Assistant Director of Outdoor Education

Experience working at a university outdoor education or recreation program, NOLS, Outward Bound, or High Mountain Institute.

Wilderness First Responder from NOLS, SOLO, or Wilderness Medical Associates; other certification(s) as related to relevant, technical outdoor skill sets.

When extending an offer, Colgate University considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations.

Ability to perform skills related to outdoor education and advanced technical outdoor skill sets to a satisfactory, safe, and professional level, sometimes in adverse weather or environmental conditions.

Outdoor trip log requested with application materials, including resumes relevant for specific areas of technical expertise.

Work visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Colgate University offers a competitive benefits package, with most benefits effective on the date of hire. Highlights include: medical, dental, vision, retirement contributions, paid time off, paid family leave, health & wellness, continuing education and professional development. We also offer unique perks, such as free parking, gym discounts, bookstore savings, athletic tickets, and access to cultural and recreational facilities. Explore the full benefits package on our Benefits page.

With over 100 years of history, Colgate Outdoor Education is a highly successful program known nationally for its focus on leadership, teaching, and skill development.

Colgate Outdoor Education provides Colgate students with leadership, wellness, personal growth, a sense of place, and community-building opportunities through outdoor and experiential programs. In addition, our community values sustainability, diversity and inclusion, safety, and improvement. We support Colgate's mission to help students:

The Assistant Director of Outdoor Education collaborates with the director in the oversight of sixty student staff and providing year-round outdoor and experiential programming to the Colgate community. The position is 10 months, with benefits year round. Typical months off are June and July.

Outdoor Education is housed in Basecamp, formerly the Colgate ski haus, now a rustic office space on the edge of campus, complete with kitchen, fireplace, and equipment rental center. Right next door, in the Huntington Gymnasium, the Angert Family Climbing Wall provides a teaching and training space and a home for the local climbing community. We also make good use of the Glendening Boathouse, located on Lake Moraine, for canoe, sea kayak, and SUP practice, and the Beattie Reserve, an 80-acre wilderness area, located four miles from campus, that includes a yurt and our high and low ropes course. Right out the back door, on the old ski hill, are miles of running, mountain biking, and cross country skiing trails across the 575-acre Colgate campus. The rolling hills and country roads of the Chenango Valley make for stellar road biking. Several local crags and ski areas also offer great teaching and learning destinations for our programs.

Just an hour from campus, the six-million-acre Adirondack Park provides world-class outdoor recreation opportunities. For whitewater kayaking, upstate New York's intensive hydrologic development lends itself to regular releases on classic runs such as the Moose, Beaver, and Raquette rivers. The Adirondack anorthosite is a high quality granite-like rock, perfect for both sport and traditional climbing, with over 1,600 recorded routes. In the winter, the park freezes over to create many destinations for skiing and ice climbing. The legendary Shawangunks Ridge, or "the Gunks," is just three hours away with some of the world's best multi-pitch traditional climbing and bouldering. Other renowned destinations for climbing and skiing, such as Rumney, North Conway, Mt. Washington, Killington, Stowe, Lake Willoughby, and Smuggler's Notch are all within a 4-6 hour drive.

This position will provide comprehensive leadership and administrative support for Colgate's robust Outdoor Education department and facilities, including outdoor education physical education courses, advanced skills seminars, backyard adventure days trips, and other longer trips and programming. Reporting to the Director of Outdoor Education, and working in partnership with the Assistant Director of Outdoor Education, responsibilities may include:

The individual serving in this position must exercise independent judgment and unchallengeable authority in decision-making while leading all outdoor education programs and trips. They are responsible for the safety and welfare of all participants and retain unchallengeable decision-making ability regarding participant activities.

Responsible for the effective management of one or more of the following areas and/or facilities of the Outdoor Education program:

Effective management shall be achieved through the following responsibilities, as assigned by the Director:

Administration of daily operations of the department may also include:

Responsible for leading trips with and for students. Fall, winter, and spring break trips are expected, as is evening and weekend work.

Responsible for adherence to assigned Outdoor Education budgets. Exercises independent discretion on all purchases and budgetary decisions for assigned areas.

Accountable for maintaining professional relationships with key internal and external stakeholders and for role modeling behaviors and leadership for students.

Mission of Colgate's Division of Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletics: To be an inclusive community of competitive excellence.

This position has been designated as a Campus Security Authority {CSA), in accordance with the federal statutory requirements of the Jeanne Clery Act. CSAs are required to and responsible for reporting allegations of crimes they receive from students and employees to the Campus Safety Department.

The University recognizes that equal employment opportunity can only be achieved through demonstrated leadership. It is the Policy of the University to recruit, employ, retain, promote, and train employees on the basis of skills and experience, capacity to do the job, and valid job qualifications without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable local, state or federal laws.

CAMPUS CRIME REPORTING AND STATISTICS

The Department of Campus Safety will provide upon request a copy of Colgate's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. This report includes statistics as reported to the United States Department of Education for the previous three years concerning reported: 1. crimes that occurred on-campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Colgate University; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus and 2. fires that occurred in student housing facilities. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security and fire safety, such as policies concerning sexual assault, life safety systems, and other related matters. You may access the report from the Clery Compliance web page at: https://www.colgate.edu/about/offices-centers-institutes/dean-college/campus-safety-staff/clery-compliance. Printed copies of this report may be obtained upon request from the Department of Campus Safety via e-mail at cusafety@colgate.edu.