Department: Education and Programs

Employment Class: Regular Full-Time

Pay Status: Exempt

Expected Hours: Minimum 40 hours/week

Dates of Employment/Start Date: July 15, 2018

Reports To: Executive Director

Housing Available: No

At Keystone Science School, we believe that the power of inspiring curiosity and critical thinking, through the lens of science, changes lives and strengthens communities. We create future leaders who can problem solve and work together in an ever-evolving world and workplace environment.

The employees of Keystone Science School collectively work for the mission, and truly live the Vision and Values! We offer competitive health and welfare benefits. Our campus is located at 9,200 feet on the site of Old Keystone Village in Keystone, Colorado. Our historic 23-acre campus serves as the ultimate outdoor laboratory and is the home base for our diverse suite of programs. Our facilities include modern log-style dormitories, a central dining hall, an outdoor amphitheater, an observatory, and a geothermal field. Visit KeystoneScienceSchool.org to learn more!

Program Overview and Job Summary:

The Director of Education and Operations develops and manages the strategic programming direction at Keystone Science School in partnership with program teams to ensure KSS’s mission is upheld. This position is responsible for supervising Program Managers and overseeing the expense budgets they create. The Director must understand the continuously evolving science and outdoor education trends and classroom curriculum requirements. The Education and Programs department at KSS implements excellent programs with an eye on integrating our mission into all aspects.  The Director of Education and Operations ensures program quality through curriculum development that meets or exceeds expectations and continually improves to ensure KSS can grow its impact and expand its reach.

The most successful candidate in this position will bring passion for our mission and will be adept at incorporating program ideas into on-the-ground implementation working closely with Program Managers. Key strengths we seek in the ideal candidate are exceptional communication (both written and verbal), interpersonal and staff management skills, and a strong understanding of and skillset in science and outdoor education. 

Keystone Science School invites candidates to apply who are energetic, enthusiastic, smart, hard-working, dedicated and fun.  Our tagline, Science. Adventure. Fun! summarizes what we seek in our employees: passionate about our work, willing to seek adventure and take risks to improve KSS, and able to laugh along the way. We work hard so we can play hard!

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The main areas of focus for this position are:

• 40% Education Program Strategy and Oversight
• 30% Financial Management
• 30% Staff Management 
• 10% Operations Oversight

Education Program Strategy and Oversight

• Develop the education programs strategic plan with annual impact numbers and targets in close collaboration with the Marketing and Strategic Partnerships Director and Finance Director;
• Develop program themes and associated curriculum in partnership with program team and with information from Marketing and Sales team;
• Provide program overview and goals to the Marketing and Sales team to support the process of developing accurate pricing for each program area via a KSS pricing committee comprised of both internal and external viewpoints and individuals;
• Be informed of new education program opportunities that align with KSS’s mission and vision and work in partnership with the Marketing and Strategic Partnerships Director to determine feasibility of implementation based on market saturation and trends;
• Monitor program quality and develop effective evaluation techniques for program managers to implement and collect data to continuously improve program impact;
• Serve as the liaison to external groups with whom KSS partners in collaboration with the Marketing and Strategic Partnerships Director;
• Oversee risk management plan, licensure, and other accreditations in partnership with the Adventure Programs and Safety Manager to ensure the overall safety of programs and participants.

Financial Management

• Provide oversight for program expense budgets in partnership with the Program Managers including developing budgets, forecasting outcomes, and evaluating monthly performance; program expense budgets;
• Effectively utilize financial management software (Quickbooks);
• Report on expenses in partnership with the Finance Director and analyze data to provide for continuous improvement;
• Work closely with the Development team to set programmatic fundraising targets;
• Regularly communicate financial performance to relevant colleagues and adjust strategy accordingly in collaboration with teams and priorities.

Staff Management

• Directly supervise (hire, train, etc.) a staff a team of program professionals including the Camp, School-based, Operations, Education Programs Manager, and Adventure Programs and Safety Manager;
• Support Program Managers in managing staff teams;
• Monitor program quality through regular evaluation of Instructors and Program Managers, both formally and informally;
• Ensure proper training, feedback, and evaluation are provided to team members.

Operations

• Oversee and manage the Facilities Operating Plan to ensure appropriate programmatic support and ensure that desired outcomes are accomplished through the effective management of Operations teams;
• Collaborates with Operations team to ensure facility maintenance and improvements are made in line with program needs;
• Works closely with the Operations team to oversee and manage maintenance and operations budgets.

Other duties as assigned.

The minimum requirements in knowledge, skills, and abilities for the candidate of our choice:

• Strong work ethic and will work until the job is complete;
• Motivation to contribute positively to the KSS at-large community;
• Multi-task efficiently while managing a high-volume workload in a fast-paced, changing environment;
• Strong command of communication, writing, and organizational skills;
• Effectively interact with people of diverse backgrounds and different levels of experience;
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including days, nights, and weekends;
• Ability to work in a busy environment with many distractions;
• Superior customer service skills, with the ability to be creative and think 'outside the box';
• Have an interest in, respect for, and ability to work with and/or around children.

Our required education, experience, and certifications:

• Bachelor's degree;
• 3-5 years of experience in education program development, management, and evaluation;
• 1-2 years of experience managing finances and budgets;
• Experience in outdoor program risk management and ability to understand and implement risk management plans;
• Understanding of and experience working in the nonprofit environment;
• Minimum of 3 years of experience developing, leading, and training staff;
• Current CPR and First Aid certifications or the ability to obtain within the first 90 days of employment;
• Age 21+ with a minimum of 5 years driving experience, excellent driving record, and a valid driver's license;
• Must be able to successfully pass a comprehensive background check.

In addition to the above required talents, our ideal candidate will have these preferred skillsets:

• Desired computer skills include proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc.) and Adobe;
• Comprehension of the Spanish language via written and/or verbal form.

Travel Expectations:

Throughout Colorado on an as-needed basis.

The physical demands of this position:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands and fingers to feel, handle, or hold objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear. The employee must be able to lift and carry at least 40 pounds for an extended duration. The employee is occasionally required to travel for extended periods over rugged terrain. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Our work environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position requires the employee to work in close contact with his/her teammates. The office space is small and the employee must have the ability to stay focused while others are working in close proximity. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, but varies seasonally due to programs and staffing on campus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee often works outside in various weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Compensation:

Salary plus a generous benefits package: medical, dental, vision, vacation time, sick time, and paid holidays.