Backcountry Coordinator, Youth Programs (Temporary)
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
Temporary
On-site
San Francisco, California, United States
Backcountry Coordinator, Youth Programs (Temporary)
Organization Description:
Since 1981, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy (Parks Conservancy) has served as the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, collaborating with the Presidio Trust, partners, donors, and the community to support the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The GGNRA stretches across three Bay Area counties north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge and includes iconic places such as Muir Woods National Monument, Fort Point National Historic Site, Alcatraz Island, Crissy Field, Mori Point, Lands End, and the Presidio of San Francisco.
The Parks Conservancy engages at the intersection of national park sites, local communities, social justice, and climate resilience. Collaborating with partners, our staff are dedicated to enhancing public awareness and providing volunteer and educational opportunities in the parks. We are park builders, caretakers, ambassadors and educators, all working to connect people to parks in support of our vision Parks for All Forever. Join us.
Department Description:
The Parks Conservancy Youth Programs team prioritizes individuals, groups, and communities that national parks and conservation organizations have failed to previously serve. Our programs encourage new generations to become bold leaders for thriving parks, healthy communities, and a more environmentally just society. Our programs erase boundaries between communities and the environment. Each program is community driven and inspired. Our programs focus on teaching participants about social and environmental issues while building leadership skills that can contribute to positive change.
Our programs not only engage youth across the Golden Gate National Recreation Area but in their individual communities as well. Our programs span multiple counties and work with a variety of partnerships. To deliver our programs the Crissy Field Center works with partners like the One Tam Collaborative, National Park Service, and Presidio Trust. These partners provide opportunities for youth to engage in stewardship, conservation, and volunteer work. Our department is in the Presidio of San Francisco at the bottom of “Tunnel Tops”.
Position Overview:
The primary focus of this position is co-facilitating a backpacking field studies course for queer and trans youth of color. The term for this position is June 2 through July 7 2025.
The Coordinator is responsible for supporting the Conservancy’s Youth Programs Managers in the facilitation of the Queer Belonging Backpacking Adventure (QBBA) program for local youth. The Coordinator facilitates activities centering around environmental science, environmental justice, service learning, outdoor experiences, visual art, wellness, and leadership development. In addition to program delivery, the Coordinator supports program evaluation, preparing program resources, logistics, program photography, and the mentorship of youth participants. Depending on our team’s needs, there may also be opportunities for curriculum development. Programs take place at the Crissy Field Center, in backcountry in the GGNRA and Point Reyes National Seashore, and in communities of the youth we serve.
During Summer 2025 (June 2- July7), the Backcountry Coordinator will primarily support the field studies program for High School students who identify as Queer, Trans and Youth of Color. This program includes activities such as a weeklong backpacking trip, community building, art, and learning in nature.
This Coordinator position will work a varying schedule, with typical front country workdays 8:30am-5pm. The summer schedule also includes a 5 to 6-day backpacking trip. Schedules, including any irregular hours, overtime hours, and overnight trips, will be planned with supervisor support and approval. There is a planned week off where no programs will be taking place from June 30-July 4.
The Coordinator will work in-person and is based at the Crissy Field Center in the Presidio unless on overnight backpacking or camping trips.
For Summer 2025, the Youth Programs Department is looking for candidates with the following competencies:
- Three or more seasons of leading Backpacking, Camping, and other Outdoor Trips.
- Experience managing risk in backcountry environments
- Competency to Facilitate Programs with High School Students who identify as Queer, Trans and Youth of Color.
Reports To: The Coordinator reports to one of the Youth Programs Managers.
Key Responsibilities:
This is an education and youth development position that includes the instruction and mentorship of youth and program support to the multiple youth-serving programs.
Program Development and Delivery
- Leads youth participants in outdoor activities such as hiking, backpacking, camping, team-building activities, service learning, and environmental education lessons.
- Develops and delivers project-based learning curriculum for youth.
- If applicable, facilitates programs in languages other than English.
- Plans and facilitates overnight camping trips with youth.
- Creates a physically and emotionally safe space for youth to engage in the outdoors
- Prepares materials and teaching spaces for activities. Cleans up after activities.
- Drives work vehicles and is responsible for passenger safety and supervision during transport.
Youth Mentorship and Supervision
- Mentors and/or supervises high school aged youth.
- Models healthy and supportive behavior for youth participants.
- Manages risk, is able to provide wilderness first aid and is able to activate emergency action plan
- Facilitate lessons that support leadership and professional career skills for youth participants.
- Provides positive and constructive feedback to youth.
Collaboration and Coordination
- Coordinates planning, logistics, and scheduling with program partners.
- Conducts youth participant communications
- Supports with program documentation, evaluation, and reporting.
- Supports with program administration and logistics, including using online systems such as Microsoft Office and Google Drive.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Commitment to education, youth development, and social justice.
- Knowledge of environmental justice issues. Ability to make connections between environmental and social issues. Commitment to supporting youth-led advocacy.
- Ability to connect with diverse groups of youth, especially middle school and high school aged youth. Interest and ability to make curriculum relevant to youth audiences. Understanding of issues related to the urban environment, as well as current local, regional, and global events that may impact youth’s home communities.
- Willingness to work with communities historically excluded from environmental experiences and careers in the Bay Area, including low income and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities.
- Teamwork: Ability to contribute to group goals and the organizational mission. Ability to relate effectively to others when encountering difficult situations. Can collaboratively support curriculum refinement and brainstorm lesson plan ideas. Ability to collaborate and co-lead programs. Ability to balance team and individual responsibilities.
- Good Judgment: Can exhibit sound and accurate judgment. Able to analyze calculated risks while prioritizing the safety of both staff and youth. Includes appropriate staff and/or community members in the decision-making process.
- Flexibility: Can comfortably shift priorities as the team’s needs change. Can work in a variety of outdoor and indoor environments. Can adapt to a flexible work schedule that does include some evening, weekend, and overnight work (camping trips primarily). Able to change or adapt programs on the spot based on youth needs.
- Ability to stay positive, energetic, and creative during program planning and implementation.
- Ability to take initiative and recognize what tasks need to be done.
- Ability to receive direction and feedback in a constructive manner.
- Ability to stay organized and pay attention to detail.
- Leadership: exhibits confidence in self and others; inspires and motivates others to perform well.
Education and/or Experience:
- High School Diploma or equivalent.
- Three seasons of leading backcountry programming
- Experience working with diverse groups of youth. This includes multiple dimensions of diversity such as race/ethnicity, income, language, physical ability, sexuality, gender identity, and neurodiversity.
- Experience or education in environmental education, child and youth development, recreation, or other related fields.
- Knowledge of environmental and social issues, especially those issues affecting underserved Bay Area youth.
- Multilingual preferred: Able to speak language(s) other than English that are spoken by Bay Area communities, Spanish preferred.
- Capacity to work outdoors in all kinds of weather and site conditions.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Due to the nature of this position, we require the Live Scan fingerprint clearance in addition to the standard pre-employment background check.
- Competent in the use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, SharePoint, etc.).
Licenses:
- Valid Driver’s License with 2 years of driving experience. Employees must have a clean driving record. Commercial Driver’s License with passenger endorsement a plus
- Wilderness First Responder certification
- CPR and Epinephrine auto injector certifications- will assist upon hire.
Health and Safety:
It is the goal of the Parks Conservancy to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace. We work to mitigate hazards and risks that may cause harm to employees, consistent with state and federal laws. Employees play an active role in creating a safe and healthy workplace and are expected to comply with all applicable health and safety rules.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment:
- Schedule (Summer): Variable. Includes a 5-day backpacking trip and one or more other overnight trips. On weeks without overnight trips, the schedule is typically Monday-Friday, 8:30am to 5pm. Works in-person and is based at the Crissy Field Center in the Presidio.
- Work is performed in multiple settings, including at a desk in an office, in front of a computer, in indoor teaching spaces such as classrooms, and in outdoor settings such as parks.
- Ability to backpack 8-10 miles on uneven terrain.
- Work is often performed standing or walking with a backpack.
- Frequently lifts, carries, and positions objects weighing up to 40 pounds.
- Occasionally sits at a computer station for up to 3-4 hours.
- Regularly drives youth and staff in work vehicles.
Pay Rate and Benefits:
This is a temporary, seasonal position working an average of 40 hours per week, from June 2- July 7, 2025. Overtime is paid for any hours exceeding 8 hours in one day. The hourly wage is $28/hour (Grade 12).
This is a non-benefitted position. Coordinators do receive paid sick time. Coordinators also receive unpaid time off on Federal holidays. Additionally, Coordinators have access to the Employee Assistance Program and Employee discounts. Uniform shirts, jacket, and hat with the Parks Conservancy logo will be provided.
To Apply: Please submit a thoughtful application with cover letter and resume.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Application review will begin by March 4, 2025. Applications received after that date may not be considered.
Past Parks Conservancy and One Tam staff and youth program participants (I-YEL, REYL, Project WISE, and LINC) are strongly encouraged to apply.
Start date is June 2, 2025. End Date is July 7, 2025
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.
The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Recruitment, placement, and promotions are conducted without regard to an individual's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical handicap, veteran status or sexual orientation, or any other classification protected by Federal, State, and local laws & ordinances. We will consider qualified candidates with criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.