Contact Name: Alex Brieger
Company/Organization/Agency: Central Oregon Trail Alliance
Address: 63322 Lamoine Lane, Bend, Oregon 97701 United States
Email Address: alex.brieger@cotamtb.com
Contact Phone: (541) 410-0986
Job Title: COTA - Trail Maintenance Coordinator
Job Description: The Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA) seeks a positive, resourceful, and experienced Trail Maintenance Coordinator. The right candidate will learn the organization’s needs quickly, complete high quality projects, and demonstrate great judgment. The Trail Maintenance Coordinator will embody COTA’s mission to develop, protect, and enhance the Central Oregon mountain bike experience. This position reports to COTA’s Trails Program Manager.
This position is funded by a grant from the Deschutes Trails Coalition Stewardship Grant. The purpose of the grant is to build COTA’s trail maintenance capacity by creating and field-testing repeatable processes for sustainable trail maintenance and educating more volunteers to do routine and advanced maintenance work. The grant is focused on 115 miles of trails, including 22 miles of flow trails, 3 skills areas that have jumps and berms that need consistent maintenance to stay in good riding shape, and 93 miles of cross-country trails.
The job will be a combination of on-trail and off-trail work. Approximately 60% will be on-trail work including maintaining trails and skills areas and leading groups of volunteers. The other 40% will be off trail work including planning for trail work events; coordinating and training volunteers; and documentation and general office work.
The job averages 26 hours a week, for a total of 2,500 hours over 2 years. The job is not anticipated to extend past the grant period of 2 years. Evening and weekend work, as well as travel throughout Central Oregon, will be required. Spring and Fall will be key times to complete trail maintenance work; as such, the ability to take time off during these periods will be limited.
About You:
● Experienced and open-minded: You have extensive trail maintenance experience, but you remain open to learning and improving.
● Organizer: You enjoy working “off trail” doing a variety of coordination, planning, training, and organizational tasks.
● Leader with interpersonal skills: You’re comfortable leading trail crews, training volunteers, participating in meetings, and more. You lead with confidence, keep it fun, and show empathy and respect for others.
● Initiative: You seek out projects, take ownership and achieve positive results.
● Mission-driven: You love trails and share our passion for mountain biking!
Responsibilities:
Training
● Develop, document and support the Trails Program Manager in creating a repeatable training program to complete the necessary trail maintenance needs (including initial training and continued education opportunities of advanced skills).
● Deliver the trail maintenance training and evaluate the training processes over 2 years to ensure COTA is meeting, and ideally exceeding, the trail stewardship commitments in our Volunteer Service Agreements.
● Collaborate with other trail stewardship groups to increase the effectiveness of volunteer training across multiple trail stewardship groups in the region.
● Support COTA’s trail work training program to ensure each chapter has ample trained crew leaders and that crew leaders have opportunities to advance their skills.
Volunteer Management
● Lead trail crews doing a wide variety of trail maintenance work (Tread work, drainage, brushing, jumps, berms, rock work, etc.).
● Recruit, train, assign, manage, equip, and support volunteers.
● Build volunteer capacity to complete the trail maintenance needs.
Maintenance
● Identify and address deferred maintenance needs on trails and at skills areas.
● Work in coordination with COTA’s Trails Program Manager and Chapter Representatives to plan and execute trail maintenance projects.
● Oversee trail system maintenance, in coordination with land managers and other stakeholders as necessary. Assess needs, plan, and execute work accordingly.
● Develop and maintain a tracking system for trail maintenance.
● Manage power equipment, hand tools, refreshments, sign-in sheets, waivers, and logistics for work events.
Qualifications:
● 3+ years or 2,000+ hours trail maintenance experience demonstrating increasing levels of knowledge and responsibility. Demonstrated experience with all aspects of trail maintenance (tread work, drainage, brushing, jumps, berms, rock work, etc.).
● Proven experience managing volunteers in the field, accomplishing projects safely and effectively.
● Ability to mediate disputes and navigate interpersonal conflict between stakeholders.
● Experience with record keeping and documentation.
● Basic First/CPR certification, or ability to become certified.
● Ability to do hard manual labor for extended periods, lift 50 pounds, hike and bike multiple miles, and spend entire days working in inclement weather.
● Proficient with general office software. Mapping or GIS software experience is a plus.
● Must have great written and verbal communication skills, and be able to lead crews, meetings, and trainings.
● Able to balance competing objectives and possess excellent time management skills.
● A passion for mountain biking trails and COTA’s mission and vision is essential.
● Experience operating machinery such as a mini excavator, skid steer, powered wheelbarrow, and chainsaw is a plus.
● Valid driver's license, clean driving record, and reliable personal vehicle. Ability to drive a truck with a trailer is a plus.
Hours, Compensation, and Location:
● 2,500 hours over 2 years. Average of 26 hours per week, although this will fluctuate with fewer hours in the Winter and more hours from Spring through Fall.
● Hourly rate of up to $26 depending on qualifications and experience.
● Location: Central Oregon (work from home and in the field). Must be based in Central Oregon, preferably Bend, Sunriver, Redmond, or La Pine.
● COTA is an equal opportunity employer.
To Apply:
Send a resume and cover letter in PDF format to alex.brieger@cotamtb.com no later than February 10, 2023.
Download the Trail Maintenance Coordinator job announcement PDF: https://www.cotamtb.com/trail-maintenance-coordinator.html
Job Start Date: 3/1/2023
Application Deadline: 2/10/2023