excellent Operations Manager. An excellent Operations Manager who is also qualified to be an online instructor and guide would be very appealing. At this time, I am not looking for Online Instructors or Backpacking Guides who are unable or unwilling to serve as the Operations Manager.

Depending on the roles, this position will range from part-time to nearly full-time.

Critical role: Operations Manager

Half to three-fourths of this work must be done locally, usually out of my house in south Boulder, Colorado. It amounts to about 300 hours annually, with the hours concentrated between January and September. On its own, this could be an addition to more regular work, or part of a portfolio of separate income streams.

Primary responsibilities include:

Calculating and ordering ingredients for our guided trip breakfasts and dinnersManaging preseason bulk meal preparation and overseeing 5-10 temporary food workersCoordinating and preparing one-off meals for clients with dietary restrictionsManaging our gear libraryPreparing first aid kits and other group suppliesPrior to trips, loading the vanAfter trips, unloading the van, cleaning the van, and putting supplies back in their place.

Applicants must be:

Competent with Google Sheets that have 10+ tabs, hundreds of rows of data, and intermediate-level formulasAttentive to detail, knowing that small mistakes can have huge ramifications in this businessReliable and independently productive, with regular but not extensive oversightTask oriented, because hundreds of things must get done before each tripProfessional, with good communication skills, high emotional intelligence, willingness to give and receive feedback, and a client-first mindset.

It would be a bonus if applicants have prior experience with:

The food industry (and, if not, to at least have a personal interest in food)A guiding or outdoor education program.Optional roles: Online Instructor and Backpacking Guide

At this time, I am NOT hiring standalone Online Instructors or Backpacking Guides. Please do not apply if you are not interested in the Operations Manager position.

Online Instructor

To prepare clients for their trip with us, we put them through a 9-week planning curriculum. Online Instructors must be expert backpackers and very familiar with modern equipment. They are responsible for:

Reviewing client assignments (e.g. environmental assessments, gear lists)Answering promptly client questions in a timely fashionHosting virtual meetings with client groups, multiple evenings per month between April and September

This work should be done remotely. Annually, it will total about 500-750 hours, depending on the number of trips, the number of clients, and the number of other instructors we have in 2024.

Backpacking Guide

We specialize in modern backpacking gear and technique, long-distance thru-hiking, mountain high routes, and off-trail travel. Our 2024 locations include southern Utah, Alaska, the High Sierra, Washington or Greater Yellowstone, and West Virginia.

Minimum qualifications for this position include:

Extensive personal backpacking experienceGood physical fitnessExcellent interpersonal skills

Ideally, applicants for this position also have:

Prior experience as a backpacking guide or trip leaderTeaching experienceRelatable livesInterpretive knowledge Community credibility

For a sense of my hiring standards, review the bios of our existing guide team.

For additional information about requisite qualifications for this position, you can read this post from early-2022.

Compensation

If employed on a part-time basis, the minimum rate will be $25 per hour. Pending prior experience and qualifications, I would consider more.

If hired as an Operations Manager, Online Instructor, and Backpacking Guide, it may be best for this to be a full-time position. The minimum salary would be $50,000 and would have a benefits package.

To apply

To apply, submit this form.

Applicants must upload a resume and/or a letter of interest that demonstrates relevant experience. The Application Form will accept PDF’s and other document file types like .txt and .docx.

To upload files you must be logged into your Google account, if you are not already.

I will accept applications through at least Tuesday, December 26, or until the position is filled. When the position is filled, I will disable the application form and update this page.

Apply nowHiring timelineApplication deadline: December 26, 2023Interviews: first week of January 2024Start date: second half of January 2024Notes

Andrew Skurka Adventures LLC is an equal opportunity employer.

If you have general questions about this position, leave a comment below. I will answer it there, to avoid multiple private answers to the same questions.

If you have a question that pertains specifically to your application, please contact me directly.

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