Alaska - Program Assistant

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Salary Range: $16.00 To $17.00 Hourly

The Program Assistant is a new role at NOLS Alaska that keeps the program office organized and running smoothly during the field season. Reporting to the Program Manager, the Program Assistant takes on the logistical and administrative work behind every course, from pre-briefing packets and logistics sheets to student arrivals, course returns, and paperwork, so that Program Supervisors can focus on educating, supervising, and supporting instructors.

This is an excellent opportunity for an organized, detail-oriented person to gain experience in outdoor education operations as part of the NOLS Alaska program team. No field instructor experience is required. This is a seasonal position from late April through August 2027, scheduled five days a week including weekends, with on-site housing available for a modest fee.

Final date to receive applications

16 November 2026

Target Start Date

Late April/Early May 2027

Location

Wage

$16.00-$17.00 / hour (USD)

Reports To

Department

Position Type

Seasonal / FT / Non-Exempt

Benefits Eligible

No

Course Preparation

• Send each instructor team its welcome email and pre-briefing packet 10–14 days before the course, linking resources selected by the Program Supervisor.
• Draft course logistics sheets and build the season’s big-picture program calendar for Program Supervisors to review and approve.
• Create course folders in Google Drive, and build and stock Course Leader folders with rosters, evaluations, permits, and logistics sheets.
• Book instructor team meetings with the Rations, Equipment, Kitchen, Transportation, and Evacuation teams, and coordinate instructor travel, ride shares, and housing.

Arrivals, Departures, and Course Returns

• Host student arrival days with the instructor team, including roster verification, no-show notices to Admissions, sea kayak manifests, fishing licenses, and course photos.
• Collect and check the paperwork each instructor team leaves with the program office, flagging gaps to the Program Supervisor.
• Prepare for course returns with welcome-back letters, bay set-up, student mail, diplomas, and grad packets, and run the Course Quality Survey on return day.
• Run the instructor close-out checklist, including Course Leader folders, evaluations, and electronics returned to the Evacuation Office.

Records, Communications, and Office Support

• Scan, upload, and file course paperwork, mail paperwork to Admissions every two weeks, and enter college-credit grades for Program Supervisors to verify.
• Send student welcome letters and post-course thank-you emails, and share course photos with Marketing.
• Serve as a friendly first point of contact for students and staff in the program office.

We are looking for people who share our values and are keen to learn and develop their expertise. While our ideal candidate comes with the skills listed below, we expect to provide training and development support in some of the areas.

• Relevant Experience
  :
  Experience in administrative, office, logistics, or operations support is preferred. Familiarity with NOLS or outdoor education is a plus.
• Organization and Attention to Detail
  :
  The ability to keep many moving pieces accurate and up to date, and to notice when documents or schedules don’t match.
• Technology Skills
  :
  Comfort with Google Workspace and willingness to learn NOLS systems such as Nexus and Airtable.
• Welcoming Presence
  : A friendly, calm face for students and instructors on busy arrival and return days.
• Communication
  :
  Clear, friendly verbal and written…