Director of Mountain Campus – Colorado State University DESCRIPTION OF WORK UNIT – Nestled in a beautiful, secluded mountain valley at an elevation of 9,000 ft. (2,743 m) lies Colorado State University’s 1,600-acre Mountain Campus. Established in 1914, the Mountain Campus serves as a destination campus for research and education, local, national, and international conferences. Programs and activities at the Mountain Campus shape and inspire current and future leaders’ lives through learning and immersion experiences in the Rocky Mountains, and facilitate research addressing critical issues in ecology, environmental science, and natural resources.
The Mountain Campus operates from mid-May to mid-October each year, and is located 53 miles west of Fort Collins, approximately a 2-hour drive, the last 16 miles of which are on a gravel road. The campus is adjacent to the northern border of Rocky Mountain National Park and shares boundaries with Roosevelt National Forest. Abundant opportunities exist for hiking and backpacking, mountain climbing, mountain biking, and fishing. There is no cell phone service or TV reception and internet access is limited. Basic first aid is provided by the campus nurse, but definitive medical care (hospital/ER) is located in Fort Collins. Room and board is included for all staff during operations. The Mountain Campus is managed by the Department of Housing & Dining Services, and includes six career staff and 30 student and nonstudent seasonal staff and interns. WORKING AT CSU – Founded in 1870 as the Colorado Agricultural College, Colorado State University is now among the nation’s leading research universities. Fort Collins is an award-winning city located on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with the foothills and 14,000-foot peaks visible to residents. Easy access to hiking, skiing, rafting and other outdoor sports is a great advantage to CSU students, faculty and staff. CSU offers a full benefit package and CSU’s Commitment to Campus offers employees a healthy work-life balance through a wide variety of programs, discounts, and special benefits. This includes Employee Study Privilege, Family Tuition Scholarship Program, Discounted Veterinary Care, and much more. Visit www.facultyandstaff.colostate.edu to learn more about working at CSU. POSITION SUMMARY - The Director of the Mountain Campus administers the vision, leadership, supervision, financial management, evaluation and overall day-to-day operations of a comprehensive academic, research and conference facility in a remote mountain setting including crisis, emergency and risk management. In addition to administrative and leadership responsibilities, the Director has overall responsibility for the academic and educational programs in collaboration with Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR) faculty for the summer field courses, the environmental and outdoor education program Eco Week in partnership with the Poudre School District and City of Fort Collins, and the challenge ropes course program. The Director also oversees the campus research proposal and approval processes, campus sustainability programs, marketing, communications, publications, website, social media and outreach efforts. The Director oversees the conference and dining services operations. The Director is a spokesperson for the university in their connections with clients, a key administrative leader within Housing & Dining Services and Student Affairs, and maintains important liaison relationships with a broad array of University offices The individual carries out their responsibilities under the supervision of the Associate Executive Director of Housing & Dining Services. It is a full-time position divided between approximately six months live-in at the Mountain Campus and six months on the Colorado State University main campus in Fort Collins. REQUIRED JOB QUALIFICATIONS – • Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field • Five years professional experience working in a supervisory capacity • Minimum of two years live-in work at a remote location PREFERRED JOB QUALIFICATIONS – • Master’s degree in a relevant field • Experience in program development, coordination, and implementation • Experience working with conference and/or event operations • Communication, marketing, and outreach experience • Budgeting and financial management experience • Experience in supervision, training, evaluation, and student/employee mentoring • Experience working as a challenge ropes course facilitator; mountain recreation (hiking, backpacking, etc.) and Leave No Trace (LNT) skills, Current Wilderness First Responder (WFR) or Wilderness First Aid certification • Commitment to diversity and inclusion • Well organized, able to work effectively under pressure with multiple and changing deadlines and priorities, and adept at problem- solving and decision-making • Competency and leadership ability in interpersonal communication, working with diverse teams, able to collaborate successfully with campus and community stakeholders. • Able to thrive in a remote mountain setting, possesses a passion for leadership and staff development, has strong business instincts in the areas of operational management, and excellent skills in interpersonal and written communication. • Willing to work outside of the standard university business hours on a regular basis, including many weekends. • Experience collaborating with educational programs/courses and/or research efforts. APPLICATION DETAILS - For full consideration, please apply by submitting a cover letter addressing the required and preferred qualifications, resume and 3 professional references by 09/5/2017, 11:59 pm (MST). References will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates. For the full position description and to apply see: https://jobs.colostate.edu/postings/49012
