The Environmental Leadership Manager organizes and coordinates environmental career awareness and skills development for high school students and young adults. This position collaborates with partners in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to create learning, volunteer, and employment opportunities intended to expose program participants to a variety of environmental and natural resource-based professions. The Manager is responsible for teaching an 18-week career readiness program at two local high schools and connecting students with local outdoor organizations to engage in hands-on experiences and career-focused opportunities. The manager also collaborates with the United States Forest Service to recruit, hire, train, and mentor young adult Conservation Interns who face barriers to engagement in careers in conservation and natural resources.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Partnerships and Collaboration
·       Serve as the primary contact with the U.S. Forest Service for the implementation and management of the summer Conservation Internship program and oversight of the Interns
·       Coordinate with the U.S. Forest Service project managers to ensure the goals of the summer Conservation Internship align with the project goals identified by the Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation
·       Collaborate with the Eagle County Schools’ P-Tech and CareerX faculty to ensure the mutual goals and needs of the Environmental Leadership Pathways program are being addressed
·       Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with community partners to provide support and resources for the Environmental Leadership Pathways course through a broad variety of learning opportunities for students including field trips and internship opportunities
·       Work with the Sustainability Fellow and Eagle Valley Outdoor Movement (EVOM) Coordinator to expand the reach of the Green Teams (afterschool club) within the local high schools and support students in action led events of their creation
·       Provide ongoing training and support for community, school district, and U.S. Forest Service partners in providing culturally responsive mentorship and support for students and interns

Field and Classroom Instruction
·       Teach the Environmental Leadership Pathways program one day per week at local high schools and support students from diverse backgrounds in skills development and implementing community service projects
·       Train and mentor Conservation Interns during an extensive pre-season training and ongoing professional development lessons, field trips, and projects throughout the summer
·       Support Conservation Interns in preparing an end of summer presentation to community partners and family members
·       Support student leadership and district staff/faculty in coordinating Green Teams (afterschool clubs) at the local high schools
·       Organize and maintain curriculum and culturally responsive teaching materials for each program and related projects
·       Explore future opportunities to implement a local youth conservation corps experience for high school youth from diverse backgrounds

Supervision and Management
·       Prioritize work in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion by helping students and interns navigate cultural and socioeconomic barriers to engagement in environmental leadership programs and career opportunities
·       Annually recruit, hire, train, and manage a diverse cohort of young adult summer Conservation Interns
·       Provide ongoing support and mentorship through site visits and field work with individual Conservation Interns
·       Recruit diverse groups of high school students for the Environmental Leadership Pathways program that are representative of school and community demographics
·       Assist in placing and managing Pathways program participants is summer internships with EVOM partner organizations
·       Recruitment of high school students from across the Eagle County School District to participate in high school Green Teams
·       Recruit and supervise adult crew leaders and student participants in the summer Conservation Corps

Program Development and Reporting
·       Create and implement projects and curriculum that align with Walking Mountains’ mission, program goals, and teaching philosophy that promote justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion
·       Develop, evaluate, and improve the curriculum and structure for the Environmental Leadership Pathways program and the Green Teams at the local high schools
·       Develop, evaluate, and improve an extensive pre-season training for Conservation Interns to prepare them for success in their internship placements with the U.S. Forest Service
·       Plan and implement ongoing career-focused professional development lessons, field trips, and projects to supplement the work experience within the Conservation Internship
·       Create a local summer conservation corps internship program to support the needs of local private, public, and nonprofit partners
·       Participate in strategic planning around program visioning and growth, and identification of funding opportunities for Environmental Leadership programs
·       Assist in development of grant content to create compelling and relevant proposals
·       Collect data for grant reporting to the National Forest Foundation, GOCO, and other relevant funders
·       Annually evaluate and report on the successes and impacts of both the Conservation Internship and Environmental Leadership Pathways program and related projects
·       Develop and implement a system to track longitudinal student and program data

Additional Responsibilities
·       Attend professional development workshops
·       Collaborate with other programs and projects to achieve mutual goals
·       Create and maintain a gear library to support interns and students
·       Other duties, as assigned

Qualifications:
·       Bachelor’s Degree in science, education, or a related field - work experience commensurate with a degree would be considered
·       3-5 years of outdoor teaching experience and developing hands-on field science curricula
·       Demonstrated experience teaching and mentoring high school students and young adults
·       Enthusiasm for providing culturally responsive learning experiences rooted in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion for youth from diverse backgrounds
·       Experience volunteering, participating in, and/or coordinating stewardship projects on public or private lands
·       Self-motivated, team oriented, creative, and organized
·       Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills
·       Current Wilderness First Responder and CPR certifications
·       Current driver’s license and safe driving record for the past 5 years
·       Ability to carry a 40 lb. pack, hike up to 10 miles, and perform physical labor in a backcountry setting
·       Preferred qualifications:
        ·   Bilingual in English and Spanish
        ·   Master’s degree in a related field

Work Environment:
·       30% field-based projects, program instruction, and field staff supervision and oversight
·       70% office work and program preparation
·       The time allotment and weekly work schedule, including some evening and weekend responsibilities, varies seasonally with the summer season necessitating more time in the field to support programmatic goals
·       This position works in an open office environment, attends organization-wide meetings, and participates in organization-wide committees and ongoing collaboration
·       The Environmental Leadership Manager often visits high school classrooms to support the Environmental Leadership Pathways program, Green Teams, and a variety of other experiences

Compensation and Benefits:
·      $53,000-$56,000 starting annual salary
·      Employer-supplemented health, dental, and vision insurance on the first day of the month following 60 days of employment
·      401(k) plan with employer match
·      15 days of PTO (starting), 12 paid holidays, and 12 days sick leave
·      Flexible Spending Account and Healthcare Savings Account options
·      Life insurance and short-term disability insurance
·      Discounted ski pass (Vail and Beaver Creek resorts)
·      Professional Development opportunities

Contact: For more information and details on the application and interview process, please contact Lara Carlson, Senior Programs Director, (970) 827-9725x129 or larac@walkingmountains.org

Organizational Overview: Founded in 1998, Walking Mountains Science Center’s mission is to awaken a sense of wonder and inspire environmental stewardship and sustainability through natural science education.  As an employee of our organization, you are a member of an inclusive and dynamic team that values community, professionalism, collaboration, diversity, equity, a positive work environment and a passion for the mission of Walking Mountains and the impact it’s making in the community. For more information, please visit: Why Walking Mountains?