Organization

The Colorado Outward Bound School (COBS) is a non-profit adventure-based education organization that emphasizes personal growth through challenge and experience.  For over 60 years, our wilderness courses have focused on inspiring responsibility, teamwork, confidence, compassion, and environmental and community stewardship.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Colorado Outward Bound School celebrates diversity and strives to create an inclusive environment for all employees. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, nation origin, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis covered by applicable law. All employment is based on qualifications and business needs. 

Working at the Colorado Outward Bound School means joining a growth-minded community where we are actively creating a more inclusive organizational culture. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion shows up at all levels of the organization – in our trainings, in our meetings, on our courses, and in our daily lives. This work can be challenging at times and we are committed to navigating it together to create a supportive and inclusive environment for our staff and our students. To foster a more welcoming outdoor community for all, we are working to address barriers related to race, culture, socioeconomics, ability, gender identity, sexual orientation, geographic location, and mental health.

Position Summary

The Staffing Manager is an integral part of the COBS Human Resources and Operations teams, and is responsible for overall management of seasonal recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and scheduling for all new and returning program field staff. Working closely with the Rocky Mountain and Southwest Program teams, this position holds accountability for ensuring that every course is staffed appropriately and in accordance with policies and operating procedures. The Staffing Manager supports, implements, and develops strategies around staff recruitment, staff development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion aligned with COBS’s strategic plan and organizational values. This position is supervised by the Human Resources Director, with functional supervision by the Director of Programs and Safety.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Recruiting, Hiring, and Onboarding

• Projects annual hiring goals for seasonal staff to directly support the delivery of high-quality programming, in collaboration with Program Directors (PDs), Associate Program Directors (APDs), the Director of Programs and Safety, the Director of Student Services, and the HR Director to meet those goals.
• Attracts and recruits appropriately skilled candidates for field staff positions.
• Prioritizes building relationships with organizations among historically underrepresented and disinvested communities – Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), the LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities – to intentionally diversify the employee population at COBS and reduce barriers to access to jobs in the outdoor recreation and education industry.
• Grows existing relationships with organizations to support hiring goals.
• Manages field staff job descriptions and postings, including maintaining updated recruitment materials and job openings on COBS’s website, taking a critical look at the language used in describing our roles and requirements for qualification from an equity and inclusion lens.
• Oversees the application and hiring process for new field staff (instructors, logistics and warehouse support, and interns).
• In collaboration with the HR Generalist, manages the onboarding process of all field staff hires.

Staffing and Scheduling

• Administers, develops, and implements staffing practices to ensure the organization is positioned to effectively manage the seasonal workforce.
• Upholds safety policies and procedures, ensures all staff are aware of those practices, and that courses are staffed accordingly.
• In partnership with PDs and APDs, assesses ongoing needs for seasonal field staff positions.
• Ensures courses are staffed from a course quality and risk management perspective.
• Manages seasonal work request process and work agreements for returning staff.

Staff Development

• Supports APDs and Program Managers (PMs) to ensure adequate mentorship, development, and evaluation of all staff.
• Helps identify general training and development needs for staff and provides information and next steps.
• Assists with planning and implementation of annual staff training and delivers training as needed.
• Manages the staff advancement process and ensures proper documentation is posted and accessible prior to promotion.
• Collaborates with the Safety and Training Manager to advise and refine field training annually.
• Oversees performance management with seasonal field staff in collaboration with APDs and PDs.
• Committed to building a welcoming, equitable, and inclusive work environment where diversity is celebrated and valued across the COBS community, and our students and staff can feel a sense of belonging.

Human Resources

• Manages the annual employment paperwork process for new and returning staff, ensuring all field staff paperwork is distributed, collected, processed, and documented properly.
• Runs payroll systems for field staff, tracks staff data, and manages field staff payroll changes, in collaboration with the HR Generalist.
• Collaborates with Program Leadership Teams (PLTs) to ensure that all staff follow organizational policies and values, holding staff accountable when necessary, which may include disciplinary procedures up to and including termination.
• Manages staff communications, including monthly staffing updates and social media posts.

• Participates in monthly staffing call with Outward Bound USA (OBUSA) and other Outward Bound schools, serving as the national representative for COBS.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Personal commitment to, and working knowledge of, the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Proficient with technology and software such as email, spreadsheets, and databases, preferably Microsoft Office.
• Knowledge and experience with outdoor recreation and education programs strongly preferred.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as a team member.
• Detail oriented with outstanding organizational skills.
• Able to prioritize and work on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Effective communication skills with internal and external audiences.
• Previous people management experience is preferred.

Education and Experience

• Experience with recruiting and staffing, hiring a seasonal workforce, and/or managing a seasonal workforce.
• Previous experience managing people and working among teams/functions.
• Experience with Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) is preferred.

Compensation and Benefits

• Full-time, exempt position with an annualized salary of $50,000.
• Benefits eligibility for medical, dental, and vision insurance, where COBS pays a significant amount toward healthcare premiums and provides employer-paid short- and long-term disability coverage and basic life insurance.
• 20 days of Paid Time Off that accrues throughout the first year, with an additional day of PTO added with consecutive years of service.
• 56 hours of paid Sick Leave.
• 401K eligibility available after one year of service.
• Prodeal eligible.

Location

Colorado or Utah, preferably near the Denver HQ office or the basecamps in Leadville, CO and Moab, UT, with potential for remote work

Application

Please apply via the link for JazzHR and address cover letter and resume to Mike Ksenyak (he/him) HR Director.