Whitewater Program Manager

North Carolina Outward Bound School; Asheville (NC); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The North Carolina Outward Bound School is seeking a Whitewater Program Manager to oversee training and safety for river programs. This role is pivotal for ensuring program quality, performance monitoring, and fostering a safe culture while promoting equity and inclusion across programs. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in outdoor education and leadership.

Benefits

Per-diem rate of $185/day

Options to work off-season in instructional roles

Robust seasonal benefits

Pro-purchase deals with industry retailers

Qualifications

• Strong safety risk management experience.
• Experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and video conferencing.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement river-related trainings.
• Ensure safe and high-quality program delivery.
• Oversee river-related professional development opportunities.

Skills

Communication

Risk Management

Leadership

Education

Wilderness First Responder and CPR Certification

ACA Level 4 Instructor Certification

Minimum five years' experience in experiential education

Tools

Office 365

Salesforce

Job description

Job Title: Whitewater Program Manager

Department: Program

Reports To: Safety and Training Director

FLSA Status: Seasonal, Exempt

Location: Town Office, Southeastern Rivers

Supervision: River Specialists

Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2025

Organizational Summary:

Since 1967, North Carolina Outward Bound School (NCOBS) has delivered challenging wilderness adventures that teach more than outdoor skills. Our wilderness courses, from the mountains of North Carolina to the shores of south Florida to the peaks of South America, deliver on our mission "to change lives through challenge and discovery."

Essential Functions:

• Design, coordinate, and implement all river related trainings for NCOBS.

• Support organizational equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts across NCOBS and within all community programs.

• Research and recon potential new and/or former rivers to be used by the school, as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Delivery and Management

• Work with applicable departments to ensureall NCOBS programs are conducted safely and with high quality.

• Work as a Trainer/Program Manager and Facilitator/Instructor as qualified.

• Help drive the school in ensuring a culture of safety in all facets of our work.

• Participate and support the NCOBS emergency response plan in training and wheninitiated.

Whitewater-Related

• Deliver whitewater instructional days.

• In conjunction with the Climbing Program Manager, schedule river blocks on the program calendar.

• Work with the Staffing Manager to hire and schedule river staff for courses, projects days, and to facilitate staff trainings.

• Oversee river related professional development opportunities for river staff and field staff. This will include ACA level 4 (or equivalent) and SWR courses.

• Act as the advocate and coach for the River Specialists and provide direct performance & developmental feedback to them.

• Collaborate with the Program Resource Manager (PRM) on all river equipment needs for the upcoming fiscal calendar year.

• Monitor, maintain, document and repair all river inventory, including river fleet vehicles and trailers.

• Provide river briefs during pre-course.

• Stay abreast with industry associations and standards.

Program Team

• Serve as a member of the NCOBS Program team.

• Work with Safety & Training Director to manage whitewater related resources for the school, including curriculum and whitewater Local Operating Policies & Procedures (LOPPs).

• Responsible for compiling end of season report, safety report summaries, and safety analysis.

• Monitor the performance of the whitewater program and whitewater Incident Reports (IRs).

• Assist the Director of Program Operations (DPO) in the creation of the annual whitewater operations budget.

• Assist the DPO and PRM in tracking and reporting all whitewater expenses.

• Establish and foster relationships with outside contractors and land managers specific to the NCOBS whitewater program.

Working Conditions

• Primarily based at the Town Office

• Extended periods working and living at NCOBS wilderness base campsand/or in the fieldduringprograms.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 70 pounds.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit.

• The employee is required to stand; walk; use hands to fingers, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear, and taste or smell.

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Qualifications

• Proven communicator in oral and written platforms. Ability to speak clearly and persuasively in positive or challenging situations. Comfortable with presenting to large groups.

• Strong safety risk management experience.

• Experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion work and a proven commitment to continuing to make Outward Bound available to all deserving communities.

• Proficient in Office 365 (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams), Salesforce or other CMS, and video conferencing.

• An outstanding record as an instructor, trainer, and/or administrator.

• Able to give and receive timely, effective oral and written feedback.

• Strong and effective leadership, supervisory, organizational, and interpersonal skills.

• Personal initiative, motivation, and resourcefulness.

• Cooperative attitude and ability to be flexible; good team player.

• Wilderness First Responder and CPR.

• Valid driver's license, greater than 5 years.

• Minimum five years working for Outward Bound or another similar experiential education program.

• Minimum two years working as an NCOBS River Specialist or equivalent experience.

• Minimum ACA Level 4 instructor certification and SWR trained, or equivalent.

Compensation and Benefits

• Per-diem rate of $185/day.

• Options to work off-season in an instructional position.

• Robust seasonal benefits available.

• Pro-purchase deals with industry retailers.

North Carolina Outward Bound School prohibits discrimination against, and harassment of, any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, age, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, genetic information, ethnic or national origin,sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, military or veteran status, qualified individuals with a disability on the basis of the disability, or any other category which may be protected under applicable local, state or federal law. NCOBS promotes respect for all people and will not tolerate harassment based on any of these characteristics nor on differences based on gender identity or expression.