See full posting at www.wildgrief.org/join-our-team
Job Title: Wild Grief Co-Director- Programming Lead
Job Description: Responsible for weaving best practices in grief peer support with Wild Grief’s values into training, mentoring and supervising volunteer guides, supporting participants, and directing our programs.
Organization Background: Wild Grief merges guided hikes and camping with peer support for bereaved teens, young adults, families with children and all ages. We are a small organization currently composed of one staff and many volunteers with experience in wilderness leadership, outdoor education, grief support groups, and counseling. Wild Grief is committed to easing access to and revealing the healing aspects of the outdoors and nature for all. Incorporated in 2015 as a non-profit in Olympia, Washington, Wild Grief is supported and led by long-term committed volunteers and an active board. For more info, including mission and programming, see https://wildgrief.org
Areas of Responsibility
Guide supervision, mentoring, coaching, support, training
Participant screening, support, referrals, follow up
Grief support point person, responding to community needs and providing information and referral
Program management, planning, maintenance, assessment & improvement
Quality assurance of our programming, including leading walks and hikes regularly
Weave cultural responsiveness throughout our programming
Responsibilities held collaboratively with co-director
Plan for growth while maintaining organizational vision and alignment with our values
Process improvement, collaborative problem solving, and minimizing risk
Stay connected with Board & support development of board
Develop and nurture relationships with community partners
Make financial decisions within budget in collaboration with co-director
Co-direct the organization and perform other duties as required
Position Background:
Staff are currently supported and directed by our Ecosystem Committee (EC), which is made up of a group of board members who volunteer their time. This EC has done much of the work traditionally done by an Executive Director including directing work, solving larger operational problems, reviewing financials from the contracted bookkeepers, and helping the staff stay focused on key projects assigned by the board or EC. EC will continue to meet with the co-directors and provide supervision for at least 6 months, and will slowly transition to an advisory committee thereafter. We are eager to have most of the operations and programming eventually held by staff.
Collaborative decision-making is a core of our culture. We believe a group that informs and hears from all group members creates the best decisions. We are guided in all that we do by our organizational values, and aim to do our work together in a way that is best for our staff, community, and our planet. This means that we approach work with intention, slowness, and collaboration. The person we hire will need to be collaborative and find ways to lead through listening.
Our work changes seasonally, and the co-directors will support each other’s focus areas at different times of year. In the spring, our focus is on participant outreach, screening, guide preparation and logistics. In the summer we are full on running our programs with the greater demands of overnight trips. The fall is a time for a focus on fundraising and learning from the busy summer season, and in the winter we take stock of the successes and problems of the previous year and plan our next year.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will need to be adaptable, focused, collaborative, and dedicated to the work of Wild Grief.
Required:
Alignment with Wild Grief mission, vision, and values
Grief (Bereavement) and loss support experience
Experience in one of the following: Counseling, Social work, Other professional helping relationship
Personal experience with the outdoors
Skills and experience with working with a variety of people from all backgrounds
Experience with conflict resolution
Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as with others
Ability to work collaboratively with Co-Director to manage and run the organization
A motivated, creative, well-organized and resourceful individual
Ability and intent to listen empathetically and be comfortable talking with people
Pass a criminal background check (See our Background Check Policy)
References
Bachelor’s degree
Bonus (we expect no one to be able to check all these boxes):
Outdoor leadership experience
Bilingual in English/Spanish to support our Spanish-speaking programming
Non-profit experience (volunteer or staff roles).
Masters degree
Professional license in relevant field
Experience in crisis intervention
Wild Grief evaluates candidates based on their experiences, abilities, and effectiveness and does not discriminate against candidates based on any other personal characteristic or any classification. We have a commitment to merging original voices into our culture and encourage our employees to bring their whole, authentic selves to work. Wild Grief is recruiting persons from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds to enhance service to our diverse communities. Wild Grief is an equal opportunity employer.
Hours and Location:
24-32 hours/week, to be negotiated at time of hire. Flexible schedule with some weekends. Work will be hybrid with most meetings happening virtually, with regular presence in Olympia mostly during program season (May-September), as well as around the Puget Sound region for conferences, networking, and leading hikes. In-person extended meetings include annual Guide Training (May 2-3, 2026), Board Retreat, and fall gathering of everyone (Confluence).
Rate of pay/benefits: $35-40 per hour depending on experience ($73,000-$83,000 per year full-time equivalent) plus vacation/sick leave and full health care premiums. This is a wage-based position so you will be paid for every hour worked. Mileage while on Wild Grief business is reimbursed at the federal rate. The duty station is Olympia and we will not be able to reimburse mileage from your home to Olympia. A portable computer is provided.
To Apply: Email resume and cover letter with the subject line: Wild Grief Co-Director Application. Please include your current address. Applications submitted by January 10th, 2025 will be given full consideration. Early applications are strongly encouraged. Interviews are anticipated to start during the last two weeks of January.