About Big City Mountaineers

At Big City Mountaineers, we bring the transformative power of time spent in nature to a generation of young people who face increased barriers to outdoor access, as well as other systemic challenges in their lives.  A BCM experience helps youth better connect with themselves, with nature, with their community, and with a sense of joy.  By providing free, fully outfitted, and professionally led day trips, frontcountry overnights, and weeklong backcountry expeditions, we’re able to give youth ages 12 to 18 the opportunity to strengthen their skills, their mental and physical health, their social-emotional well-being, and help them become better stewards of our planet. 

For over thirty years, BCM’s programming has shown staying power beyond the norm, and has come to be a recognized and highly regarded national nonprofit.  BCM is at an exciting point in its history, one that holds great potential and opportunity to meaningfully scale our work and mission with fidelity. Our team includes a dedicated staff, seasonal trip instructors, and volunteers.

Though we are headquartered in Colorado, Big City Mountaineers’ reach is national. We are located on the ancestral territories of the Ute and Arapahoe, (Denver, CO), the Sioux and Anishinibawaki (Minneapolis, MN), the Ohlone, Ramaytush, Chochenyo, and Muwekma (San Francisco Bay Area), the Duwamish (Seattle, WA), the Cowlitz and Chinook (Portland, OR), and the Massachusett and Pawtucket (Boston, MA).

Position Overview

The Events & Adventure Fundraising Coordinator (EAFC) plays a pivotal role in keeping BCM’s development function healthy and strong.  EAFC will be responsible for BCM’s community and fundraising events nationwide, as well as seeing BCM’s signature adventure fundraising programs (Summit for Someone and Adventure for Someone) successful.  These signature peer to peer campaigns are well known and well loved, help to engage many outdoor enthusiasts in BCM’s mission, and represent an important source of revenue that support BCM’s youth programs. 

The EAFC can expect to have frequent contact with BCM’s community of supporters via phone, email, and potentially in person, and will often be responsible for making the first contact with people interested in engaging with BCM in various ways. This work, when done well, will significantly elevate the quality and capacity of BCM’s national programming and impact. 

Having direct prior experience in the areas mentioned below is valuable, but what is most important is being personable, engaging, and even inspirational to others; creative and enthusiastic; and organized, detail oriented, and fastidious.  This position is an excellent opportunity for individuals who love to get others inspired and engaged with causes they care about; and are motivated to gain broad and varied early career experience in a nationally recognized nonprofit focused on youth development, equity, and outdoor access.

The EAFC will work out of BCM’s headquarters in Arvada, CO. They will report to the Director of Development, and can expect to work closely with BCM’s leadership, communications manager, and Volunteer and Operations Coordinator.

Essential Duties

Adventure Fundraising Coordination and Management (60%)

• Oversee BCM’s adventure fundraising campaigns: Summit for Someone and Adventure for Someone
• With the support of BCM’s leadership, set the strategy and vision for BCM’s adventure fundraising program
• Set and track progress towards goals for BCM’s adventure fundraising campaigns; ensure goals are closely related to development KPIs
• In collaboration with the Communications Manager, develop and execute an adventure fundraising marketing strategy
• Serve as primary point of contact for all incoming inquiries related to adventure fundraising
• Work with adventure fundraisers to ensure their campaigns are successful
• Manage BCM’s peer to peer adventure fundraising platforms on Classy
• Secure all gear and experience incentives for adventure fundraisers and their donors; oversee incentive fulfillment
• Serve as liaison between BCM and contracted guide companies as appropriate or needed

 

Event Coordination and Management (30%)

• With the support of BCM’s leadership, set the strategy and vision for BCM’s community and fundraising events
• Set and track progress towards goals for BCM’s events; ensure goals are closely related to development KPIs
• Maintain BCM’s national calendar of non-program events
• Serve as primary point of contact for event partners, collaborators, supporters, and vendors
• Manage (or delegate) all event logistics and administrative needs, both leading up to and during events
• In collaboration with the Volunteer and Operations Coordinator, ensure that all events are staffed by volunteers
• In collaboration with the Communications Manager, ensure all events are properly promoted
• Coordinate all in-kind donations for auction and raffle at events

 

General Fundraising and Development Support (10%)

• Participate in weekly Development team meetings
• Track and maintain the accuracy of BCM’s fundraising information in Salesforce on a weekly basis
• Prepare donor acknowledgement letters to be physically mailed on a weekly basis
• Other minor administrative duties as directed by the Executive Director or Director of Development

Role Requirements

• Personal and professional values consistent with BCM’s mission, values, and principles, including principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• High degree of motivation to increase access to the outdoors for youth from disinvested communities
• Unwavering belief in the power of nature-based experiences to help youth make connections with themselves, with their communities, with nature, and with joy
• Residence in or near Denver, CO
• Prior professional or personal experience managing events and/or peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns
• Knowledge of and experience with outdoor recreation activities
• Prior professional experience representing an organization to external parties (vendors, customers, donors, volunteers)in a customer service role, or similar 
• Demonstrated ability to make meaningful, authentic connections with people across various lines of difference
• Demonstrated ability to handily and meticulously manage administrative details, including maintaining accurate and complete data that is available in real time
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in multiple formats (written and verbal) to diverse audiences
• Clean driving record and access to personal transportation
• Ability to work occasional non-traditional hours for events

Additional Qualifications

• Personal experience and passion for youth development, outdoor recreation, outdoor access, and experiences in nature
• Familiarity with the regions and local communities BCM serves
• Knowledge of and connections to the communities that support – or might support – BCM’s work that operate in our current service regions and nationally.
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently, and to know when each is required
• Interpersonal awareness, ability to cultivate trusting interpersonal relationships and connect with people across lines of difference
• Comfort giving and receiving feedback up and across a supervisory hierarchy
• Ability to set priorities and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Willingness to hold self and others accountable for all organizational policies
• Personal or professional experience, familiarity, and comfort in backcountry and outdoor settings
• Competence using technology platforms that enable effective remote collaboration (Salesforce, Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, Classy)
• Experience working with a remote team in multiple time zones

Employment & Compensation

This is a full-time non-exempt position, with a starting annual salary range of $45,000 – $55,000/year. Additional bonuses may be available based on performance of the events and campaigns for which this role is responsible. The Events and Adventure Fundraising Coordinator will be eligible to receive medical, dental, and vision insurance within one month of hire.  Big City Mountaineers employees enjoy a generous paid time off policy (over 30 paid days off per calendar year) and flexibility in terms of work schedule. Employees have access to additional benefits after an initial period of employment.

Candidates will only be considered if they live in, or plan on relocating to, the Denver, CO metropolitan area. 

Expected start date for this position October 30, 2023.

How to Apply & Timeline

Please submit a current resume and thoughtful cover letter detailing why you believe your experience, capacity, and passions align with BCM’s needs to bailey@bigcitymountaineers.org (questions about the role can also be directed here).  Be sure the subject line references this position specifically.  In your cover letter, be sure to address the following:

• What compelled you to apply to this specific position with Big City Mountaineers?
• What prior professional or personal experience has prepared you for this role?
• How does your personal identity and/or lived experience play a role in your motivation to do this work?

Combining both documents into a single PDF is preferred.

All applications must be received no later than Monday, September 25, 2023 at 9:00 AM MT. If we feel you might be a good potential fit for the role, we will be in touch to schedule an interview; first round interviews will take place, at latest, by October 6.

Big City Mountaineers is invested in cultivating a diverse candidate pool and is interested in connecting with candidates whose identities and/or lived experiences are representative of the youth and communities we work with. We understand that our next Communications Manager may not have taken a traditional professional path, and we encourage interested individuals to apply even if you don’t meet every one of our qualifications listed.