National Volunteer & Operations Coordinator

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 Volunteer and Operations Coordinator (VOC) will work across all major areas of BCM’s functioning and is essential to keeping BCM running smoothly and efficiently. Central to this is stewardship of the many volunteers BCM engages nationwide and management of BCM’s physical resources (gear and in-kind product donations). The VOC 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 meticulously organized, detail oriented, and fastidious; personable and engaging; and flexible and adaptable. This position is an excellent opportunity for individuals who love an efficient, well-run system; can get others 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 VOC will work out of BCM’s headquarters in Arvada, CO. The VOC can expect to work with all members of BCM’s staff and will report to the Executive Director.

Volunteer Management & Stewardship

• Volunteer recruitment and response to inquiries
• Volunteer intake, screening, and background checks
• Trail volunteer placement and training (in collaboration with other members of the program team
• Identification, selection, and placement of volunteers for pack-in and pack-out (admin) days
• Managing corporate volunteerism
• Coordinating volunteers for non-program events and needs
• Volunteer appreciation and stewardship
• Phone, mail and email communications with volunteers 
• Managing all volunteer related data and processes in Salesforce

Operations Management

• Managing national gear inventory 
• Supporting Regional Program Managers to manage regional gear inventories
• Managing and maintaining accurate records of in-Kind product donations with brand partners and gear requests from staff (incoming and outgoing) 
• Shipping gear and program documents to and from BCM’s regions 
• Developing and refining systems and processes to increase organizational efficiency with regard to gear management, shipping, and related record keeping
• Assisting National Program Director with various seasonal operations needs (food purchasing, satellite phone and PLB subscriptions, medical supplies, and similar logistical support)

General Administration

• Monitor and respond to mail, main phone number, info@bigcitymountaineers.org email address
• In person and logistical support with Denver-based events
• Occasional staff or Board travel and meeting logistics support
• Other minor administrative duties as directed by the Executive Director

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 complex logistics and administrative tasks in a detailed and organized manner
• Prior professional experience representing an organization to external parties (vendors, customers, donors, volunteers)
• 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 lift and carry items weighing up to 40 lbs, use ladders to store inventory in a warehouse environment, and perform other physical tasks related to storing and shipping outdoor gear

Additional Qualifications

• Familiarity with the communities in which BCM works
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently, and to know when each is required
• Interpersonal awareness, ability to cultivate trusting relationships and connect with people across lines of difference
• Comfort giving and receiving feedback up a supervisory hierarchy
• Ability to accurately prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to inspire passion for BCM’s work and programs, internally and externally
• 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 – comfort working in Salesforce is especially important)
• Experience working with a remote team in multiple time zones
• Spanish speaking or bilingual (preferred)

Employment & Compensation

This is a full-time hourly non-exempt position, with a starting annual salary range of $42,000 – $52,000/year. The National Volunteer Operations 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 is, at latest, 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 recruiting@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 Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at 5:00pm 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 occur on a rolling basis and take place, at latest, by September 22.

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 National Volunteer and Operations Coordinator 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.