POSITION: Programs Coordinator

LOCATION: Eugene, Oregon; Boise, Idaho; or Tacoma, Washington

STARTING SALARY: $30,900

BENFITS OVERVIEW:  This is a full-time, salaried position with benefits. Benefit Package includes: Generous Personal Leave, Paid Holidays, Medical Coverage, Dental Coverage, Disability Insurance, and an 403(b)(7) investment plan.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: Full-time. Northwest Youth Corps operates residential and non-residential field-based programs.  Program Coordinators are primarily office-based positions that support programs, but does require a PC to spend up to 10% of their time in the field helping implement programs. PCs may operate under a non-traditional work week schedule depending on crew schedules.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Since 1984, Northwest Youth Corps (NYC) is a non-profit organization that provides unique work training experiences that empower youth and young adults to become successful, resilient members of their communities. To achieve this, NYC provides a variety of outdoor, conservation-specific programs throughout the Northwest that emphasize leadership, growth and personal success.  NYC partners with agencies like the U.S. Forest Service; National Park Service and Bureau Land Management to provide strenuous field-based work projects. NYC’s programs serve over 1,000 youth and young adults annually, with programs operating in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California.  Idaho Conservation Corps (ICC) is a program of Northwest Youth Corps.

NYC engages youth and young adults from all walks of life and provides a multifaceted experience that helps propel them into future opportunities and careers. Hard and soft skills are taught and reinforced throughout the member’s term through formal practical trainings.  NYC strives to provide program participants the skills and competencies needed to succeed in a wide variety of professional environments and life circumstances.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Northwest Youth Corps runs a full suite of residential and non-residential programs for youth and young adults that run year round.  The Programs Coordinator is a predominantly office-based position charged with helping prepare programs for successful delivery and supporting implementation of multiple programs a year.

The Programs Coordinator (PC) position at NYC is designed as a career pathway model, meaning NYC will help PCs develop their professional skills and competencies and further expand their leadership capacity and ability to succeed in many roles in the outdoor industry.  While NYC seeks to hire Program Coordinators that have significant experience in youth and conservation programs, it is expected that Program Coordinators will receive considerable professional development as a part of their role and have a strong desire to learn.  Specific areas of professional development include: project management; human resources; hiring & supervision; risk management & incident response; USDA National Sawyer Certification; wilderness medicine; mental health first aid; logistics and planning; inventory maintenance; partnership development; leadership; community building; curriculum development; grant development; donor development; budgeting; meeting facilitation; and event coordination.

The Programs Coordinator is charged with:

• Engage with agency partners to find and schedule work projects to be completed by NYC crews;
• Hire and train seasonal field leaders who manage day-to-day crew operations;
• Provide support to field staff and crews prior during the implementation of programs;
• Assure that programs reflect NYC culture of thoughtful risk management, inclusion, grit and fun;
• Overseeing the tracking of crew accomplishments, paperwork and reporting processes;
• Directly supervise Woods Bosses and young adult staff, to ensure NYC safety, education and workplace standards are upheld, and facilitate learning, growth, and success within those leaders.

Program Coordinators must have strong communication and interpersonal skills and stalwart capabilities. The right person for this position will be solution oriented, work well with people from diverse backgrounds and have substantial personal initiative.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Agency Relations – steward existing partner relationships and build new relationships with stakeholders and stakeholder groups
• Program Coordination – Works with a variety of internal and external stakeholders to ensure programs have a coordinated slate of supplies, food, work, campsites, project partners, educational materials/experiences and recreational activities to sufficiently support NYC field crews.
• Safety – Assure that all staff and members are actively following NYC safety and risk management protocols; serve on the NYC Risk Management Team; respond to field incidents and emergencies as necessary.
• Administrative/Record Keeping – Responsible for coordinating the accurate, timely and thorough completion of field paperwork so that it can be processed in the office.
• Field Staff Supervision – Establishes expectations and responsibilities for young adult Leaders and Woods Bosses around maintaining NYC camp, work, and cultural standards within programs.   Establishes individual development plan with Leaders (Community and Young Adult Programs) and Woods Bosses to help them learn, grow and habitualize success.
• Operations – Helps coordinate resupply of supplies, tools and food for crews, as needed.
• Training – Helps coordinate and facilitate effective training for field staff in partnership with other staff to train field staff.
• Constant Improvement – Helps the organization analyze and adjust elements of our programs, training and administrative processes that can be improved and coordinate those improvements.

REQUIREMENTS

Education: Prefer post-secondary education in a related field and/or experience in outdoor recreation, environmental education, youth development or educational fields
Experience: Applications will be reviewed considering all relevant experience relating to youth leadership, outdoor recreation, environmental education, and/or natural resource management backgrounds. Experience leading or supervising a group or team and experience managing outdoor projects is required. Experience working on manual labor projects, using hand tools, operating chainsaws, and driving passenger vans is desirable.
Certification: Current Wilderness First Aid and CPR certifications are required; or applicants must be willing to obtain certification prior to their employment. Applicants must be able to demonstrate an acceptable driving record during the last three years.
Physical Condition: Applicants in good physical condition, capable of working long hours on strenuous, labor intensive projects are preferred as training and work projects often require heavy lifting, constant bending, digging, and long hikes to and from the worksite, though this requirement represents a small component of the job.

Northwest Youth Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Our core purpose is to provide opportunities for youth and young adults to learn, grow, and experience success. We believe diversity is a key source of strength for our communities, and we strive to create a safe and empowering environment for participants from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities.  We are deeply invested in the success of youth and young adults of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, religions, sexual orientations, economic statuses, or other socio-cultural identifiers.