Operations Manager

Operations Manager Job Description

Overview:

Since 1979 ROW Adventures has provided life-changing travel experiences that have a positive impact on our guests, our staff, and the people and places we visit.

Our mission is “Sharing Nature – Enriching Lives” and we seek to preserve the places we visit and through our trips, create advocates for the continued conservation of these resources. Our hope is to hire people that share these values. As a family-run business we value community, a healthy, supportive workplace, diversity and taking care of each other.

Description:

Manages all day-to-day activities related to the operations and delivery of ROW’s adventure trips in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. In addition the position provides support of the operations manager of ROW’s Sea Kayak Adventures division. The position works closely with ROW’s Founder and President. This position is the primary conduit that makes sure there is a direct connection between the office and field staff.

The Manager has several key responsibilities. One is to hire, train, and evaluate a seasonal guide and support staff of approximately 60 people and to create strong individual and team morale. The position supports and supervises ROW’s Area Managers (see “Further Background” below) who, in turn, are responsible for conducting various half- to six-day trips.

Another large responsibility is, in conjunction with Area Managers, to plan, direct, schedule, and coordinate activities of all adventure personnel (guides, drivers, support staff) as well as equipment and vehicles, to ensure ROW’s trips operate properly and company goals and objectives are accomplished within prescribed time frames and funding parameters.

The position requires extensive travel to ROW’s dispersed outposts during the operations season from May to early September, including participation in guide training and occasionally joining ROW trips (3-4 per spring/summer season and 1-3 during the winter sea kayaking season in Baja, Mexico season) which translates to being out of the office in one week to two week blocks. Additional day or overnight travel to operations within 100 miles of Coeur d’Alene is also required. When not in the field, this position is office-based other than travel for professional trade association meetings and/or other operational-oriented meetings such as meetings with land management agencies. During the operating season extended hours and working on weekend days, is to be expected. The position is “on call” 24/7 during operating seasons and must be able to respond to emergencies as needed.

Conversely, during the winter months a normal Monday to Friday work week would be expected.

Qualifications:

Education/Experience:

Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university and three to six years related experience, preferably in a management position in the outdoor recreation industry; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience in human resources including hiring, training, supervising, etc. is critical.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Solid team player: Communicate well and maintain a good sense of humor. Be enthusiastic, flexible and cooperative with owners, co-workers and guests.
• Self-motivated: able to work with little supervision, be well-organized and efficient.
• Familiar with current web-based tools: including but not limited to all Google tools, and highly proficient in computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, database software, and contact management.
• Communication Ability: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, software manuals and governmental regulations. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, guests, suppliers, agency people and the general public.
• Writing Ability: As a company we have a number of written resources we depend on including extensive manuals. This position requires a person to be able to create, organize and compile documents in a professional, articulate manner including reports, business correspondence and procedure manuals.
• Math Ability: Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
• Reasoning Ability: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Special Skills:

• Knowledge of the outdoor recreation industry.
• General mechanical and carpentry skills a bonus.
• A Commercial Drivers License (CDL) is required for this position. Training will be provided if necessary to obtain this.
• Experience as a guide is desirable, but not required. Experience as a rafting guide would be most useful.
• Hold a minimum of Wilderness Advanced First Aid training, with Wilderness First Responder preferred.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Not arranged by order of importance, other duties may be assigned.

General

• Understand, support, model and use ROW’s Mission, Vision and Values in carrying out duties.
• Work with every level of the organization to provide superlative guest service and make sure ROW is setting the high watermark for outdoor adventure.
• Participate in additional professional training and/or company training and work to improve management skills.
• Gather, analyze and use information from guest evaluations, employee evaluations, and office staff input to improve ROW’s services and working environment.
• Represent ROW in a professional manner at all times.
• Other duties as assigned

Human Resources

• Improve and manage a culture that builds team morale, fosters open and honest communication and creates a supportive work environment for all employees within his/her area of supervision.
• Supervise the Operations Administrator.
• Work closely with the Operations Administrator to maintain personnel files and maintain all permits in working order.
• Supervise and manage six to nine subordinate supervisors (including area managers, ROW Adventure Center manager, Middle Fork manager, Lochsa manager, etc.) who in turn supervise approximately 60-70 employees throughout ROW’s operation. Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of these units. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with ROW’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
• Provides oversight to the Sea Kayak Adventures Operations Manager (if applicable)
• Recruit prospective employees via electronic and print materials.
• Use hiring guidelines and company goals to hire area managers, guides and other support personnel as needed.
• Manage ROW’s employee website and private Facebook group page content.
• Maintains the natural and cultural interpretation resource area of the employee/guide website
• Manage ROW’s pro-deal program for guide staff.
• Communicate regularly with all guide staff.
• Supervise all Area Managers to ensure they fulfill their responsibilities and conduct regular reviews relative to their performance in meeting company and personal goals.
• Have weekly phone, skype or in-person meetings with all area managers during their respective operating season.
• Schedules guides (multi-day trips) or assigns guides to specific operations (1-2 day trips). Follow ROW’s internal guide-to-guest ratios.
• In conjunction with Area Managers, find guest guides as needed
• Conduct end-of-season exit interviews with all guides.
• Coordinate end-of-season manager meeting/retreat when appropriate.
• Establish work plan and staffing for each phase of the season.
• Maintain off-season communications with returning guide and support staff.
• Improves on our culture of staff appreciation. Sends out an annual holiday card to staff, regular staff emails over the winter, etc.

Logistics and Operations

• Develop and maintain organizational systems, and logistical plans relating to all operations.
• Work closely with the Operations Administrator on a variety of tasks including permit administration, insurance, guide licensing, risk management records, personnel files, vehicle maintenance and licensing and setting up and closing down our seasonal outposts.
• Communicates as necessary with management agencies such as the USFS, BLM, IOGLB, etc.
• Communicates with other adventure and outfitting companies as necessary. Maintain and organize company-wide inventory system for all equipment.
• Research and purchase required equipment within budgetary allotment. Prepare an annual spreadsheet “shopping list” to review with company owner by November 1 of each year for the May-October operations and another in August for the October-April kayak operations.
• Ensure established budget, quality and delivery commitments are met in each operating area.
• Create, organize and manage purchasing systems from various vendors (food, camping gear, etc.) to support each operation. Balance company concern for value and savings while also supporting like-minded local businesses.
• Operate trips in such a way as to optimum utilization of human resources, vehicles and equipment.
• Works closely with other staff to improve communications with, and develop better systems for the transference of information from the office to the field, to assure that trips do in fact deliver what guests are expecting.
• Works to train guides and hold them accountable to the company’s efforts to influence sales and loyalty while guests are on trips.
• Is responsible for assuring that the Operations Administrator keeps required vehicle maintenance records, log books, driver records and other regulations required by the Federal Motor Carrier Act and/or applicable State laws.
• Conducts safety inspections, maintenance and repair of all equipment and documents same.
• Participates as a guide or guest on occasional trips during the season for quality assurance and team building purposes.
• Manage, seek to improve and develop effective training on ROW’s risk management program.
• Review and improve ROW’s crisis management documents and develop appropriate staff training for crisis response.
• Works with adventure consultants to design/coordinate logistics for specialty/charter trips as well as other logistics that may fall outside our normal procedures.
• Is available 24/7 during the May to September operational season for emergency calls.

Administrative

• Maintains and Updates all operational paperwork such as Operations Manuals, TL Paperwork, risk management paperwork etc….
• Maintains and Updates training curriculum for guides and field staff
• Maintains and Updates hiring and onboarding paperwork in conjunction with the Operations Administrator
• Creates and updates spreadsheets to more efficiently support operational needs such as scheduling spreadsheets, guide payroll, etc…

Staff Training

• Train employees on all applicable company, government and guest policies, procedures and regulations.
• Plan, organize and conduct guide and/or other field staff training for all operations. This includes training for each outpost staff prior to the initiation of respective outpost’s operations, at least two major week-long river trip training events (one in May and one in June), and a guide school for inexperienced whitewater guides. Responsibilities may include acting as support for the operations manager for Sea Kayak Adventures staff training each fall in Baja, Mexico as well as Canada in early summer.
• Organizes an annual guide training trip, typically in mid-June, for half and one-day guide staff. This trip includes training of hard whitewater and rescue skills and usually two guide instructors are hired to run this. Trains food shoppers, drivers and warehouse support personnel as needed.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, use hands, walk, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee is routinely required to lift up to 50 pounds, occasionally lifting up to 70 pounds. The visions requirements include: close vision and ability to adjust focus.

Reporting Relationship:

The Operations Manager reports directly to the President, Peter Grubb.

Benefits

• Retirement Plan: After six months employment with ROW, eligible for ROW’s 401k Plan.
• Health Insurance: A $2000 deductible health insurance plan through Blue Cross is available after 90 days of employment with ROW. ROW pays 100% of the premium for the employee. (The new Affordable Care Act may mean the waiting period is less than 90 days as well as a change in the deductible.)
• Flexible Spending Account: To complement the health insurance coverage, after 30 days employment, eligible to participate in ROW’s FSA (Flexible Spending Account) that allows pre-tax wages to be withheld to pay for medical expenses not covered by health insurance or health insurance deductibles, or other dental, optical or other medically related expenses as defined by Federal Laws governing these plans.
• Vacation: Accrual starts after six months of employment. Initially there is two weeks annual paid vacation. After 30 months of employment, this increases to three weeks. There are also five paid holiday days each year.
• There is an opportunity to take up to three weeks unpaid leave the first year, taken in the fall or winter, with possibility of longer leave in subsequent years if desired and subject to company needs.

Salary: $48 - $52K : Negotiable depending on experience

Further Background:

The Operations Manager is provided a company vehicle for travel during the April – October season, for company purposes.

This position supervises the following areas of operation at ROW:

The ROW Adventure Center (RAC): There are three prongs to this division within ROW Adventures. The “Northern Rivers” operation runs rafting trips on the Spokane, Moyie, St. Joe and Clark Fork rivers. Rafting season begins on the Moyie and Spokane in mid-May. The guides and gear then move to Superior, Montana (where ROW leases a property each summer) to lead trips on the St. Joe and Clark Fork rivers. The second prong is based in Coeur d’Alene. These adventures include fly fishing, guided and self-guided bicycle tours, lake kayak tours, and SUP rentals and tours. The third prong is based from ROW’s outpost in Spokane, Washington. This is the base for Spokane river rafting trips, biking tours, SUP tours and our walking food and wine tours which are operated under the brand of “Savor Spokane.” Separate full-time, year-round managers manage the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene operations. A seasonal Area Manager supervises the Northern Rivers whitewater rafting trips and guide staff. ROW hires 2 - 3 guides for Spokane, 2-3 for Coeur d’Alene (plus additional fly fishing guides) and 5 - 7 for Northern Rivers. Multiple school buses, a crew cab truck, two 15-passenger vans, several trailers and lots of rafts, duckies, kayaks, bicycles, SUPs and other equipment support the operation.

River Dance Lodge – Idaho’s Outdoor Adventure Resort: Opened in May 2005, the River Dance Lodge consists of six elegant log cabins, three “glamping” tents, and a refurbished cafe on five acres along the banks of the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River. Guests come here to raft the Lochsa from mid-May to mid-July. Starting in latter June guests come for all-inclusive packages that include rafting, float trips on the lower Selway and Clearwater, hikes, bike rides and more. Roughly ten guides are employed during peak Lochsa season along with a river manager and two drivers. Gear includes two buses with trailers, two vans, all rafting gear for various water levels, sit-on-top kayaks, IK’s, mountain bikes, fly fishing equipment and all support gear.

Western and Desert River Operations (Snake, Salmon, Grand Ronde, Owyhee, Jarbidge, Bruneau): Based out of ROW’s 2800 square-foot warehouse on two acres in Clarkston, Washington, ROW operates two Salmon River Canyons trips and one Snake trip weekly as well as occasional additional trips on any of the above rivers, including early season Bruneau and Owyhee trips. ROW usually staffs two area managers (one Snake, one Salmon) to supervise 12 - 18 guides, 2 - 3 guide assistants and 2 - 3 drivers. A full-time food shopper is staffed at this location. We have two crew cabs and two buses to support these trips plus equipment for all rotations. This warehouse was our first and remains our most important location in terms of overall equipment and facilities. There is a nice food-packing kitchen, a retail store, office and on the second level a guides’ quarters, in addition to warehouse space.

Missouri River: The Missouri was a large operation in the early 2000’s but has diminished greatly. Today ROW bases its handful of trips from storage space at Peter & Betsy’s shop building in Coeur d’Alene, It is staffed on an “as needed” basis. Equipment includes a 2000 4x4 Ford Crew cab with winch, raft trailer that carries our 24’ DIB cargo raft and another trailer is for our two 34’ voyageur canoes. The operation’s future is uncertain. This operation has no manager.

Middle Fork of the Salmon: Based from our warehouse on Main Street in Salmon, Idaho, ROW runs an average of 10 Middle Fork trips from June - August. Personnel include an area manager, warehouse wizard (who does shopping and shuttles) and 5-6 guides plus a swamper. The facility consists of a log house for guide housing and a 30x30 metal warehouse for all gear. A 2000 Ford Crew Cab with a trailer for the 22’ sweep boat, along with all raft and camping gear supports this operation.

Rogue River: Based at Morrison’s Lodge on the Rogue River near Grants Pass, Oregon, this operation was added in 2011 when we acquired Whitewater Warehouse from the retiring owners. ROW offers two launches weekly, most of which are lodge-to-lodge trips. Personnel include an Area Manager plus 5 - 7 guides. The guide staff conducts most of the support activities (food shop, shuttles, etc.). A Crew Cab and two trailers support the operation along with all the rafts, overnight and camping gear (for the 1 - 2 camping trips we run each season).

Deschutes River: Based in Maupin, Oregon, We offer 3-6 day trips. Anticipated staff is 4–6 guides. This operation has one crew cab truck and trailer and a 15 passenger van. As well as all necessary rafts and camping gear.

Sea Kayak Adventures: ROW Adventures acquired this company in September of 2012. From late October to late April operations are in Baja, Mexico with kayak bases in Loreto and La Paz and a whale camp at Magdalena Bay. In addition to an Operations manager who is based in Mexico during this time, we have a business partner, a seasonal office manager and 10-12 guides and other support staff. From June to early September operations are based from Port McNeil at the north end of Vancouver Island in British Columbia where we have 5-7 seasonal kayak guide staff.

More Information about the Position:

Founder and President Peter Grubb is a hands-on leader who continues to be heavily invested in all aspects of ROW’s operations. Since 2006 he has increasingly shifted focus away from day-to-day operations and focused his energy instead on new trip development, company strategy, acquisition and growth.

ROW has developed a lot of good documentation of its policies and procedures, including a lengthy “Guides’ Guide” and also a “Team Leader Resource Manual” for each operation. There is still work to be done. Specifically, a goal is to create more written protocol for the myriad of logistical situations we encounter on a daily, weekly or occasional basis. ROW also needs to constantly identify and communicate company goals to every level of the organization.

The management structure includes a continually evolving system that aligns responsibilities with company goals and holds managers accountable for attaining these goals. Managers’ job or role descriptions may need modification to better reflect these changes.

While the position is based in Coeur d’Alene, it requires extensive travel to all operations from April to mid-September. Most of this travel occurs in May and June due to staff training and initiation of operations. Of the various outposts, more time would be spent at the main ROW warehouse in Clarkston, Washington (two hours south of the office) than at any others. Some winter travel to our Baja sea kayaking operations, as well as possible travel to Canada in the summer is likely necessary.

ROW’s office is located in downtown Coeur d’Alene. ROW currently employs 20 people full-time, year-round in our main office. This includes the company President, sales, marketing, accounting, admin, and other support staff positions.

ROW has done a good job of computerizing as many routine functions as possible while still maintaining a very personal communication style with our guests. A considerable investment has been made to have a very efficient computer system that generates letters, invoices, and numerous reports as well as providing mailing list management.

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