Outdoor and Adventure Programs Manager

HoneyRock Job Description

Outdoor and Adventure Programs Manager

Job Overview

This position oversees Outdoor and Adventure Programs throughout HoneyRock and is responsible to the Summer Programs Director. This position works closely with the Summer Program Team to fulfill the mission and vision of HoneyRock across camper and student leadership development programs. In addition to leadership over high school adventure programming, wilderness tripping, activity areas, and challenge course, this role works collaboratively with Passage, Vanguard, and the Outdoor Adventure Leadership M.A. programs to execute outdoor and adventure programming. This is a full-time position located in Three Lakes, Wisconsin.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Inspire HoneyRock culture surrounding Creation and adventure through programmatic leadership, vision-casting and personal passion. Serves as a key leader in setting the strategic direction for outdoor and adventure programming for HoneyRock programs in collaboration with the corresponding Program Directors. With this voice, serve as a contributing member of the HoneyRock Managers, Assistants, Directors, and Supervisors (MADS) team, participating in strategic planning, staff retreats, and task forces as requested.


• Supervise the School of Adventure Leadership Training (SALT), 2:22 High School Program, and Voyageur High School Program. A primary function in this role is developing student leaders to serve in ministry with HoneyRock summer campers. This responsibility includes program promotion, staff recruitment and training, supervision, feedback, and exit interviews of the summer staff for each team. 


• Serve as a key leader on the Activity Management Team, providing direction for the staffing and training for all HoneyRock activity areas, with special attention to the HoneyRock Challenge Course. This responsibility includes new equipment acquisition and maintenance needs reporting for all activity areas. This includes activity equipment such as rifles, archery equipment, craft/ceramic supplies, climbing equipment, mountain bikes, kayaks, canoes, waterski equipment, docks, and boat house organization. This role also coordinates challenge course operations and training, providing a high-quality program that is current and certified with standard practice. 


• Facilitate compelling and excellent winter activities for school year guests of the HoneyRock Center for Leadership Development, including Wheaton College students, retreat guests, Vanguard Gap Year students, HoneyRock Fellows, and residential Outdoor and Adventure Leadership M.A. students. Activity responsibilities include: cross country skiing, broomball, hockey, snow shoeing, snow tubing, ice skating, and ice climbing. 


• Supervise 4 Graduate Assistants in the Outdoor Adventure Leadership M.A. program to accomplish the duties of the role in support of HoneyRock’s mission and toward the professional development of each Graduate Assistant through investment and coaching.


• Serve as a Site Manager for Wheaton Passage: Wheaton College’s Orientation Program. This role leads under the supervision of the Passage Director by serving as the Site Manager for Adventure Passage. This includes coordinating staff and resources from HoneyRock and Wheaton College. 


• Organize the logistics associated with equipping all wilderness trips facilitated by HoneyRock. This requires the Outdoor and Adventure Programs Manager to collaborate across the organization to ensure proper stewardship and use of HoneyRock adventure equipment. Manage the annual budget for trip locker and adventure equipment.


• Serve as a key leader on the HoneyRock Summer Program Team through strategic planning, enterprismic (intra-organizational) coordination, and implementation of the HoneyRock camper and student programs.


• Serve as a key risk manager in collaboration with HoneyRock leadership and Wheaton College’s Office of Risk Management as it relates to all Outdoor and Adventure programming.


• Provide leadership in support of certifying appropriate staff with outdoor medical credentials, technical skill credentials for rock climbing, canoeing, etc., and any other certifications as deemed necessary in collaboration with supervision.

This job description is intended to represent key areas of responsibilities; specific assignments may vary from time to time, and other duties may be assigned. 

Qualifications:

• MA in related field required.


• Passion for, and skills in, discipleship and mentoring of high school and college students.


• At least 5 years of effective leadership experience in higher education, camp and\or high school related ministries.  Experience managing a multi-level staff, balancing simultaneous supervision of multiple teams, and working at a large/growing ministry preferred. 


• Skills and expertise in the field of experiential education, adventure ministries and group facilitation.  Ability to train others in these areas.


• Experience operating and/or managing a challenge course is preferred.  Ability to understand and implement industry standards on all high and low challenge courses at HoneyRock.  Certified or willing to become certified in ropes course management and group facilitation according to ACCT standards. 


• Willingness to travel for multiple days, 2-3x per semester, and as necessary during the summer in order to lead outdoor and adventure programming, facilitate trainings, participating in recruiting trips, etc. 


• Certified or willing to become certified in a variety of adventure pursuits including: wilderness first responder, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, and/or mountain biking.


• Ability to work independently and as well as accept supervision. 


• Ability to work as part of a creative, dynamic team.


• Must have a proven track record of being innovative and entrepreneurial.  Must be able to build new and improve long-standing programs and systems.


• Strong skills in promotion, organization, administration and customer relations.

Physical Requirements 

This employee is regularly required to sit, talk, or hear; frequently required to use repetitive hand motion, handle or feel, and to stand, walk, reach, bend; ascend/descend rugged terrain; lift/carry up to 40 pounds.

FLSA Status - Exempt

As a Christ-centered community, Wheaton College faculty and staff must affirm the College’s Statement of Faith as expressing their own theological convictions and agree to live by the moral standards in Wheaton’s Community Covenant, modeling these commitments for the Christian formation of our students.  Wheaton College faculty and staff also support the Christ-Centered Diversity Commitment which highlights our desire to treat all individuals as equal image-bearers of Jesus Christ through diversity, inclusion, justice and unity.