Director of Experiences

Position: Director of Experiences
Start Date: May, 2024
Salary: $70,000 – $78,000
Reports to: Vice President, Programs

Position overview:

The Director of Experiences will oversee Adventure Cycling’s Experiences programming, focusing on guided bike travel adventures such as self-contained tours, fundraising tours, and educational tours. This role entails operational oversight and logistical execution of the guided experiences slate, ensuring seamless delivery of guided tours, introductory and educational camps, and fundraising tours. While there is a strong preference for in-person work at our headquarters in Missoula, MT, remote work options may be considered for exceptional candidates who can demonstrate effective remote management abilities while fostering a culture of teamwork, communication, risk management, compliance, and exceptional customer service. The Director report to the Vice President, Programs, and work in collaboration with the VP in crafting the future of Experiences at Adventure Cycling in coordination with the 2024-2029 Strategic Plan.

About Adventure Cycling:

As the largest nonprofit cycling organization in the country, Adventure Cycling has an impactful voice in policies and programs that advance the safety and accessibility of cycling. Adventure Cycling serves through its members and the bike travel community. Our cycling community encourages and supports countless cyclists each year as they explore the beauty and history of America while tending to their mental and physical well-being. For nearly half a century, Adventure Cycling has created life-changing experiences that deepen appreciation for our country’s diverse cultures, communities, landscapes, and people. Adventure Cycling headquarters are based in Missoula, MT, and we acknowledge and honor the Indigenous peoples who consider this land their home. The area’s natural abundance was stewarded by many peoples including the Blackfeet, Crow, Shoshone, Cheyenne, Kootenai, Pend d’Oreilles and Salish for millennia before colonization, and continues to be to this day.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:

The Staff and Board of Directors of Adventure Cycling Association believes in the power of bicycle travel to open minds and change the way the world explores. We envision a future where this organization draws staff, tour leaders, members, board members, and riders from the whole of our society. For this to occur, bicycle travel has to be available for everyone.

We are committed to listening to BIPOC, LGBTQ, and other marginalized peoples and understanding the systems contributing to oppression while also working to provide more resources and support for these communities.

The Adventure Cycling Association acknowledges its place in this power dynamic. As an organization we have benefitted from white privilege omnipresent in the United States and must use our power to hire, support, empower, and create safe spaces for Black, Indigenous and People of Color, LGBTQIA+, and Femme/Trans/Women communities.

Key Responsibilities:

Operational Oversight and Logistical Execution (60%)

  • Manage and coordinate guided bike travel adventures, including self-contained tours, fundraising tours, and educational tours, ensuring exceptional customer service at all touchpoints.
  • Supervise the creation and implementation of new guided tours and educational programs.
  • Implement risk management improvements based on recommendations from the 2023 risk management audit, ensuring the safety and security of participants and staff.
  • Ensure compliance with tour leader guidelines and regulations, providing necessary training and support to maintain high standards of professionalism and safety.
  • Oversee the implementation of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems and technological solutions to streamline operations and enhance customer experiences.
  • Develop and implement operational strategies for remote management, if applicable, ensuring effective communication and collaboration among remote team members.
  • Review and assess current operational processes, identifying areas for improvement to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in remote management.
  • Collaborate with the team to develop replicable systems and procedures for scalable remote operations.
  • Monitor program operations and provide guidance for system improvements to optimize resource utilization and enhance operational efficiency.

Leadership and Program Management (40%)

  • In coordination with the VP, Programs and the Adventure Cycling Strategic Plan, create, plan, and execute new educational and skill building programs nationwide.
  • Supervise remote staff, including Tours Operations Manager, Tour Leader Compliance Manager, Customer Experience Coordinator and project-based contract staff, providing coaching and support to foster skill development and talent within the team.
  • Represent the Experiences team in Director’s meetings and the Program Leadership team, contributing to strategic planning and action plans to achieve organizational goals.
  • Oversee the Experiences budget of $3M, conducting annual budget planning and forecasting, and monitoring monthly budgets to achieve targets.
  • Oversee the Tour Leader Compliance Manager who oversees 50-100 seasonal staff

Required Qualifications:

  • Understanding and willingness to engage with issues of institutional and structural biases and their impacts on the organization and community.
  • Commitment to equity and inclusion, respecting differences in race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, ability, religion, and socio-economic circumstances.
  • 5-8 years of prior experience in outcomes-based program leadership and operations.
  • Prior budget management experience of at least $500,000.
  • Strong understanding of risk management principles and practices.
  • Experience in tour leader compliance and safety regulations.
  • Proficiency in CRM systems and technological implementation for operational efficiency.
  • Outstanding written and oral communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
  • Strong decision-making, delegation skills, and problem-solving ability.
  • Passion for learning and seeking innovative solutions and new ideas externally.

Physical Requirements:

Elements of job duties may require occasional moving of up to 15 pounds and the ability to occasionally stoop, kneel or crouch; candidates not able to meet such demands can possibly work with staff or others to accommodate.

Compensation, Schedule and Benefits:

This is a full time, exempt position (average 40 hrs/week). Schedule varies by supervisor, but is generally M-F, 8am-5pm MST. We are located at Adventure Cycling’s headquarters in beautiful and bike-friendly Missoula, Montana, but will consider a remote work location. While there is a strong preference for in-person work at our headquarters in Missoula, MT, remote work options may be considered for exceptional candidates who can demonstrate effective remote management abilities while fostering a culture of teamwork, communication, risk management, compliance, and exceptional customer service. Benefits include paid time off, holidays, an additional fully paid one-week bike vacation (a.k.a. “bike respite”), medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, and retirement plan. We have a wonderful office in downtown Missoula, with plenty of bike racks! Adventure Cycling Association is an equal opportunity employer.

How to apply:

Please submit a resume and cover letter through this Submittable link.  

Please answer the following question in the last paragraph of your cover letter: “Describe why inclusive and accessible opportunities in the outdoors are important to you?”