Operations / Administration Operations Manager, Field Programs
Job Description
For over thirty years, NYC Outward Bound Schools has provided transformative educational experiences in communities that have been historically marginalized. We operate a network of schools in partnership with the NYC Department of Education and bring our most effective and replicable practices to a growing number of public schools outside of our network as well. Our uniquely powerful program combines the Outward Bound approach with the principles of EL (Expeditionary Learning), joining together demanding, engaging learning with an emphasis on community and character.
Serving nearly 200,000 students since our inception, we are redefining what educational excellence looks like in New York City public schools. Thanks to our robust and personalized professional development and coaching model, our transformative field programming, our focus on community and character building, and our understanding and support of students as individuals to unlock potential, our results are strong. Our overall graduation rates regularly surpass the city average by 10+ percentage points and we have achieved particularly impressive results among underserved subgroups. This past year, our Black and Latinx students graduated at rates that were 12 and 14 points higher than their peers citywide, respectively, and our students with disabilities graduated at a rate 27 points higher than their counterparts. Each year nearly all of our graduates are accepted to college.
Position Summary:
The Operations Manager, Field Programs is a core member of the Program Support Team (PST), the leadership team of the Field Programs Department, and is responsible for maintaining a high standard of excellence in the management and execution of all Field Programs to ensure that they are safe, high quality programs which are an essential element of NYC Outward Bound Schools strategic vision to close the opportunity gap for our students to achieve annual college and life readiness outcomes.
This position is primarily responsible for day to day operations, client coordination, delivery and management of all Field Programming. This includes but is not limited to: ensuring programs are delivered according to specified design and curriculum, staff adherence to local and national operating procedures and safety standards, managing program budgets, and supervising, training, and evaluating Course Directors. This position includes course directing programs as necessary.
The Operations Manager, Field Programs is the interface between the Director of Client Engagement and Field Programs Team, and works closely with PST (Staffing, Training, Safety, Logistics) in implementing its programming.
This is a full time role and reports to the Director of Field Programs.
Essential Functions:
Core Member of Program Support Team (PST) – Leadership Team for Field Programs
- Work with Director of Field Programs (DFP) to create, tevise and implement strategies and systems to support the efficient, safe and effective delivery of field programs defined by current environment
- Participate in achieving annual desired outcomes for field programs and progress monitoring
- Provides infrastructure functions for field programs before, during and after programs
- Cross collaborate with other teams on projects related to organizational priorities
- Outward Bound Professional Learning Lab team member
Program Management and Administration
- Drives Field Program workflow process; responsible for day to day operations of program delivery
- Interface with Director of Client Engagement to ensure bookings align with field programs calendar capacity targets and scheduling parameters; confirming admissions, staffing and logistics capacity
- Collaborate with Director of Client Engagement in maintaining information in database for programs (Salesforce or other) and in Google calendar
- Program Administration –
- Primary client contact and management post sales
- Prepare information for Course Directors (CD) to deliver prep/debrief day for staff and quality programs that achieve measurable impacts, within budget
- Manage pre and post program components with Admissions Manager, Staffing Manager, Logistics Director, Curriculum and Training Manager and other key staff
- Coordinate post course outcomes data from field programs and liaise with Data Manager for analysis and ensure dissemination to appropriate stakeholders
- Prepare data reports to review with Director of Field Programs (DFP) and PST
- Collaborate with Director of Client Engagement and DFP in securing new program sites as appropriate
- Course Direct Field Programs as needed
Safety
- Support field program staff adherence to charter operating procedures, national and local safety policies and emergency procedures
- Support monitoring and assessing hazards on all field program types and locations in collaboration with Safety Director and DFP
- Ensure CDs are trained to manage risk appropriately and intentionally.
- Support Safety Team in implementing procedures, systems and reporting to ensure the overall safety and course quality of field programming
- Participate in an emergency on-call system for field programs as determined by SD and DFP
- Participate in critical incident response systems
- Assist in Safety Reviews & Audits
- Oversight for and support CDs in completing incident reports and entering them in OBIR database
Staff Development and Supervision
- Oversight of Course Directors (CDs) in program delivery
- Maintain and update CD performance expectations and guidelines; CD drives, systems and resources
- Collaborate with Staffing Manager in
- Monitoring progression, training and readiness of staff to move into CD positions
- Assigning Course Directors to programs
- Lead and supervise professional development of Course Directors through
- Mentoring, observing, coaching, and goal setting
- Lead performance reviews
- Collaborate with Curriculum and Training Manager on CD trainings and deliver All FPT staff training as appropriate
Fiscal Management
- Manage program budgets
- Ensure CDs have necessary budget information to manage expenditures
- Support CDs with responsibilities to stay within budgeted CD time
Professional Experience/Qualifications:
- A strong commitment to educational equity for BIPOC youth and supporting explicit anti-racist work within our organization and our partner schools
- Minimum three years’ management experience in the field of experiential education and/or outdoor recreation or bachelor degree in a related field
- Experience in managing/administrating youth programs, executing course delivery, training staff; experience with non-profits serving urban youth is strongly desired
- Experience in facilitating groups or programs at NYC Outward Bound Schools or other comparable experiential programs – whether students, adults, or colleagues in training or professional development contexts
- Experience in leading a team, and managing and supervising others
- Knowledge of the skills requirements of at least two of the NYC Outward Bound Schools program areas and activities, including wilderness, urban, climbing/ropes, and 1 day community building programming
- Demonstrate and role model an understanding of, and commitment to, the methodology, history, philosophy and core values of Outward Bound and NYC Outward Bound Schools
- Strong organizational skills and excellent communication, both verbal and written
- Demonstrate sound judgment, ability to work independently, and the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities effectively under stressful conditions
- Capacity to manage conflict, including giving, receiving and applying feedback, holding oneself and colleagues accountable to improve and broaden skills, knowledge and compassion
Additional Competencies and Desired Skills:
- Valid Driver’s License Preferred: complete NYCOBS Driving test in order to drive vans to and from program locations (Optional)
- Proficient with Microsoft Office and Google Suite
- Holds current or is able to get certifications which are relevant to responsibilities, such as First Aid training or Wilderness First Responder
- Position will require a flexible schedule and may require working evenings/weekends
Compensation and Benefits:
- We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.
- We offer workplace flexibility/remote work to support the wellbeing of our staff.
- We offer medical, dental, and vision coverage as well as HRA/FSA/Transit accounts, life insurance, 403(b) with employer match after one year, sick leave, and generous PTO.
