Organizational Overview 

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 appropriate law. All employment is based on qualifications and business needs. 

We want to be transparent with all applicants that working at the Colorado Outward Bound School means joining a growth-minded community where we are actively dismantling our organization’s white supremacy culture. This conversation shows up at all levels of the organization – in our trainings, in our meetings, on our courses, and in our daily lives. Anti-racism and diversity, equity, and inclusion work can be messy at times and we remain committed to navigating that together. Challenge and discovery are what we do and (un)learning is a fundamental part of our practice. COBS was originally built for and by white men, and now in support of our community members with marginalized identities – at COBS, in the outdoor industry, and beyond – we are actively working on changing that story to support individuals with different identities to empower themselves as we address barriers related to race, culture, socioeconomics, ability, gender, identity, geographic location, and mental health. While we are committed to learning and making necessary changes, we recognize we have a long way to go and want to notify applicants of that up front. 

Position Summary 

Colorado Outward Bound School seeks to hire a competent, courageous, and creative leader to join the Rocky Mountain Program Leadership Team (RMP PLT). The Associate Program Director of Safety and Course Delivery (APD-S&CD) will expand our mission and ensure program quality through the development and implementation of systems that support the Rocky Mountain Program operations in the areas of – safety and risk management, leadership, curriculum, training, staff mentorship, scheduling, course supervision, and performance management. They will support COBS’ strategic plan through the lens of inclusion, equity, and safety. The APD-S&CD supervises program managers, course directors, and field staff. They will report to the Rocky Mountain Program Director, work closely with other members of the COBS Operations Team, as well as serve on the Program Leadership Team. 

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

People Management  

• Manages and supervises assigned staff in their responsibilities. 

• Models best practices and approaches through a lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. 

• Develops staff through coaching, training, resources, and annual professional development plans. 

• Ensures staff are trained on and meets COBS performance standards and policies and procedures. 

• Explicitly communicates to staff regarding unmet performance expectations and constructs plans to positively transform the staff member’s performance to meet or exceed expectations in the future.   

• Manages RMP course supervision schedule. 

Program Quality 

• Serves as a contributing member of the Rocky Mountain Program Leadership Team. 

• Supports with development and delivery of staff training at the RMP. 

• Works with Training and Curriculum Managers regarding curriculum development and assessment.  

• Manages and maintains RMP staff safety resources, including Field Policies and Course Safety Briefings, updating seasonally. Maintains and updates Course Area Guides and Course Area Management Plan resources annually. 

• Oversees and manages COBS field mapping needs, including printing, maintaining and updating paper and digital maps, and inventory, as well as supporting Southwest Program mapping needs. 

• Manages and maintains all course supervision resources. 

• Ensures courses and student experience meet COBS safety and quality benchmarks.  

• Works with Student Services to develop “COBS Quality Family Experience” communication including student course materials, student evaluations, and family communications.  

• Ensures program alignment and implementation of OB Professional Learning Lab evaluations to inform data driven decisions. 

Safety and Risk Management  

• Manages and oversees RMP On-Call scheduling. 

• Serves as a member of the RMP On-Call rotation. 

• Supports implementation of OBUSA National Safety Standards throughout COBS.  

• Monitors compliance with OBUSA and COBS Policies and Procedures.  

• Accountable for tracking RMP safety learnings, including the collection, maintenance and distribution of all incident and safety related materials.  

• Oversees RMP incident reporting, incident learning and debriefing, analysis, and database management in line with OBUSA standards.  

• Participates in Safety Working Group meetings, and ensures RMP implementation of decisions around paperwork, policy, and process as it relates to field staff.  

• Supports PD in RMP Emergency Response Plan and trains staff in its implementation as requested.  

• Responsible for RMP Low & High Ropes Course including programming, audits, documentation, tracking, inventory management, and coordinating or conducting inspections and repairs. Collaborates with Training Manager on Ropes Course Trainings. 

• Supports Workplace Health & Safety management throughout. 

• Other duties as assigned. 

Skills and Knowledge 

• Microsoft Suite: Intermediate working knowledge of Office, Word and Excel.  

• Clean driving records. 

• Strong leadership, organizational skills, and attention to detail.  

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively. 

• Able to prioritize and work on multiple projects simultaneously. 

• Strong written and oral communication skills. This role requires a strong ability to communicate clearly and compassionately, including delivering positive reinforcement and constructive feedback to supervisees, peers, and supervisors.  

• Valid WFR, Epi, CPR certifications, and Youth Mental Health First Aid training. 

Education and Work Experience 

• Minimum of 4 years of experience in the outdoor education field, including training and safety management responsibilities. 

• Experience with expeditionary learning models and outdoor adventure activities in mountainous terrain.  

• Current WFR, Epi, CPR, and Mental Health First Aid training, or willingness and ability to obtain by start date.   

• Project management experience preferred.  

• Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) Level 2 Practitioner certification preferred 

• Other preferred certifications include AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, Avalanche Pro, and Leave No Trace. 

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions  

• Sitting at a desk or computer about 60% of the time, with some field and overnight requirements.  

• Must be able to lift and carry 40 lbs.  

• Ability to undertake field visits in inclement weather conditions. 

Compensation and Benefits 

• Full-time, exempt position. 

• Annualized salary range of $45,000-$50,000, based on experience (monthly salary range of $3,750-$4,167) 

• 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 eligibility. 

Application Process 

Please address cover letter and resume to Leslie Spinelli (she/her), Rocky Mountain Program Director. Applications accepted via COBS careers portal: https://www.cobs.org/connect/employment/