Program Director of Student Outdoor Learning

Program Director of Student Outdoor Learning Experience

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The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is a premier educational institution that prides itself on academic excellence, research, and community engagement and is actively seeking a Program Director of Student Outdoor Learning Experience (SOLE) to join our team. UCCS is committed to academic excellence, professional development, and fostering an environment that supports innovation and student success. At the base of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado Springs offers a stunning landscape and a vibrant community.

Salary Range
: $56,527-$70,000 annually. Compensation will be commensurate upon experience and qualifications. This position is Exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime provisions.

Work Location
:
On-Site

The Program Director of SOLE leads a comprehensive portfolio of outdoor recreation and education programs designed to promote student wellness, leadership development, and campus engagement. The role oversees outdoor trips, adventure-based classes, workshops, certifications, camps, climbing wall operations, and the SOLE Center, which includes a bike and ski shop and outdoor equipment rentals. The program director supervises a team of 10–15 student employees and coordinates over 30 trips, 40 educational events, and 350+ climbing wall users annually.

The position collaborates with campus partners to support student recruitment, retention, and success through outdoor experiences. The role provides strategic leadership for the SOLE program, including short- and long-term planning, budgeting, policies and procedures, facility operations, equipment management, risk mitigation, and program evaluation. The successful candidate will foster a welcoming environment, encourage broad student engagement, and use evidence-based decision-making to support program operations, student development and learning in alignment with departmental mission and values.

Typical hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, with required evening and weekend availability. Vacation is not permitted during the week before and the first week of each fall and spring semester.

• Leads strategic planning, fiscal management, facility and equipment oversight, risk management, and program evaluation for the SOLE. Oversees a portfolio including 30+ outdoor trips, 40 classes/workshops/camps, 3–4 special events, and over 350 climbing wall passes annually.
• Provides leadership for program budget of $200,000, including revenue generation, payroll, and operational expenses, with responsibility for development, implementation, reporting, and evaluation.
• Prepares and submits contracts, agreements, and permits for approval in coordination with the University Procurement Service Center and Human Resources.
• Designs and oversees high-quality outdoor adventure programs that promote healthy behaviors, personal growth, and team wellbeing, while meeting the diverse needs of the campus community.
• Collaborates with the Membership and Marketing team to maintain accurate and engaging web content and promote access to facilities, equipment rentals, and programs.
• Builds collaborative programming across campus with units such as Wellness, Student Life, MOSAIC, Residence Life, Academic Departments, Veteran and Military Affairs, and Intercollegiate Athletics; fosters community engagement through partnerships with local organizations including the Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance.

• Leads and oversees outdoor adventure trips, services, and educational offerings, ensuring all activities meet established risk management standards.
• Reviews and approves trip plans, verifies staff certifications and training, coordinates vehicle reservations, manages pre-trip communications, and oversees participant registration.
• Collaborates to develop the SOLE activity calendar, including facility use, equipment needs, marketing efforts, and maintenance…