GOL! Program Leaders

Position Summary
Lake County's Parks & Recreation Department's Get Outdoors Leadville team is seeking Program Leaders to assist with delivery of our popular outdoor recreation orientated camps. Help assist in guiding youth ages 6–10 and 11–14 through outdoor recreation activities, including mountain biking, hiking, leave no trace education, environmental education, fishing and other exciting outdoor adventures. Day Camps run with group sizes of 10–15 campers.

Crew Leaders develop and implement outdoor education and recreation curriculum for up to two 2-week camp sessions and are responsible for ensuring safe, enriching, and inclusive outdoor experiences for Lake County youth in their crew, while also mentoring Assistant Crew Leaders. These positions are seasonal, running from June through August 2026.

Rockies Rock Crew Leader x 25:  Ages K - 8th grade

• We prefer candidates to have a specialization as either an “Outdoor Adventurer” or “Naturalist”.
• An "Outdoor Adventurer" requires the skill set to be able to lead a two-night backpacking trip. Work during this time would include a bonus of $300.
• A "Naturalist" has a specialization in educating others about the natural environment. 

Rockies Rock Adventure Leader x2 (Biking / Hiking): Oversees and instructs groups of 10-30 campers, who are rising Kindergarten-8th graders, in daily mountain biking or hiking adventures and activities. This ranges from helping never-evers learn on training wheels to leading more advanced groups on remote single-track trails, and leading inexperienced hikers on entry-level trails.

The Adventure Leader is responsible for ensuring safe, inclusive, and fun educational biking and hiking programming is offered within Rockies Rock risk tolerance. Adventure leaders are also responsible for maintaining and repairing equipment including bikes, first aid kits, etc. We are looking to fill both a Hiking and Biking position.

General Duties and Responsibilities
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Functions

• Oversee crews, leading outdoor activities for youth and/or adults.
• Primary programs and topics include:- Place-based environmental education, focused on Lake County locations, flora/fauna, habitats, weather, peoples, history, etc.
• Leave No Trace principles and environmental stewardship, cultivating an understanding of the larger web of natural and human communities and love of the earth as a whole
• Nature play, inspiring creative engagement with outdoor places & spaces
• Community connection and introduction to local outdoor recreation amenities & historic locations
• Leadership and teamwork, fostering a sense of self, belonging, and resilience
• In Summer or dry season, leading hiking or mountain biking outings
• In Winter, lead Nordic skiing, fat biking, or snowshoe outings
• Occasional special activities including ice skating, Nordic skiing, swimming, indoor rock climbing, nature art/journaling, fishing, field games
• Implement curriculum, including lessons in environmental education, leave no trace, stewardship, and land awareness
• Maintain risk management protocols and situational awareness to ensure safe, well-supported experiences; monitor and support physical and psychological safety and comfort at all times, complete injury/accident report documentation, as needed
• Communicate and collaborate to support social-emotional needs of participants and address behavioral needs and challenges, including completion of incident reports, as needed
• Maintain accurate program records, including completion of daily attendance rosters, lunch distribution, gear checkout logs, and other reporting
• Capture photo and video media of activities
• Create fun, positive, and engaging crew dynamic for all participants, setting a high-energy and inclusive atmosphere for learning and sharing
• Guide and mentor Assistant Crew Leaders by providing positive modeling and constructive feedback as they develop leadership and counseling skills
• Contribute to logistical needs as needed and assigned, such as food delivery, equipment cleaning and maintenance, transportation support, etc.
• Reflect on performance and provide written and/or oral feedback to self and co-workers
• Maintain a tidy, organized work space and care for equipment used during programming
• Adhere to County Employee Handbook, GOL! guiding resources, including the Rockies Rock Staff Manual, and professionalism standards
• Uphold Mandatory Reporting requirements and other applicable Childcare License expectations
• Other tasks as needed to fulfill programming

Supervisory Responsibilities
Not applicable

Requirements

• Must be 18-years-old or older
• At least three months (460 hours) professional experience with children
• Demonstrated ability to plan, lead, organize, and implement small group program activities within organizational risk tolerance
• Sense of humor, resourcefulness, creativity, flexibility, and passion for connecting youth to the outdoors to inspire a lifelong love of nature
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Suite and Google Drive
• Exhibit core values of cultural awareness, inclusivity, compassion, integrity, healthy lifestyle choices, respect for others and the environment, and collaboration.
• Current First Aid, CPR, AED certification for Adults and Children through American Red Cross or equivalent.
• Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder certification required for Hiking and Biking Leaders
• Clearance of federal and state criminal background check
• Satisfactory driving record and current driver’s license (Not all Crew Leaders will be required to drive, but ability to do so during course of workday is desired)
• Proficiency in English and Spanish preferred
• Knowledge of the Lake County community and families preferred
• Experience in youth programming, outdoor education, adventure education, Leave No Trace, and/or camp leadership preferred

Hazard Notice
The majority of this person’s duties are performed within an outdoor environment in a variety of locations and settings. The incumbent may be exposed to some noise (electrical, mechanical or human) on an occasional basis, and other related hazards associated with an outdoor environment. Physical hazards may include weather-related hazards, extreme heat, extreme cold, noise, and sun/UV exposure. Exposure to natural, biologic hazards such as insects and injurious plants is also possible.

Physical Activity & Work Environment
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear for extended periods of time. The employee will be required to use a computer to accomplish administrative tasks. The employee is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. Must have the ability to safely restrain and physically support children when needed for safety in general camp activities (child weighing 40 - 200 pounds). Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and vision sufficient for driving. The employee will also be required to walk (hike) in uneven, mountainous terrain on and off trail for up to 10 miles, and 2,000 vertical feet and bike on single-track bike trails for up to 15 miles and 3,000 vertical feet.
Get Outdoors Leadville! operates under special use permit from the USDA Forest Service.

EOE Statement

Lake County is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. Assistance or accommodation during the application process due to a disability is available upon request.

Notice of Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must be authorized to lawfully work for any employer in the United States. Lake County is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa.

Notice of Emergency/Disaster Responsibilities

All Lake County Employees may be required to work as a Disaster Service Worker when a local declaration of emergency or disaster is declared by the Board of County Commissioners. To be prepared for this role, all employees and emergency service function (ESF) leads will attend emergency management trainings and exercises as requested by the Director of Emergency Management. With advanced notification from OEM, employees will make reasonable efforts to attend training events in coordination with other employees and supervisors.

Other Duties

Please note that this job description does not intend to cover or contain a full comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Expected Duration of the Application Process

Due to the nature of the application and selection process for Lake County full-time positions, applicants can reasonably expect the application process to take a significant amount of time to complete before a decision is made to hire or not to hire. Typically, it takes approximately two (2) to four (4) weeks from the date of application to complete the entire selection process. The length of time it takes to complete the process can vary depending on a variety of factors. Please note that this is an estimated duration of the selection process.