Regional Trail Skills Trainer, ACE Solutions

American Conservation Experience (ACE) is a dynamic non-profit organization dedicated to providing rewarding environmental service opportunities that harness the idealism and energy of a volunteer labor force to help restore America's public lands. ACE has a national reputation for providing exceptional training and support to enable young adult crews to safely and economically implement technically complex and physically demanding conservation projects for the US Forest Service, BLM, National Park Service, USFWS and numerous state and local land management partners.

Job Title: Regional Trail Skills Trainer

Location: ACE Office in Hurricane, UT or Flagstaff, AZ. This position is onsite/hybrid. This position will be based out of one of our two Western Crew Operations bases with field projects taking place on public lands throughout the West

Department/Division: ACE Crew Solutions

Status: Regular Full-Time, Salaried (Exempt)

Reports To: National Trails Program Manager

Schedule/Hours: Full-time, 40 hours/week (Monday - Friday, flexible) with some adjustment expected to accommodate specific projects and program needs.

Travel: 50%-80%

Start Date: Open Until Filled

Position Summary:

The Regional Trail Skills Trainer works closely with the ACE Solutions team and collaborates with Divisional Operations staff to ensure optimal functionality of ACE's nationally-recognized trails program. The Regional Trail Skills Trainer is responsible for the support and facilitation of trails operations, skills training and quality assurance across relevant and regional programs to optimize safe, high quality, efficient, effective, and timely project based work to meet partner, staff, and legal needs. While this position will collaborate with all Crew divisions, it will have a regional focus on trail programming in our Mountain West (70-80%) and our Southwest Arizona (20-30%) regional programs . The Trail Skills Trainer will also be responsible for consistent communication across the Solutions departments and division staff to anticipate and coordinate for projects.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Guides and supports Regional Directors, Project Managers, Crew Leaders, Interns and Crew Members to ensure ACE's quality, productivity, and safety standards are met
• Provides support and training to ACE Regional Programs. Formal training will be conducted as needed on a regional scale. Potential training disciplines include: dry stone masonry, rigging for trail work, mountain bike trail construction and depending on qualifications of applicants or ability to be certified: crosscut, chainsaw and Wilderness First Aid
• Collaborates with ACE Divisional Operations staff to identify and support field based projects and training needs
• Interprets industry standards for ACE and its community relating to trails management
• Implements and supports ACE trainings, including documents, rosters, programs, and resources
• Emphasis placed on direct field support for ACE crews to promote safe, productive and high quality projects for staff, members and partners
• Emphasis placed on education and conducting high quality crew training as it relates to successful trail projects
• Regularly attends ACE Operations based meetings to maintain clear communication channels across programs
• Ensures field operations compliance (safety and legal) as it relates to trail projects
• Coordinates with a team of division and national directors, program managers, crew leaders, interns, crew members, and administrative professionals to provide vision, direction and perspective for training, research, consultation, project development, and education programs
• Maintains technical and multi-disciplinary competence to keep abreast of emerging recreation conservation topics, trends, and issues in order to support mission-relevant programmatic responses
• Serves as an internal staff subject matter expert and consultant in the disciplinary areas of, but not limited to, trails training, Crew Leader and Project Manager mentorship, field trail skills for multi-use and mountain bike trails, accessible trail compliance and construction, cost estimating, and project logistics planning and implementation
• Collaborates with organizations, agencies, and landowners by assisting engaged partners, project planning, prioritizing activities, anticipating problems, resolving obstacles, and coordinating resources
• Assists in the development and management of appropriate user-interfaces to disseminate appropriate operating procedures, best practices, and other supportive resources for program staff
• Ensures consistent procedures and policies are being executed across divisions as appropriate to program needs;Provide trainings to support these processes, especially with incoming staff and crews assigned to technical trail projects
• Provides and/or connects program staff to necessary trainings and resources to maximize the utilization of the tools used to administer their trail programs
• Continually identify operational improvement needs and bring the right people together at appropriate times to strategize and create action plans that empower appropriate staff to lead and support restorative efforts
• Utilize existing data, and identify potential new data and reporting tools, to analyze effectiveness and efficiency. Assist and empower others in using this data as a tool for gauging outcomes and implementing pathways for improvement

Required Experience and Qualifications:

• Relevant experience and background in outdoor recreation and trails-specific field experience including extensive experience with dry stone masonry, or the ability to achieve within 1 year of employment
• Relevant experience and background in chainsaw use utilizing a nationally recognized chainsaw training for safe operation, or the ability to achieve within 1 year of employment
• Ability to manage and motivate field staff and members, both direct and indirect reports
• Experience with risk management and implementing field safety protocols is critical for this role. An active Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification is preferred, or the willingness and ability to obtain one within 1 year of employment
• Relevant experience and knowledge working directly with federal, state, or local land management agencies and/or nonprofit and/or private landowners
• Relevant experience and knowledge with managing trail program/operation elements, especially facilitating processes within a nonprofit organization
• Knowledge of desirable mountain bike trail elements for trail project planning and implementation
• Experience and knowledge of young adult development, team-building and motivational techniques specifically related to field-based trainings and education
• Must be able to take initiative, work independently and unsupervised, and facilitate and participate in collaborative efforts
• Project management experience overseeing multiple projects and working with teams in different locations to support regional operations
• Understanding of and experience working with young adults in national service settings
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work remotely with limited supervision
• Ability to perform a wide variety of heavy manual labor, for extended periods of time, often under adverse weather conditions and in various climates in remote, outdoor settings.
• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions
• Ability to prepare and maintain records and reports.
• Ability to understand and follow ACE systems and processes
• Willingness to travel long distances, spend multiple weeks, or more, away from work and home locations; including camping accommodations in remote settings.
• Possess a high school diploma or GED certificate. BA/BS degree from an accredited college/university preferred.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation

Other Requirements:

• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Valid driver's license and an insurable driving record.
• Proficient in English.
• Ability to pass a federal criminal background check.
• Willing to abide by ACE Policy and Federal Drug Free workplace policies and laws. ACE reserves the right to drug test at any time.
• All ACE members and staff must verify that they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by the time they start their term/position or request a medical or religious exemption.

Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking/hiking, carrying, having full function of arms and legs. There is frequent travel to field sites via four wheel drive vehicles, fixed wing aircraft, and/or boats. Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, hiking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talks and hears. Manual dexterity required for use of hand and power tools, computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch. Ability to hike over rough terrain, and camp overnight under field conditions

Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.

• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 25 lbs., occasionally moves up to 75 pounds.
• Environmental: Outdoor and indoor conditions. Indoor air quality is good and the temperature is controlled. Field sites involve exposure to adverse weather, i.e., rain, snow, wind, cold and/or heat, with outdoor Air Quality Index numbers occasionally and possibly exceeding 200.
• Noise Environment: Moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic. At field sites, may involve loud equipment like chainsaws, brushcutters, augers, dozers, excavators and rock drills
• Travel: This position requires domestic travel.

Compensation: Starting annualized salary range of $48,000 - $52,000 (assuming 40 hours/week for 52-weeks), depending on experience.

Medical/Health Benefits: ACE offers competitive medical and ancillary plans (health, mental health, dental, vision and other supplemental benefits). ACE Staff members are also eligible to participate in ACE's 403b retirement plan with a 1% employer contribution.

Holidays, Vacation, and Sick Time: As a full time regular staff member, you will be eligible to accrue up to 80 hours of paid vacation time annually during your first two years of continuous employment, then it increases to 120 hours annually. ACE observes 13 paid annual holidays (floating holiday flexibility). Additionally, ACE full-time regular employees also receive paid additional holiday time for any normal work days that fall between the observed Christmas Day and New Years Day holidays. ACE provides 10 days (or 80 hours) of paid sick time annually.

Additional Benefits: Outdoor Perks - As an ACE staff member, you will be eligible to receive pro deals which include deep discounts on outdoor gear providing 30 - 50% off retail prices on 100s of established outdoor gear brands.

To Apply: Please submit a resume, one-page cover letter and contact for three professional/academic references to the application link. Qualified applicants will be contacted by email to arrange an interview. Applicants must follow all application instructions in order to be considered for this opportunity. This position may close at any time.

Learn more about ACE on our WEBSITE or check out our INSTAGRAM!

American Conservation Experience provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American Conservation Experience complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.

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