Director of Programs and Enrichment

Your Role

The Director of Programs and Enrichment oversees the leadership teams responsible for implementing Trackers Earth’s programs. This role emphasizes leading from the field, maintaining a direct and strong presence in programs and ensures alignment with Trackers' policies, procedures, and values. They provide mentorship and guidance to staff and participants, fostering a culture of excellence, creativity, and resilience while upholding the epic challenge and adventurous learning for which Trackers is known.

In this role, you act as a key ambassador for the Trackers skills and mission, modeling safety, efficiency, stewardship, and team connection in all interactions with staff, participants, and families. This is a hands-on leadership role that requires a balance of in-field engagement, strategic vision, and operational and outdoor education excellence.

What Trackers Shares

Trackers teaches old-school outdoor and nature awareness skills. We offer award-winning youth and adult programs in wilderness survival, archery, fishing, homesteading, blacksmithing, and more. Our camps and classes are available as single-day sessions, week-long experiences, or 9-month mentoring programs. We are ambassadors for a way of learning that connects us to community, multiple generations, and the natural world.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Engagement:

• Inspire staff to embrace Trackers’ core values, fostering curiosity and creativity in programs.
• Lead by example, coaching and role-modeling in the field to uphold safety, operations, connection, and curriculum standards.
• Continuously assess and enhance programs to align with Trackers’ vision of challenge, depth, and nature connection.
• Provide field-based coaching and feedback to ensure consistent application of Trackers policies.

Safety & Risk Management:

• Implement and oversee safety policies and procedures across all programs.
• Conduct regular field audits to ensure adherence to safety standards.
• Provide comprehensive safety training for staff.
• Lead proactive risk management, problem-solving, and incident response to maintain safety for participants and staff.

Participant & Family Engagement:

• Foster strong relationships with families through open and transparent communication.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for program-related questions and concerns.
• Coach staff to connect with families and engage guardians for higher-level needs.
• Reinforce Trackers Earth’s mission and policies in all family interactions.

Operations & Administration:

• Collaborate with Directors for seamless program execution.
• Manage budgets, staffing, and resources to achieve organizational goals.
• Ensure programs align with Trackers Earth’s mission, prioritizing safety, quality, and engagement.
• Enhance curriculum and project scope through staff collaboration and active program involvement.

Content Development & Contribution:

• Collaborate with the content team to create and refine staff training materials and youth instructional guides.
• Ensure all materials align with Trackers’ core values, engaging participants while supporting clarity and safety.
• Provide subject-matter expertise in wilderness skills and outdoor education to enhance content quality and relevance.
• Contribute drafts and insights to larger content initiatives, integrating with overall programming goals.

Adult Programming Development:

• Develop and uplift adult programs to inspire and train future wilderness educators.
• Build a dedicated adult education team to design and grow programs aligned with Trackers’ mission.
• Leverage resources to foster a network of wilderness educators, benefiting Trackers and the broader community.
• Align adult programs with Trackers’ values of resilience, leadership, and connection to nature.

Culture & Values:

• Cultivate a culture of creativity, adaptability, and excellence within program teams.
• Instill Trackers’ values and lore into staff training and operations, fostering a cohesive and inspired team.
• Uphold core values of resilience, service, and connection to nature in all programs and interactions.
• Emphasize Trackers’ principles of curiosity, stewardship, teamwork, and generational knowledge-sharing to deepen community and nature connection.

Qualifications

Experience:

• 10+ years in program leadership, preferably in camp director or related roles.
• Capacity to manage budgets and resource allocation effectively.
• Proven track record in coaching and managing teams to deliver high-quality programs.
• Demonstrated success in curriculum development and driving program innovation.

Skills & Competencies:

• Proven ability to lead by example and inspire teams to meet and exceed expectations.
• Excellent communication and conflict resolution skills.
• Highly adaptable and capable of thriving in a dynamic, field-based environment.
• Strong sense of responsibility and expertise in working with children of all ages.
• Working knowledge of and proficiency in many skills taught in Trackers programs, enabling effective coaching and mentoring of staff, including:
• Wilderness survival skills (e.g., shelter building, fire-starting, foraging).
• Wildlife tracking and nature awareness.
• Outdoor navigation and orienteering.
• Fishing, boating, and foraging.
• Wild edible and medicinal plant foraging.
• Sustainable farming and homesteading practices.
• Archery, tool use, and wood crafting.
• Environmental stewardship and restoration techniques.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in education, program management, environmental sciences, or a related field, or equivalent related experience.

Personal Attributes:

• Embodies Trackers Earth’s core values: safety, grit, connection to nature, and team leadership.
• Humble and approachable, inspiring trust and respect among staff and participants.
• Collaborative and adaptable, fostering positive relationships and thriving in team environments.
• Demonstrates strong self-awareness and the ability to motivate and uplift others.

About Trackers

At Trackers, we help children feel like that group of kids wandering country backyards 50 years ago: tired, muddy, wet, independent, and happy from being out in the woods and exploring creeks. We are acutely aware of the real hazards of the outdoors, so we work to keep kids safe but not encapsulated from, nor phobic of nature. We believe children need to develop independence and competency in the wild—not only for their own connection, but also to contribute to their families, future generations, and the more-than-human world. We believe it is okay to be thirsty at times, cold at times, and wet at times. This builds empathy and care for the gifts of life, fostering true adventure and genuine accomplishment. We also believe it is critical for children to feel supported and cared for as they explore their passion for service and responsibility. Through a healthy life found in nature, they can test their limits and discover the great potential of the often untapped physical grit and emotional resilience they possess.

Why Join Trackers Earth?

This is more than a job—it’s a calling to inspire connection, resilience, and purpose in the next generation. As Director of Programs and Enrichment, you shape the future of outdoor education while immersing yourself in an organization rooted in community, nature, and epic challenges. At Trackers Earth, we don’t just teach skills—we teach people to see the world differently.

Trackers Earth is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.