Job Description

Job Title : Missionary Instructor

Department: COR Expeditions

Status: Full Time w/ benefits

Compensation: Determined by ability to acquire and maintain a support team. 

Reports to : Assistant Director

Work Schedule: This is not a typical Monday through Friday, 9-5 position. Morning, evening, and weekend work as well as travel around the US and extensive 24/7 time in the backcountry are required. Field work is typically week on week off, alternating with office work. Busy seasons and long courses may require extended periods in the field. Typically around 150 field days a year, 40 hours a week when in the office. 

About the Program : COR Expeditions is the wilderness ministry outreach program of Wyoming Catholic College in Lander, Wyoming. COR exists to reclaim the wealth of people’s identity and purpose in Christ through a wide variety of wilderness experiences. We accompany people through relational ministry by exposing them to encounter Jesus in wilderness, adventure, and community.   COR seeks employees who are passionate about that mission, dedicated, solution oriented, and motivated to improve their skills. 

COR was born from the success of WCC’s faith-based Outdoor Leadership Program. COR is fundamentally oriented towards sharing the spiritual and leadership goals of this program with a wider audience beyond the college community and becoming the premier Catholic wilderness ministry through its adherence to the professional and safety standards of the outdoor industry. 

COR works with a variety of programs, including youth groups, seminaries, high schools, colleges, and young adult groups, as well as promoting its own open enrollment trips. This variety also impacts the various roles and teachings COR field staff facilitate and guide. COR also partners with other Catholic ministries and secular groups to provide a faith-filled professional guiding presence. 

COR is based in Lander WY and provides courses in over 20 wilderness areas throughout the mountain and desert west. COR operates base camp properties in both Buena Vista, Colorado and Moab, Utah as well as a family ranch program in Cody, Wyoming. 

Position Summary:

There are two primary roles of this position: field instruction and fundraising personal support. Within field instruction there are many pedagogical, ministry, and technical skills which require consistent development and training. Because of the unique relationship between COR and Wyoming Catholic College, COR field instructors also have a role in mentoring and instructing WCC students in particular. 

Essential Functions/Primary Job Responsibilities:

1. Lead various outdoor trips for COR Expeditions including, but not limited to backpacking, canyoneering, rock climbing, river trips and winter trips. The spring and summer months may include several months of back-to-back wilderness trips while the rest of the year will have more time in the office. This position may consist of over 150 days in the backcountry annually. 
2. Proficiently facilitate COR’s spiritual programming on courses by leading talks and discussions and creating course culture through conversation and personal example. Assist in the continuing development of both spiritual and outdoor education curriculum.
3. Acquire and maintain a support team . Upon hire, attend COR fundraising training. After the training, spend approximately six weeks, some of which will be traveling, towards initial fundraising efforts. COR assists with ongoing fundraising coaching, resources, and covers initial costs during fundraising. 
4. Support the Outdoor Leadership Program of Wyoming Catholic College . For approximately 10 weeks of the year, COR staff time will be devoted to planning and leading outdoor trips for the students of WCC, as well as high school students who participate in the WCC summer programs. This will include leading multiple WCC week-long trips each year and leading day trips and trainings for WCC students and outdoor leaders. It may also include being a head instructor for the 21-Day Freshman Expedition or leading technical aspects of the PEAK high school program.
5. Promote COR Expeditions courses to Catholic organizations, homeschool programs, youth groups, parishes, private Catholic schools, seminaries, dioceses, and individuals around the country. This may include extensive travel. 
6. Be a liaison , either directly or through COR administrative staff, to organizations that contract courses through COR to help them facilitate registration paperwork, health forms, payment methods, travel plans, gear needs, and other logistics. 
7. Plan and organize outdoor trips for various groups: plan the route, apply for backcountry permits and camping reservations, organize rental equipment, coordinate travel for students and instructors, plan food menus, design trip-specific curriculum, etc.
8. Conduct various administrative duties including but not limited to: designing and updating website content, social media content, creating promotional material, managing and updating trip paperwork such as registration and payment forms, reviewing participant health forms, creating and managing budgets for trip proposals and actual trips, etc.
9. Attend professional development opportunities in the fields of both outdoor education and Catholic ministry.
10. Acquire and maintain permits with state and federal land management agencies.

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Ministry Experience : A missionary instructor primarily provides trips for Catholic organizations and Catholic clientele. It is therefore imperative that this person not only lives his or her Catholic faith but is able and excited to share his or her faith with others. A background and previous coursework in Catholic theology is recommended for this position. Experience in youth or young adult ministry is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree that ideally includes involvement with Outdoor Education & Leadership.
• Current WFR (Wilderness First Responder) and CPR certifications , and ability to teach and run WFR scenarios. 
• 1-2 years of experience working with a reputable outdoor program such as COR Expeditions, WCC Outdoor Leadership Program, NOLS, Outward Bound, SROM, private guiding company etc. This should include leading trips in various outdoor activities, renting gear, gear maintenance and repair, planning and packing backcountry food rations, etc.
• Extensive experience and demonstrated ability to lead multiple outdoor activities such as: backpacking, canyoneering, mountaineering, canoeing, kayak touring, rock climbing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting and kayaking, winter backpacking, cross-country skiing, backcountry skiing/splitboarding, ice climbing, fishing.
• Working knowledge of risk management , wilderness safety, and industry standards in the previously mentioned outdoor activities.
• Experience in planning and organizing a variety of different outdoor trips including: developing route plans, technical knowledge of the route, emergency and evacuation routes/plans, choosing and finding qualified leaders/instructors, etc.
• Flexibility, creativity, and proven problem solving skills to meet and adapt to the needs of a growing non-profit organization.
• Ability to maintain a positive attitude in the face of changing priorities and deadlines and to be creative with time management. 
• Self-motivated, proactive, and able to excel when working with a team to solve problems.
• Clean driving record . Experience driving 12 and 15 passenger vans. 
• Must have the motivation and energy to fundraise support for the program as well as acquire and maintain a personal support team – training will be provided. 

Preferred Experience:

• • 2 years experience training trip leaders in the previously mentioned outdoor activities.
  • Familiarity with AEE accreditation standards and its programming.
  • Outdoor Industry Certifications (or ability to acquire within a year): AMGA SPI, ACA Swiftwater Rescue training, Avalanche certifications, WFR Instructor, etc.
  • Experience with various trip and route opportunities in Wyoming and its adjacent states. 

• Previous fundraising experience.

• Trailer driving experience.

To Apply: Complete the WCC job application online at wyomingcatholic.edu/employment-application . Upload a cover letter, current resume, backcountry log (focusing on extended trips greater than 2 days in length), climbing/river log if applicable, and copies of certifications when prompted in the application.

For More Information: Contact Zach Carlstrom at 307-335-4333 or email zach@corexpeditions.org .

Why work here

COR Expeditions offers a strong community of Catholic outdoor professionals who are passionate about sharing the gospel, playing in the mountains, and living a faith filled life. COR Employees are offered a holistic and challenging balance of being excellent outdoor professionals, educators, spiritual leaders, and individuals.

Some perks include: working in some of the most remote and pristine wilderness environments in the US, ongoing professional and spiritual development, advancement opportunities, extensive recreational opportunities.

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