Adventure WV with West Virginia University is seeking applications for a Program Support Specialist.

About the Opportunity

The Adventure WV Program Support Specialist (PSS) oversees the various critical support functions that enable the operation of all Adventure WV programs—First Year Trips, Outdoor Education Center, and all other trips, clinics, and rental operations. The PSS has direct policy making responsibility at the department level that includes rental operations, equipment maintenance and inventory, and proper outfitting of trips with food and equipment. The PSS creates policy and systems that ensures that all programs have appropriate access to and support with necessary equipment, food, transportation, and provides oversight of quality and consistency in these processes. The PSS, working with the Associate Director, manages and schedules the AWV vehicle and trailer fleet. The PSS creates and monitors policy regarding AWV trip program equipment, maintaining accurate inventories, managing rental processes, purchasing equipment, and equipment repair and maintenance. The PSS also serves as a contributing member of the AWV team, working on program priority projects (i.e., First Year Trips, Welcome Week, Fall Adventure Activities) and serving as On-Call personnel.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year
• 18 sick days per year
• (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits (this position is a benefits-eligible non-classified staff position)
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
• Wellness programs

What you'll do

AWV Programs Support

• The PSS creates procedures and manages a team of student staff, including Graduate Assistant, to provide equipment, food, transportation, and other needs for all AWV trips and programs. Creates and monitors processes to ensure equipment is appropriate for the trip, is properly maintained, and properly tested prior to programs. Works with Associate Director on proper management of the AWV footprint in the Student Recreation Center. Works with other AWV professionals to create menus, purchase food, and properly store food for AWV programs, considering various dietary restriction and allergies, along with relevant regulations. Schedules AWV fleet vehicles and/or rental vehicles for programs. At the conclusion of programs, creates procedures to ensure all equipment is returned, food is properly managed, and proper vehicle tracking and documentation have been completed. Works with AWV staff to find creative and cost-effective solutions for program support needs. During the summer months, provides significant support to the operations of the First Year Trips program, which requires attention to detail and problem solving. Hires, schedules, and provides management and supervision for all student staff in this program area, including one Graduate Assistant.

Vehicle Fleet Management

• AWV maintains a significant and growing vehicle fleet. The PSS, working with the Associate Director, is responsible for the overall maintenance and scheduling of this fleet. Fleet management tasks include (but are not limited to): projecting vehicle needs, managing vehicle requests, scheduling vehicles, arranging for rental vehicles, monitoring and completing regularly scheduled maintenance/insurance/registration and other tasks, proper documentation of use and incidents, coordinating repairs as needed, assistance with vehicle driver training, ensuring compliance with WVU and other relevant regulations, the research and purchasing of vehicles and related equipment (trailers, repair kits, etc.), and the management of Adventure WV’s vehicle operations budget.

Program Equipment

• The PSS is responsible for creating policy and procedure to ensure proper maintenance of AWV equipment (trip and rental equipment). The PSS works with a team of Student Staff and Graduate Assistants to ensure compliance with policy and procedure regarding AWV’s equipment. Process includes (but are not limited to): space management, organization, check in/check out, inventory, cleaning, maintenance, repair, forecasting of needs, purchasing, retirement, managing appropriate levels of loss/theft/breakage, and budgeting. All processes are to comply with AWV policies and with relevant WVU and other regulations.

Rental Operations

• The PSS creates and manages the processes of the center, including hiring/scheduling/management of student staff and a Graduate Assistant, front-line customer service, program registration, rental system processes, equipment maintenance, managing staff requests, sale of AWV merchandise, and decision-making regarding equipment offerings, pricing, etc. The PSS ensures that Rental Center operations are in line with the goals and expectations of the Director and are in line with AWV policy and industry best practices.

Adventure WV Team

• The PSS serves as a member of the Adventure WV professional staff team. They are also responsible for contributing to various AWV priority projects and initiatives and is responsible for always adhering to relevant AWV and WVU policies. To effectively serve on the AWV team the PSS must have a demonstrated knowledge and understanding of experiential theory and leadership theory. The PSS must have a demonstrated ability to train leaders across a variety of technical disciplines, have experience facilitating a culture of feedback, and the demonstrated ability to research, write, and develop curriculum of a wide spectrum of audiences. Some examples of AWV priority projects and sample duties include (but are not limited to): program design and leadership, teaching, grading, and programming associated with FYT credits, FYT programming, Welcome Week programs management, NSO Basecamp, Fall Family Weekend programming, intake and custom program design, van driver training, involvement with WVU Student Life initiatives, and other special projects and duties as they arise.

Master’s degree in related field OR Bachelor’s degree in related field and equivalent combination of experience and education.

A minimum of six (6) years’ experience in the following:

• Professional experience in outdoor education, outdoor recreation, and/or experiential education, preferably within higher education.
• Experience in group outdoor trip planning/leading.
• Experience in facilitating, teaching, and debriefing.
• Experience in programmatic risk management.
• Experience in supervision of student staff.
• Experience in outdoor equipment purchasing, inventory, and maintenance.
• Experience in a diversity of programmatic settings providing outcomes related to recreation, education, skill development, and personal development—with a special emphasis on the higher education setting
• Experience with many types of outdoor equipment
• Working knowledge of vehicle fleet management and maintenance
• Ability to design effective trainings for student staff
• Ability to forecast, monitor, and interpret financial reports and budgets
• Ability to address issues faced by college students and to counsel students
• Familiarity with proper use and care of many types of outdoor recreation equipment
• Knowledge of Wilderness First Aid protocols and industry standards
• Demonstrated skills in facilitating, debriefing, counseling, and group dynamics and other essential foundations of outdoor education, experiential education theory, leadership theory, and risk management theory.
• Ability to operate a personal computer with knowledge of basic office software
• Ability to use computer systems for registrations, budgets, etc.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively as a member of a goal-oriented team
• Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse group of individuals.

• Resume.

At West Virginia University, we leverage our talents and resources to create a better future for our state and the world. As West Virginia's land-grant university, WVU has three campuses that touch each corner of the state. The WVU System includes 518 buildings on 15,880 acres, Extension Service offices in all 55 counties, ten experimental farms and four forests.

From the groundbreaking R1 research of our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs of WVU Potomac State in Keyser to the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley — the contributions of WVU employees directly impact the 1.8 million people of West Virginia every day, no matter their role or position.

Service, curiosity, respect, accountability, and appreciation are the core values that unite Mountaineers, inspiring one another to work tirelessly and support others as they seek to reach new heights. After all, when you're a Mountaineer, impossible is just another mountain to climb.

To learn more about West Virginia University, visit go.wvu.edu. View current career opportunities at careers.wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer and is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. The University values diversity among its faculty, staff, and students, and invites applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.