Employment Opportunities! Arizona Climbing and Adventure School

	Arizona Climbing and Adventure School (ACAS) is the leading adventure-education organization in the Southwest. We are looking for diverse people with varied experience, and have a particular need for experienced and seasoned rock climbers, sea kayakers, backpackers, and people with wilderness experience who love working with adults and/or youth. Quality is at the core of our 17 years of success. Staff members and instructors embody and exemplify our founding principles: challenge and adventure, compassion and service, social and environmental responsibility, character development, and learning though experience. Applicants with training from Outward Bound and/or the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Project Adventure (PA), certification from American Mountain Guides Associate (AMGA) or a degree in Outdoor Education are preferred. As a leader in wilderness-based hands-on education, we hold our staff to a high standard of professional performance. From program design to on-course instruction, our staff involves students in challenging and personally rewarding adventures. ACAS field staff are dedicated, skilled individuals who choose service, education and adventure as their career. Our field staff are the heart and soul of every course and their leadership, talents and insights will add depth to the course experience. Field staff return to work for our organization because of the students’ lives they touch, the friendships they build with co-workers, and for the mentoring, investment, and inspiration our communities provide. Each instructor is required to maintain Wilderness First Responder and CPR First Aid certifications. Instructors are selected based on their teaching, life and outdoor experience. NOTE: All positions are located in the Phoenix/Scottsdale - Arizona area and are contract labor plus percentage. rock climbing instructor and wilderness guide Seeking an AMGA Certified Top Rope Site Manager (or will train) to work for the 2007-08 season. Minimum of 3 years climbing experience including a diversity of areas and a minimum of 60 days outdoor climbing per year. Wilderness First Responder or WFA and CPR certification required. Demonstrated ability in the following: managing top rope sites safely and efficiently, group teaching and leadership, knowledge of climbing equipment, natural history, environmental consciousness, judgement and decision-making, improvised rescue, general outdoor skills. EEOE. Guide Related Expectations • Manage large and small groups of clients in busy top rope settings • Lead private and small group trips that may include day and overnight hiking, backpacking, camping, kayaking and general wilderness skills. • Lead extended overnight trips with youth groups • Respect and enjoy the mountain environment • Enjoy people and teaching climbing sports and enthusiasm for client comfort and entertainment • Competence with awareness of strengths and weaknesses, sound judgment and decision-making skills • Tolerance and patience for adversity, diversity and uncertainty • Timely and reliable • Ability to give and receive constructive feedback, sense of humor • Ability to quickly establish climbs and to select appropriate terrain • Maintain high regard for client safety and client experience • Learn client expectations and strive to meet them • Develop appropriate curriculum for each client based on skills and ability • Provide clear and direct explanations and instructions • Relate local knowledge including natural and cultural history • Demonstrate and promote minimum impact practices and environmental awareness • Provide leadership, instruction and medical care during an emergency • Inspect and maintain equipment • Review and complete related client paperwork Salary: Is contract labor minimum $50 per day to maximum of $275 per day (depending on group size) (No benefits or housing at this time) wilderness instructor apprenticeships / internships Available year round for up to 7 months. We offer a number of internship opportunities for qualified college and high school students interested in the fields of adventure education, backpacking instrucor, map & compass/gps instructor, guide service management and outdoor business management. Typical internships involve exposure to the various aspects of operating an outdoor program and adventure leadership center. In addition to day to day activities, interns are expected to each develop a focused project which is followed through from conception to implementation. Our internships are not fluff - they are true experiential education - you will be making real decisions with real consequences. In return, you take home many new skills, experiences and insights that will prove beneficial throughout your career. Working with a mentor, each intern will develop unique goals and expectations that are mutually beneficial to the intern and the organization. Sample internships: Outdoor Leadership / Climbing instruction - provide instruction in climbing and various outdoor activities, slide shows, present seminars, apprentice with AMGA certified guides. Wilderness Medicine - instructor support for WFR, WFA, Benefits: This is a cooperative work exchange providing skills and guidance to an aspirant guide or intern in lieu of monetary compensation. Ocassional stipends may be provided up to $550.00 / week, access to professional courses (climbing, WMA wilderness medicine, AMGA guide training, group facilitator training, etc) at significantly reduced rates. assistant program director Since 1989 our climbing school has grown from rock climbing instruction to include a full spectrum of adventure programs, international trips and youth summer camp programs. To continue our dedication to our quality and an education-based approach, we are seeking to bring on another qualified individual to manage our current system, offer the highest quality programs, and continue our growth with part ownership a possibility. The Assistant Program Director is a challenging, highly independent position that offers the right individual the opportunity to run both the administrative and "in-the-field" portions of Arizona Climbing and Adventure School. We are looking for a strong, experienced instructor who also brings detail-oriented administrative skills and a growth-oriented vision. Sales and client relations will be a primary focus of this position when not in the field. This means the right applicant will love time with clients and potential clients. The Assistant Program Director is in the limelight every day: forming relationships, maintaining relationships, and converting inquiries into sales. The role has multiple purposes: 1. Climbing Sales- First and foremost, this person must be the voice of our cllimbing and adventure program - to staff, clients, land managers and the community. 2. Outdoor Program Participation - This means this role continues to have heavy presence in programming. They must be meeting new and existing clients and building relationships. 3. Mountain Administration - This role will also support the Director in developing and maintaining marketing and support materials and providing course logistics. Especially important will be the responsibility for all of building contacts and relationships with potential groups and specialty clients. 4. Lead Specialty Guiding - They should grow into an ability to run Top Rope Site Manager Courses, international trips and climbing programs in both primary and new destinations, offering the absolute highest quality experience to our clients. Guiding Sales • Further develop outreach relationships with potential new clients through interactions in special events, outreach and local courses. • Pursue corporations, universities, youth groups, schools, camps, etc., for groups programs and participation in leadership training programs such as AMGA courses and wilderness medicince courses. • Maintain relationships with clients. • Convert potential clients to sales through phone, email, and in-person interactions. • Maintain client-tracking system and manage the retail sales team's priorities as they relate to guiding. Mountain Administration • In the stores and local communities, maintain all signage, packets, promotion racks, and other advertising materials. • Design and run staff trainings to better educate all staff to market climbing trips. • Maintain all climbing equipment and the system to track it. • Assist the Director in organizing trip-specific country logistics. • Manage / develop climbing school information exchange with retail sales associates. • Work with land managers to maintain appropriate land use permits. Destination Guiding • Offer the highest quality rock climbing trips and international destination programs. With extensive guiding and climbing experience, this person is also committed to what makes ACAS special. • Continue to build guide skills and personal mountaineering experience and reputation throughout the world. • Develop new international guiding venues. Daily Guiding and Outdoor Program Participation • Beginner through advanced climbing and outdoor education programs as technical skills and certifications allow. As the Assistant Program Director, their teaching skills should represent the pinnacle of ACAS instruction. • Acquisition and maintenance of all required certification (CPR/WFR/NOLS/OBW/AMGA/AVY, etc). • Personal and professional development as a climber, and instructor. • Manage client check-in and follow up processing • Provide periodic retail sales coverage on a per diem basis. • Other duties as assigned. Guiding skills The candidate who will be most successful in this position is someone who is well educated in a variety of subjects, from literature to business, and present themselves as not only professional mountaineers with significant personal climbing successes, but also as well-rounded individuals able to connect with clients on multiple levels. Candidates must possess a high level of creative energy, self-motivation, ability to self- critique, and a strong desire to strive for excellence. Ideal candidate would possess at least one NOLS, OB, Project Adventure (PA) or AMGA certification and be motivated to pursue additional certifications. Salary: This is a part-time contract position - employment is based on experience and education For more information on the above jobs feel free to call us at the number below.