Log In
Sign Up
Above and Beyond Alaska (ABAK) is seeking an exceptional individual to join our team as The Mendenhall Glacier Field Supervisor in Juneau, Alaska. ABAK has been facilitating outdoor adventure experiences on the ocean and ice for 21 years and employs 40 seasonal team members from April – September.
The Mendenhall Glacier Field Supervisor has a diverse schedule that includes guiding wilderness experiences for our clients in our Mendenhall Glacier zone, reporting as the Safety, Admin, and Support (SAS) role, and assisting the Operations team with maintaining high quality experiences for our clients and training and developing guide staff.
Field Supervisors must be highly proficient in technical skills, passionate about environmental education, and keen on working with entry-level guides in an outdoor leadership role. In the early season, under the direction of the Training and Development Manager, they will organize gear and either facilitate or delegate training for guide staff in all technical skills and logistics pertinent to their operational zone. This includes teaching novices and experienced team members basic skills, rescue technique, naturalist information, group management, ABAK CIRP protocol, and all field logistics/timelines. The Field Supervisors should be able to adapt teaching strategies to accommodate learning styles of the group or individual. Additionally, they will be responsible for all training documentation including completion of skills assessments for the guide staff.
Once our operating season is fully underway, they will guide 3-4 trips per week and work as a SAS 1-2 days per week. While guiding, their focus will be on the Mendenhall Zone. As a canoe and hiking guide, while providing exceptional wilderness experiences for our clients they will also: monitor our operational zones, evaluate our equipment, provide an example for co-guides, and observe guides performance. As a supervisor they will facilitate guide team meetings, coach and mentor guide staff, provide on-going training sessions for staff, and assist with remote site, equipment, and facilities maintenance. As a SAS they will assist the Manager on Duty with evaluating the weather, making go/no go decisions and responding to incidents. These shifts are also a time to check-in with staff, plan meetings/training, manage equipment, and as time allows they will also complete support staff tasks.
This position is an integral part of a leadership team that is committed to creating a supportive and positive environment that empowers individuals, values self-direction and hard work, supports sustainable tourism, believes in mutual expectations, and promotes innovation and development. Applicants with guiding experience who wish to develop outdoor leadership skills are encouraged to apply.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Guide 3-4 trips per week as lead guide, or to observe guide team
- Prepare equipment and food for assigned trips, process used gear post-trip, make repairs as needed, and maintain a clean workspace
- Provide transportation to clients in company vans to and from downtown Juneau
- Moving canoes and lifting heavy gear in all operational zones
- Facilitate guided experiences in accordance with ABAK safety protocol while providing superior customer service and providing natural and cultural history narrative
- Report as Safety & Support (SAS) 0-2 days per week and work with the Manager on Duty (MOD) to assist in any incidents that arise from the field. Train to fill MOD role.
- Field Supervisor specific duties and responsibilities
- Assess conditions in the Mendenhall zone on a weekly basis, communicate developments with guide team
- Maintain all Mendenhall gear and equipment. Coordinate maintenance needs with the Operations Management team.
- Recommend new gear purchases and needs to the Operations Management team throughout the season
- Provide on-going group and individual development opportunities during the season to guide staff
- Provide feedback on individual guide staff performance and assist Director of Operations with any mid-season and end-of-season evaluations
- Work with Director of Operations to coordinate and facilitate bi-weekly Team Meetings for guide staff and participate in bi-weekly operations management team meetings
- Actively contribute to a collaborative team environment in the field and ABAK Base
Qualifications:
- High School Diploma
- Wilderness First Responder Certification or higher
- 2+ years of guiding experience in wilderness or semi-wilderness setting
- Technical skills related to canoeing and hiking
- Leadership or management experience
- Experience coaching, teaching, and/or mentoring individuals and groups
- Ability to lead productive team meetings and effectively communicate with coworkers
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team
- A valid driver’s license and clean driving record for the past 5 years
- Ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
- Ability to stay calm and collected while leading a team in responding to emergency situations
- Ability to lift 50 pounds and stay on feet for 8+ hours a day
Preferred:
- Computer literacy – competent with Microsoft Word and Excel, able to type 40+ WPM, capable of learning online booking and POS systems
- Canoeing – ability to steer and perform re-entry techniques in 6+ passenger canoes
- White water rafting or rough water canoeing/sea kayaking experience
- Glacier – understanding of bare glacier hazards, experience route finding on bare glacier, and crevasse rescue technique
- Working knowledge of ABAK operating areas
- Experience working in high volume, cruise ship tourism
- Knowledge of Southeast Alaska’s weather, ecosystems, wildlife and glacial environments
Start Date: April 22, 2024 – October 15, 2024
Compensation: $26/hour + tips
Bonus: Guides who fulfill the terms of their employment agreement are eligible for an end-of-season bonus that is based on 3% of gross wages.
Perks:
- Competitive Pay
- Optional 401K plan
- End of Season Bonus
- Pro-Deal Purchasing Privileges
- Free Trips for you, your friends and family on a space-available basis
- Paid Training (Preseason, and Ongoing throughout the Season)
- Free or Discounted Trips with participating tour operators (whale watching, helicopter flights, etc.)
- Free Use of Kayaks, Paddleboards, and an array of outdoor gear
- Discounted flights with our partner, Alaska Seaplanes and standby flights with Alaska Airlines and Delta
- Free fitness membership during the summer months
- Subsidized housing at a local campground
